Pune: Amidst mounting excitement and expectations the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Racing Championship enters a crucial phase with the fourth round starting at the MMRT here on Friday.The chase for titles in various categories gets more frenetic than ever while the front-runners keep an eye on the leaderboard. Every point won will be worth its weight in gold.

The weekend card has races in the MRF F1600, saloon cars (Indian Touring Cars, Super Stock, Indian Junior Touring Cars and Esteem Cup), and the Formula LGB 1300 besides the Volkswagen Ameo Cup, a one-make championship.

Also being run is the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship, post-lunch on Saturday and Sunday, for both two-wheelers and cars.

The season, so far, has been so topsy-turvy that Chennai teenager Ashwin Datta (96 points), despite three wins on the trot in the MRF F1600 class, is only 12 ahead of Mamallapuram’s Raghul Rangasamy.