A Volkswagen Polo 1.6 that zapped through the Bengal Moto Fest 2025 tracks to bag the fastest lap trophy on Sunday was declared a write-off following a mishap four days before the race.
With a crumbled shell and bent engine mounts, the car was no better than a wreck. But this hatchback’s story wasn’t destined to end there.
Kolkata motorist Raunak Jana, and his auto-enthusiast friends, came together to give her another chance — and in four days, she transitioned into a winner from what many had declared scrap metal.
“I thought it was over,” said Jana. “The car was totaled on Wednesday and the qualifiers were on Sunday. But somehow, everyone came together and made it happen.”
Bengal Moto Fest was the East Zone Qualifier of the FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship (INAC). The countdown for the weekend’s qualifier began at Jyotirmoy Public School, Knowledge Campus, Sonarpur.
Rebuilding a wreck, piece by piece
Jana’s battered Polo was rebuilt almost from scratch in less than four days. “Alok Automobiles took the car in and brought it back into shape in a day,” he recalled. “Ishan Roy Chowdhury from East India Co Racing managed to source all the original parts overnight. By Friday midnight, the car was standing there in one piece again.”
With the clock ticking, Jana bought a used stock 1.6-litre engine from Malik Bazaar to replace his earlier race-spec unit. “The old engine had bigger German pistons and a five-speed short gearbox, both imported. This new one was completely stock — engine, gearbox, everything. The only competition-grade parts left were the roll cage, rally seats, steering and the Reiger suspension,” he said.
Even then, the car wasn’t ready to run. Ten hours before the event, Sreeram Kaserani of Venom Performance, a tuner based in South India, stepped in to remap the Polo’s ECU to suit the stock gearbox and engine. “He literally transported his tools from Hyderabad in five hours just to get it done,” Jana laughed. “That was the final touch we needed.”
Bro’s Racing, who later won both Best Tuner trophies for the open event and the INAC qualifiers, spent the night fine-tuning the car’s setup before it rolled onto the grid.
Adapting under pressure
Saturday’s open event became Jana’s practise ground. “I was just finding lines, taking it easy. Most of the cars I drove on day one weren’t mine,” he said. “But on Sunday, from the very first lap, I decided to push.”
Despite running a milder stock setup, the Polo’s Reiger rally suspension helped him stay composed through the tight autocross layout. His laps remained consistently fast at just over two minutes before he set a blistering 1-minute-59.531-second record.
“That lap was pure focus,” Jana said with a grin. “Someone had joked the day before that I could win everywhere but not at home. I just smiled and thought, let’s see.”
A fiercely fought grid
The Bengal Moto Fest 2025, held on Sunday, 9 November, was organised by the Motor Sports Association of Eastern India under the aegis of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The two-day event drew 204 entries across national and open categories.
Jana dominated the national qualifier by winning four of the seven INAC classes — INAC 1 Class B (Unrestricted Open), INAC 2 Class D (Up to 1650cc), INAC 2 Class E (Up to 2000cc) and INAC 2 Class F (Open). Competition was razor thin, with tenths and hundredths separating podiums.
Regulars such as Nilanjan Banerjee and Karan Chaudhury traded fractions of a second in their classes, while Shillong’s Babit Lyngdoh impressed with multiple podiums, even renting Jana’s car for one of the categories. The Novice Open and Ladies classes saw several new entrants, highlighting how Bengal’s motorsport scene continues to grow each season.
From crash to championship
For Jana, this weekend was more than a qualifier; it was redemption. “The car went from totaled to podium in four days,” he said. “Everyone — from the tuners to the mechanics — made it possible. This was their victory as much as mine.”
The 33-year-old driver now gears up for a packed December. He will first compete at the K1000 Rally in Bengaluru on 12–13 December, backed by the Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation. Soon after, he will head to Goa for the INAC 2025 Finals on 22–23 December, where he will look to defend his crown and clinch his second straight national title.
“Yes, the same Polo,” he confirmed. “With the old engine rebuilt and the short-ratio gearbox back. For the next one year, this is going to be the car.”