Local Sports

Brandon with his dad Chris. Photo credit S1.No one has a greater passion for racing cars than Brandon Murthi and he’s living the attention that comes with it.

 

Unlike most teenagers, Murthi’s all about muscle cars and its sheer roar.

The 17-year-old Surrey racer is fast making a name for himself in the adventure sport of speed, skill and thrill.

 

A couple of months back, his racing prowess caught the attention of Jaguar which signed him for an apprenticeship in mechanical trade at one of its local dealership after the young and talented Murthi surprised everyone by finishing second in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) division six, E,T (elapse time) drag race finals in Boise Idaho, USA.

 

Murthi managed to set a new course record and finished the quarter mile race with a time of 12.38 seconds at a speed of 180km.

 

His winning car was a modified version of the 81 Malibu, 355 small block V8. He clocked the best reaction time of 0.000 seconds and outclassed a 13-year course veteran with a time of 0.7000 thousands of a second margin of victory.

 

Murthi beat 26 top drivers from across North America.

 

The subsequent third-placed driver had a reaction time of 0.008.

 

“It was a remarkable finish considering the level of competition,” he said.

 

“The Jaguar team at the competition offered me to join their technical division. I just couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”

 

Wearing a smile stretching ear to ear, Murthi acknowledged the support of his parents and teachers, for his early success.

 

“I owe it to my supportive family and teachers, who introduced me to car racing. They have been a pillar of strength for me.”

 

Murthi’s parents are from Savusavu which is a suburb of Fiji’s tourism capital, Nadi and he visited the place in 2005.

 

His dad Chris Murthi was an avid soccer player in Nadi during his days and today, he manages the Nadi Masters championship side in the Fijian Soccer League of Greater Vancouver in British Columbia.

The Murthis migrated to Canada in 1991. They still have relatives in Nadi and Lautoka.

 

The youngster’s love for cars started at any early age and as the years passed by, it turned into an obsession for racing.

“My dad was skeptical at first, fearing the sport had its fair share of casualties. He was not comfortable with it but I talked him through it.”

 

Murthi’s technical and tactical know-how took shape at the Mission Raceway Park course in Mission, British Columbia, Canada.

“It’s where I learnt the tricks of the trade. I want to take racing to the next level. There’s no turning back now,” he said.

 

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