Hyderabad stunt rider is toast of the nation

Aerobatic moves to wheelies, stoppies and burnout; 30-year-old stunt rider from city, Neeraj Kumar Sharma has he’s done it all. He recently returned victorious from ‘Vroom’, the international drag meet, which was held in Bengaluru, finishing with a record 10.718 seconds.

Speaking to The Hans India on the situation of the sport in the country, Neeraj says, “Stunt riding usually requires a flat asphalt surface; the bigger the better. Although, a cement or paved surface can also be used. But, in India we don’t find this type of place to perform.”

Stunt rider Neeraj Kumar Sharma speaks on the scenario of the sport in the country, his favourite stunts and more

“We can’t compare the status of stunting and racing in India to other countries, but yeah even we are not that far behind. Many circuits are available for racing now; drags and competitions are being organised. So, surely it will grow on par with international standards,” he adds.

Commenting on his style of riding, the rider says, “Freestyle sport is all about expressing yourself; it takes many years to acquire the skills necessary to do daring stunts that make it such a hit. Fastest wheelie is one of my favourite stunts.”

As a kid, Neeraj spent most of his time on bicycle or motorbikes and started racing on the BMX when he was seven years old. From then on, he had a thirst for racing competitions.

“Competitions are the best thing where we can showcase our skills and few competitions like (The Valley Run), which is held at Lonavala once a year, is something for which I wait eagerly,” exclaims the rider who bagged the top spot at The Valley Run in 2013, completing the wheelie in 9.10 seconds.

Commenting on local racers in comparison to international counterparts, he says, “We give our best and are not afraid of anything. When we perform, we focus on victory. The international rider performs spectacular stunts on bikes of 600cc and 1,000cc, well, we do the same on a bike of 200cc.”Now, that’s something!