New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Rookie Ashwin Sundar was off to a sound start at the UAM Asia Nations of Road Racing-2007 by finishing seventh at the Tsukuba Circuit in Japan.

In the qualifying session Ashwin had the fastest lap timing of 01:14:9 which put him in eighth place in the grid of 18 racers.

In Race One, India's Ashwin finished in eighth place finishing eighth seconds behind the race winner. Race Two saw a very close fight between the riders in second to ninth places on the grid, according to the information received here.

Ashwin Sundar who started eighth did well to finish in seventh place in a race which saw these eight racers engrossed in a very close tussle and taking the checkered flag in fractions of a second.

Modelled on the lines of A1 GP Races, the first round saw riders nominated from India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Phillipines and China.

The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) nominated the 2006 road racing Champion of Champions Ashwin Sundar to represent India.

At the end of Round One, Thailand is leading the points table followed by Indonesia, China, Japan and India is in fifth place.

UNI