The second round of the Indian National Rally Championship is just down this weekend at the damp, dark, coffee plantation inside densely woo...
The second round of the Indian National Rally Championship is just down this weekend at the damp, dark, coffee plantation inside densely wooded forests of the district of Coorg organised by Motorsports Inc., from Bangalore. The event was last listed in the INRC calendar way back in 2008, when Group N+ cars ruled the stages and with the great fight between two professional motorsports teams, Red Rooster Racing & MRF Tyres going neck to neck to snatch top points from each other.
This time the rally is just with two three teams who are all in different categories and so fight between teams is not the real thing, but its between the privateers & the loner teams. The collective distance of the rally is just 171.79kms with nine SS and a SSS totalling to 88.35kms. Also to note is that the stages are very similar (if not same) to the Dakshin Dare, rally-raid event. The dates of the event is also in line with the rains in the area & can expect a down pour at anytime of the rally.
Recce, and scrutiny is scheduled on 19th and the Day 1 action starts on 20th September at early 07:30, SS1, first car, according to the itinerary. The entry-list confirms atleast 42 cars with Zuhin along with codriver Musa in his Subaru Impreza STi will be starting first then with PGA Motorsports, Lohitt with codriver Sujith will be first to start the INRC category cars.
A video compile of the 2008 action is here, a bit low res though!
Watch out for this space for more updates
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The event was called-off [cancelled] due to heavy downpour right after the recce concluded. The stages were rendered unmotorable, with deep slushy tracks and the stones embedded were dangerously protruding upwards in the middle of the track which could easily take out the sump or the gearboxes of the FWD cars.
The decision came after the FMSCI stewards cancelled the first stage of the rally, right after the rains. But the only other two stages remaining too were called off due to similar conditions. It may be disappointing to much of the motorsports community, but a wise one definitely!
So it will be Rally of Chikmagalur, mid-November for another round on the gravel/dirt [then finally onto the asphalt round of Rally of Maharashtra, to conclude the short season of INRC 2012], see you there.
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