Chance for Indians to make a mark

Chance for Indians to make a mark
Vinay Nayudu

Coimbatore, March 30: There seems to be an automobile fever on the National Highway No 47 on the outskirts of the cotton city Coimbatore. Be it a taxi driver or one out for a long drive, everyone is out to test their driving skills, but they can hardly be blamed what with this southern city all set to host opening leg of the first Asia Zone Rally Championships in India concurrently with the Servo Mill and Monsoon Rally. The two-day event kicks off on Saturday.

One is encountered by the coloured rally cars every now and then, to which the locals by now have become accustomed – the place being the hometown of racing hero Narain Karthikeyan besides the presence of number of rallyists who are all set to take the course by storm.

The fact that there only four teams participating in the Asian Zone may have taken a little sheen off the championship but that should only encourage the Indians who would look to make a mark on the international scene.

Out of the four entries only one is from Malayasia; that too is a combine of Malayasian-born Indians Karamjit Singh (Asia Pacific champion) and Jagdev Singh who are form the JK Tyres challenge along with reigning Asia Zone champ Hari Singh and Gurinder Singh Mann.

The JK men who were out of rallying for a few years will renew their rivalry with the MRF teams that includes two-time National champion Naren Kumar (co-driver Ram Kumar) and Arjun Balu (co-driver R Kumar). The straight fight is surely to liven up the competition.

The last time the four matched skills and speed was in the 1999 National Rally Championships where Naren emerged winner ahead of both Karamjit and Hari. But this time there is more at stake, with the Asia Zone making its debut in the country. While the JK champion Hari will go all out to prove his skills, the MRF youngsters will look to hoist their flag on their homeground.

Speaking on the eve of the championship, Naren Kumar said, ‘‘Not much can be analysed unless we take to the terrain (which they know too well). This time we are driving the Japanese make Honda Civic Ek4 Sir which we haven’t used before. The idea is to get the feel of the car so that we can rally it in the National championships in future when foreign cars will be allowed.’’

His co-driver Ram Kumar was worried about how the car suspension would act on the gravel surface. Challenger Hari Singh was banking on his driving skills saying, ‘‘Our Malayasian-make Proton Satria is not as powerful as the Honda Civic but handles the terrain pretty well and we’ve had our success with it the last in the Asia Zone and we look to make the most of it this time too.’’ Besides these four cars, there is also a Chinese entry, but that will not figure in the Asia Zone as they will driving a rented Maruti Esteem.

Also in the fray for the MIL and Monsoon Rally, which is a leg of the National Rally Championships, are 18 other cars. MRF is sponsoring six of them. The summer storms notwithstanding, the locals are sure to cheer Naren Kumar and Arjun Balu all along the gruelling two-leg, 431-km route, 146.2-kms of which comprise of special stages.