Date:12/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/12/stories/2008061261072000.htm

Sport - Racing : Motor

A lacklustre start to INRC

BANGALORE: The Indian National Rally Championship seems to be losing its sheen. First, JK Tyre dropped out after wrangling with the administrators. Team MRF, after dominating the scene for a couple of years, too has withdrawn from the first leg of the 2008 INRC citing irreconcilable differences.

Over the last decade, motor racing enthusiasts have bemoaned the lack of growth in the sport.

The long standing feud between Motorsports Association of India (MAI) and the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) has been a stumbling block to the growth of the sport.

The first leg of the INRC 2008 will commence at Mysore on Friday with a depleted field of just three cars in the highest class, the Group N + category. Two of the drivers will don the colours of the new Racing Team, Red Roosters, while Lohith Urs of Team MRF will compete as a privateer.

The Sidvin Rally of Karnataka has a line-up of over 40 cars across all categories.

The rally will commence with a ceremonial start in front of the Mysore Palace and on Friday afternoon, the cars will take part in the spectator-friendly Super Special Stage run over a 2.1 km track.

On Saturday, the drivers will traverse the transport sector from Mysore to Malavalli where the three special stages —Alpha (9.5 km), Beta (10.1km) and Gamma (7.3kms) will be run twice.

The cars will do the same stages twice in the reverse order on Sunday.

The Rally of Karnataka offers a total prize money of Rs 2.8 lakh across the six classes of the rally. — Special Correspondent