33rd Bosch K1000 all set to flag off on August 17

Bangalore, Aug 16 (UNI) The 33rd Bosch K1000 Rally for four wheelers was all set to flag off tomorrow.

The three-day 400 km rally would be flagged off from California Resorts near Yelahanka, in the outskirts of the city to pass through Ram farms near Sidhlagatta on the Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway about 70 km from California Resorts.

Talking to newspersons here last night, Karnataka Motor Sports Club General Secretary P Praneeth said a record number of 48 cars were taking part in the rally, including Team MRF, Chettinad Sporting, Team Ideal, FRK Racing, Kari Sports, Slip Stream and Red Rooster Racing.

Leading the pack is the MRF Team comprising APRC driver Gaurav Gill, who is leading with 36 points from three rounds, Arjun Balu, Lohit Urs and Aroor Arjun Rao. Providing them a strong challenge will be Vikram Mathias of Red Rooster Racing in the privateer class, he added.

Mr Praneeth said The Rally Star Cup popularly called as the RSC comprising drivers from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi, Chandigarh, Kerala and Bangalore leads the entry list with 30 participants.

The highlight of the rally would be the group N+ cars that make their debut in this rally. These cars were capable of attaining speeds in excess of 200 kmph and can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in seven secs.

Keeping in mind this new found pace of these cars, special care had been taken by the organisers, Karnataka Motor Sports Club in terms of safety both for the drivers, as well as the spectators to make it a memorable weekend for Motor Sports enthusiasts, he added.

The rally forms the fourth round of the Indian National Rally Championship conducted by the Motorsport Association of India (MAI).

This year the stages were all dirt sections and brand new with a distance of approximately 26 km done four times.

The event has a title sponsor in the name of Bosch and was co-sponsored by Mitsubishi, Red Rooster racing, Overdrive, Bisleri and Radio Indigo, would carry the results of the rally Live throughout the day.

The total distance of the rally was approx 400 km comprising 106 km of Special Stages and 280 kms of Transport sections. The first leg on the 17th would run an approx distance of 200 km, of which the Special Stages of 53 km would be run in the forward direction twice and in the second leg the Special Stages were run in the reverse direction, the distance being the same 53 km.

The Super Special Spectator stage of 3.3 km was being held behind California Resorts on the 19th.

The flag off would be at 0800hrs and the special stages at Ram Farms were set to begin at 1020 hrs. The first car was expected back at 1530 hrs at California Resorts on the same day. The second leg, next day, starts at 0700 hrs and the cars would be back at 1430 hrs on the same day.

The Super Special Sector starts at 0800 hrs on the the final day.

The results will be published in the afternoon on August 19 and the prize distribution would be on the same evening at 1900 hrs in California Resorts.

UNI