Gill zooms to second victory in INRC

Chikmagalur, May 6 (UNI) Gaurav Gill of Team MRF claimed his second overall Indian National Rally Championship title finishing the nine special stages of the Coffee Day Championship Rally, a whopping 1 minute 52 seconds ahead of teammate Arjun Balu here today.

The 23-year-old from Delhi along with co-driver Moosa Sherif, who held an overnight lead of 40 seconds over Lohit Urs and Jaidas Menon, added another six seconds in the day's opening stage before Lohit toppled in the next stage and was out of reckoning for the top slot.

''I lost the brakes of the car in the day's second stage and flipped over after hitting a tree stump. I had to then call some spectators to right the car and lost precious time,'' said a disappointed Lohit.

He finished way down the list in 2:07.30, after a flat tyre in the repeat of the same stage forcing him to use his spare, costing another 20 minutes.

Balu and co-driver Kumaraswamy who finished second could not manage to push Gill as he emerged a comfortable winner. Gill finished in 1: 41.02, with Balu coming home in 1:42.53.

Amitrajit Ghosh and Sourabh Choudhary finished on top in the 1400cc category, while the Rally Star Cup was won by Arvind J and S M Bharath. The Gypsy Cup saw a comfortable winner in Suresh Rana.

Thirty one cars started on the second day, of which 26 came into parc ferme at Associated Bean Company Ltd, while four cars had to pull out in the day's second stage due to technical problems. Deepak Paul Chinappa crashed on the return journey of the transport stage when his car toppled after banging into a boulder. The car was totaled, but Chinappa and co-driver Sriakarunya escaped without injury.

UNI