Top rally drivers to compete in JK Festival of Speed

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, March 27: Some of India’s top rally drivers, including nine-time Raid-de-Himalaya winner Suresh Ra, will be seen in action in the 3rd JK Tyre Aruchal Festival of Speed to be held at picturesque Dirang in West Kameng district from tomorrow.

Seasoned Gaurav Chiripal from Delhi and Dean Mascarenhas, will also compete in the three-day event which has combined three forms of off-road racing such as Auto Cross, Rally Sprint and Hill Climb on a single platform.

With a total prize fund of Rs 8.5 lakh, it is one of the richest motorsports events in the country.

“We at JK Tyre have always strive to promote and develop motorsports at the grassroots level and nurture talent in far corners of the country. We hope that the JK Tyre Aruchal Festival of Speed, will not only heighten the interest of the people in the North East about motorsports, it will also help to unearth new rallying talent from that part of the country,” said Sanjay Sharma, Head, JK Motorsports.

Auto Cross, which is a closed circuit off-road racing will take place at the Lopon Stadium in the centre of Dirang town. The Auto Cross will be a day and night affair to add further twist to the challenge of driving on a tight track.

The iconic Hill Climb covering a distance of 5 km will be held at the Apple and Kiwi Farm in the adjoining Runja village, while the Rally Sprint test, which aims to simulate a single stage rally, will be run on a 5 km loop at the picturesque Sangti valley.

All three disciplines will be run against the clock and the fastest to the finish line will be declared winners of individual events. The overall podium finishers will be decided on the basis of combined scores of the three activities.