INDIA in F1

Tag: Nikhil Pai

  • Karna Kadur-Nikhil Pai win K1000, clinch Indian National Rally title with a round to spare

    Karna Kadur-Nikhil Pai win K1000, clinch Indian National Rally title with a round to spare

    Tumakuru (Karnataka), 4 Dec 2022: All the hard work and years of patience paid rich dividends as Bengaluru rally stars Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil Vittal Pai claimed the Indian National Rally Championship, with a round to spare here on Sunday. This is the second National overall title for the talented duo, who won their maiden Nationals in 2016 in the top class.

    Kadur along with Nikhil Pai, one of the senior-most navigators in the country along with Musa Sherif, brought the second National title for Volkswagen Polo. Pai, who made his INRC debut aboard a two-wheeler in 1992, the victory is a justification for his meticulous work ethic, deep knowledge of the sport and the terrain that helps him to guide his driver, engineers in the car set-up and other technical aspects beyond his call of duty, the pace notes.

    On the other hand, the seven-time National champion Karna Kadur, who switched from Road Racing to Rally and delighted his fans with his exploits as a young driver of Red Rooster Racing took a mind-boggling tumble in Nashik in 2009 when he graduated to a powerful Mitsubishi Cedia. Undaunted, the champion in him went on to build a successful career, which missed a probable maiden National title in 2012 due to the controversial “Penalty” at the Coffee Day rally in Chikmagalur.

    Multiple National champions in the sub-categories, Karna and Nikhil bagged full 40 points with their overall INRC class victory, including full leg points, while their nearest rival Gaurav Gill (Musa Sherif), drew a blank in this round, remaining on 44 points. The Bengaluru duo garnered a total of 112, an unbeatable lead of 68 points, to clinch the National Overall title.

    Driving a Volkswagen Polo 1.0 Comfortline tuned by Leelakrishnan, the Arka Motorsports stalwarts clinched their maiden Overall Karnataka-1000 title by finishing first in the Prasaditya 46th Karnataka-1000 Rally, the third and penultimate round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship at the Special Stage run near Gubbi, in Tumakuru taluk, despite suffering a heavy damage to their car after clipping a rock.

    Karna Kadur and long-time co-driver Nikhil Pai, after winning INRC Overall title.
    Photos by Anand Philar.

    Finishing second, over a minute behind Kadur was Mangaluru’s Aroor Arjun Rao (co-driver Satish Rajagopal, Bengaluru) of Mandovi Racing while Delhi’s Philippos Matthai (Harish Gowda, Bengaluru), who returned to rallying after a 13-year break, finished third Overall.

    Karna Kadur & Nikhil Pai in action on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar

    Matthai also took the honours in INRC 3 category while Virajpet’s Suhem Kabeer (Jeeva Rathinam, Bengaluru) topped in the INRC 2 class. Further down the grid, Chikkamagaluru’s Aeman Ahmed (Sagar Mallappa, Bengaluru) of Ammyfied Racing won in the INRC 4 class with Delhi’s Arnav Singh Pratap (Arjun SSB, Bengaluru) of  SNAP Racing bagged the Junior INRC crown. Chandigarh’s Samrat Yadav (Chandrashekar M, Bengaluru) of Ammyfied Rallying emerged champion in the Gypsy Challenge, a non-championship category.

    The 34-year old Kadur, who enjoyed a comfortable lead after Leg-1 on Saturday, kept his wits about him after suffering some heavy damage to the sump guard in Sunday’s second Stage when he clipped a rock. His mechanics carried out the necessary repairs in 20 minutes flat during the service break which enabled Kadur to continue and finish the second loop without much ado.

    A six-time INRC winner himself, N Leelakrishnan, mentor and coach, gives an appreciative hug to his ward Karna Kadur, who brought the legend his 20th National title as “Tuner” in the Indian National Rally Championship. Photo by Anand Philar (FB)

    Reflecting on the weekend, Kadur said: “It (the win) still hasn’t sunk in, but I am very happy that we won our first K-1000 Rally. We had a fairly smooth run yesterday, but this morning, we had a scare when we clipped a rock in the second Stage.

    “The damage was pretty bad in the front because the sump guard got cut. I managed to come back to service and the boys did a tremendous job in carrying out the necessary repairs, including some cutting, chopping and welding, besides fabricating and fitting a new sump guard, all in 20 minutes flat. 

    “We checked into parc ferme with just 30 seconds to spare. All kudos to our team who did a tremendous job. Yes, a pretty emotional moment. My dad (late Prakash Kadur) never won a K-1000 Rally and so, I am first in the family.”

    Meanwhile, seven times National champion Gaurav Gill (Musa Sherif), who retired in Leg-1 with a drive-shaft issue on Saturday, suffered another setback after rejoining for Leg-2 today with a broken front right knuckle leading to his retirement in the day’s second Stage after being the fastest in the first.

    The last round of the INRC 2022 promoted by Blueband Sports is scheduled to be held at Meghalaya pending approval from FMSCI.

    Provisional final classification:

    Overall / INRC: 1. Karna Kadur /Nikhil Pai (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (01hr,13mins, 56.5secs); 2. Aroor Arjun Rao (Mangaluru)/ Satish Rajagopal (Bengaluru, Mandovi Racing) (01:15:11.9); 3. Philippos Matthai (Delhi)/ Harish Gowda (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (01:16:54.0).

    INRC-2: 1. Suhem Kabeer (Virajpet) / Jeeva Rathinam (Bengaluru, Pvt) (01:16:57.1); 2. Rahul Kanthraj / Vivek Y Bhatt (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (01:17:28.5); 3. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Amber Udasi (Chandigarh, Arka Motorsports) (01:25.08).

    INRC-3: 1. Matthai  / Harish; 2. Maninder Singh Prince (Delhi) / Vinay Padmashali (Bengaluru, JK Rallying) (01:17:23.1); 3. Arnav Singh Pratap (Delhi) / Arjun SSB (Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (01:19:51.7);

    INRC-4: 1. Aeman Ahmed (Chikkamagaluru) / Sagar Mallappa (Bengaluru, Ammyfied Racing) (01:28:11.4); 2. Rakshith Iyer (Mysuru) / Avinash CA (Bengaluru) (01:31:40.4); 3. Deepak Chandra / Raghuram CG (Bengaluru, DC Racing) (01:43.58.4).

    Junior INRC: 1. Arnav / Arjun; 2. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (01:20:13.2); 3. Ajay Sankar (Kollam) / Rohit Gowda (Bengaluru) (01:21:24.1).

    Gypsy Challenge (Non-Championship): 1. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / Chandrashekar M (Bengaluru, Ammyfied Rallying) (01:18:26.7); 2. Himanshu Arora (Delhi) / Vikram Thakur (Chandigarh, Ammyfied Rallying) (01:22:01.9); 3. Kariappa Mekerira (Kodagu) / Supreeth Sagar (Bengaluru, Ammyfied Rallying) (01:26:06.9).

    All Women (Open): 1. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar; Shivani Pruthvi / Deepti Pruthvi (Davangere, Pvt) (01:24.16.6); 3. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pune) / Deeksha Balakrishna (Bengaluru, Snap Racing) (1:29:20.9).

  • Karna Kadur takes sizeable lead; Gaurav Gill retires: K1000

    Karna Kadur takes sizeable lead; Gaurav Gill retires: K1000

    Tumakuru (Karnataka), 3 Dec 2022: The Bengaluru pair, Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil V Pai of Arka Motorsports, stepped up to the challenging terrain to finish Leg-1 as the Overall leaders in the Prasaditya 46th Karnataka-1000 Rally, the third round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) here on Saturday which also saw the retirement of previous edition’s winner, Gaurav Gill (Musa Sherif) due to mechanical issues.

    The day’s schedule was shortened to four Special Stages as against scheduled six following a delayed start due to a technical hitch. However, Kadur, the championship leader, kept his focus and came up with a well-paced drive to take a 47.4-second lead over Palakkad’s Fabid Ahmer (Sanath G) on completion of Leg-1 with Mangaluru’s Aroor Arjun Rao (Satish Rajagopal) of Mandovi Racing in third, trailing the leader by one minute. Four more Stages are scheduled to be run tomorrow (Sunday), the concluding day of the event.

    Ahmer, who missed the 2021 National championship narrowly, leads in the INRC 2 category while Maninder Singh Prince (Suraj Keshava Prasad) of JK Rallying is ahead in the INRC 3 category.

    Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Sanath G in action on Saturday. Photos: Anand Philar

    Leaders in the other classes were: Aeman Ahmed (Sagar M) of Ammyfied Rallying, in INRC 4; Arnav Pratap Singh (Arjun SSB) of SNAP Racing in JINRC and Samrat Yadav (Chandrashekar M) in Gypsy Challenge which is a non-championship category.

    As well as Kadur drove today, the expected clash with seven-times National champion Gill dissipated in the day’s very first Stage with the Delhi star pulling out due to an issue with the gearbox of his Mahindra XUV 300 barely two Kms in the first Stage. “We had put in some new parts, but in SS-1, we had to pack up due to some issue with the gearbox. I was looking forward to the event as the Stages were to my liking. We will restart tomorrow and I hope to score some leg points,” said a disappointed Gill.

    Kadur, aiming to win the National title this season, and who leads Gill by 44 points in the championship standings, said: “We stuck to our plan today which was to bring the car home. We pushed more in the second loop in the afternoon and made time on our morning run. I enjoyed the drive today. As for tomorrow, again, our aim will be to finish the event, exercise caution where required and push when we can. The car is still a work in progress and I am learning it all the time. Hopefully, we will have a good run tomorrow.”

    Maninder Singh Prince and Vinay Padmashali lead INRC3 after Day 1.

    The Prasaditya Karnataka-1000 rally is being organised by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club under the aegis of FMSCI, the governing body of motorsports in India and promoted by Blueband Sports.

    Of the 65 cars that took the start, 24 cars logged DNF and failed to finish on Day 1. Some of the cars will take the start again on Sunday for leg points.

    Provisional partial classification (After Leg-1): (After Day1)

    Overall / INRC: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil V Pai (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (36mins, 03secs); 2. Fabid Ahmer / Sanath G (Palakkad) (36:50.4); 3. Aroor Arjun Rao (Mangaluru) / Satish Rajagopal (Bengaluru, Mandovi Racing) (37:04.7); 4. Suhem Kabeer (Virajpet)/ Jeeva Rathinam (Bengaluru) (37:09.300); 5. Aditya Thakur (Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla, Chettinad Sporting) (37:21.7); 6. Jahaan Singh Gill (Chandigarh)/ Suraj Keshava Prasad (Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (37:50.700); 7. Maninder Singh Prince (New Delhi) / Vinay Padmashali (Bengaluru, JK Rallying) (38:10.9); 8. Philippos Mathai (New Delhi) / Harish KN (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (38:10.9); 9. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / Chandrashekar M (Bengaluru) (38:54.300); 10. Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi) / Arjun SSB (Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (39:05.9); 11. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (39:08.7);

    INRC 2: 1. Ahmer / Sanath; 2. Suhem Kabeer (Virajpet) / Jeeva Rathinam (Bengaluru) (37:09.3); 3. Aditya Thakur (Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla, Chettinad Sporting) (37:21.7); 4. Jahaan Singh Gill (Chandigarh)/ Suraj Keshava Prasad (Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (37:50.700).

    INRC 3: 1. Maninder Singh Prince (New Delhi) / Vinay Padmashali (Bengaluru, JK Rallying) (38:10.9); 2. Philippos Mathai (New Delhi) / Harish KN (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (38:10.9); 3. Kuber Sharma (Solan) / Kunal Kashyap (Shimla) (38:18.1); 4. Arnav Singh Pratap (Delhi) /Arjun SSB (Bengaluru) (39:05.900).

    INRC 4: 1. Aeman Ahmed (Chikkamagluru) / Sagar M (Bengaluru, Ammyfied Rallying) (43:25.2); 2. Rakshith Iyer (Mysuru) / Avinash CA (Bengaluru) (43:45.6); 3. Jagbir Nirwan (Patiala) / Karanpreet Mattu (Kurukshetra) (47:43.2); 4. Ruthuparna Vivek (Chikkamagaluru) /Santosh Thomas (Hyderabad) (59:18.900).

    Junior INRC: 1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi) / Arjun SSB (Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (39:05.9); 2. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar (Bengaluru, Arka Motorsports) (39:08.7); 3. Ajay Shankar (Kollam) / Rohit Gowda (Bengaluru) (40:47.8); 4. Shivani Pruthvi/ Deepti Pruthvi (Both Davangere) (41:21.900).

    Gypsy Challenge (Non-championship): 1. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / Chandrashekar M (Bengaluru) (38:54.300); 2. Himanshu Arora (Delhi) / Vikram Thakur (Chandigarh, Ammyfield Rallying) (40:14.300); 3. Kariappa Mekerira (Kodagu) / Supreeth Sagar (Bengaluru, Ammyfied Rallying) (43:02.200); 4. Darshan Nachappa /Abhinav Ganapathy (Both Kodagu, Ammyfied Rallying) (43:14.300).

    Fabid Ahmer on Saturday. Photo courtesy Twitter @JKtyreracing
  • Karna Kadur wins APRC round on international debut; Nikhil Pai drives Polo magic again

    Karna Kadur wins APRC round on international debut; Nikhil Pai drives Polo magic again

    Chennai, 27 March 2022: Gentle giant Karna Kadur, who brings back glorious memories of Team Kadur, along with experienced co-driver Nikhil Pai, a stalwart with ‘Tulips’ and ‘pace-notes’, made a scintillating debut in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and brought Arka Motorsports team a solid victory in the first round of the APRC Asia Cup 2022. The duo thus qualified for the APRC finals to be held in Australia later this year where the winners of other rounds will join to decide the APRC title. In 2016, the pair brought the first National title for Volkswagen in the annals of Indian National Rally Championship (INRC).

    The Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) pulled off yet another miracle in bringing APRC to India, albeit in a new regional format of APRC Asia Cup. After a brief hiatus of two years (2020 & 2021) thanks to COVID, APRC made a comeback but in its regional avatar as Asia Cup and Pacific Cup, held separately in their own regions. All winners and ranked teams selected by ASNs from these regional events, will join the grand finale at Australia in November to vie for the APRC title. MMSC successfully completed the 44th South India Rally, a leg of the APRC (Asia Cup) and the third and final round of the delayed and depleted National championship, INRC.

    Three-time APRC champion, Gaurav Gill, who came second here, has already registered for the APRC 2022 and will be taking part in a Japan rally for prep and will proceed to display his talent at the finale Down Under. As per the current rules, a penalty of 10 minutes plus the fastest stage time will be added to any car which did not finish a particular stage. However, Younus Ilyas of Race Concepts who did well till the fag end, may have lost a third place in APRC, for not having parked the car in Park Ferme on time.

    Karna Kadur, who got the first overall National INRC Championship title for Volkswagen Polo, winning the coveted title in 2016 has a record of sorts winning many a National title in different classes. But the APRC round win, has its own charm. Ably partnered by Nikhil Pai, one of the senior-most of the current navigators, Polo tasted its first victory in the Indian shores in 2013 when Sirish Chandran won a round in INRC. Later, he also stood with Karna Kadur to fulfill a dream of winning their first overall National title (2016), also in a polo; and now the duo did it again bringing their first international win at home behind the steering wheel of a Polo. Gifted with a clarity in thought and clear vision, Pai, at 50, looks forward to another fruitful season. “With the 2022 season starting early, we have no time to rest. I am looking forward to a great year ahead,” said Pai.

    Born in Bengaluru, 33 summers ago, Karna Kadur caught the eye of theIndian motorsports connoisseurs as he displayed immense talent and skill in his teens and twenties and continued his momentum but lack of sponsors meant that his potential is yet to fully blossom. He won the Rally Star Cup, a baby of MAI, in his debut in 2009 and went on to win many other National titles, with Group N victory in 2012 being another major haul. He not only won the Overall National title in 2016 but notched overall wins in 2017 and 2018, the year where he graduated to INRC2 and pocketed the National title on debut in the class.

    In 2020, the duo were planning to break through into international circuit, but the pandemic, and lack of proper commitment from the sponsors halted their plans. It is a pity that such a talented pair had to slog and always fight with shoe-string budgets for lack of “backing and budget” as Karna put it. Nevertheless, the APRC participation and Asia Cup win will be a moment to cherish for some time, and hopefully bring-in some well-deserved sponsosrs.

    But there is no time to relax. “We get only two days off, then we are back to work with early 2022 calendar. We will work hard and hopefully put down a plan to go the for the APRC finale,” said Karna Kadur after his victory podium. Karna, is adept at road racing too and has excelled in the racing Nationals and also became a driver coach and mentor. He was first selected for Red Rooster team in 2010 after his brilliant show in his debut year in 2009.

    Nikhil Pai, is a sound engineer by profession. Everything he plans is sound and safe. A meticulous planner and systematic executor, his hardwork and attention to detail can match few in the field. He has been a consistent and safe co-driver calling pace notes for many different drivers in a career spanning three decades. He made his international debut in 2012, in Rally Sarangala in Sri Lanka and called the notes for former Indian National Champion Lohit Urs in the Malaysian National Championship in 2013. “But this is my first victory in an International event. It is a long time coming and I am thrilled right now. A big shout out to my team, sponsors and all the mechs and yes, we have done it,” said Pai.

    Karna Kadur and Nikhil Pai will be back to Chennai for South India Rally on April 22, the first round of INRC 2022.

  • Karna Kadur & Nikhil Pai raring to go: 4w INRC Round 3

    Karna Kadur & Nikhil Pai raring to go: 4w INRC Round 3

    By David Bodapati

    Coimbatore, 25 Jan 2021: Karna Kadur and Nikhil Pai, make a rare combination. It is a rare species! If I may call it so, an endangered species! Two of the most-talented and skilled drivers and co-drivers in the country, arguably best in their class. It is difficult to say, if the navigator is better because of the driver or the Driver is better because of the co-driver.

    If we leave top guns, like Ram Kumar and Kumci Kumar, and the legendary Farooq Ahmed, currently not rallying in the season, Nikhil Pai, one of the senior most, if you put aside the Kasargod king, Musa Sherif, is a class in his own. Both have their unique features and respect each other. Musa is a veteran of over 200 rallies in INRC. Musa’s story is another great story, we must tell in these pages. Watch out!

    Today, it is Nikhil Pai, a sound engineer, cool, calm and composed! For the first time, I was able to hear his speed, sound and watch the moon at the same time. It was Karna Kadur who produced the sound, but the man who directed the show was Pai. Both are made for each other. One is as good as the other. A co-driver worth his salt, Nikhil Pai was a joy to watch at Arunachal Pradesh, as always. Karna came into his own after a reluctant run and excelled with controlled aggression and with the exception of the likes of Gill, a Speed demon, there is none that can stop the duo. INDIAinF1 rated them as the best in their class and next only to Gaurav Gill, as we have to take notice of their class, car and the machine. It is a VW Polo INRC NA.

    Yours humbly, (I am) is a big fan of Karna Kadur. All I have for the co-driver, Nikhil Pai, is #Respect. Besides, National Championship titles in other classes, they were crowned as Overall Champions in the Indian National Rally Championship 2016, a great honour to enter the list of National INRC Champions. They achieved it in a Volkswagen Polo in Group N and the unsung hero but for whom the victory may not have been possible is the duo’s mentor – a friend, philosopher and guide, N Leelakrishnan, who tuned the machines and coached them.

    In 2010, I was sitting with the tribals under the foothills of Sahayadri mountain ranges in Western Ghats, in front of a right hander, leading into a tricky bounce before they enter a straight. Here, Karna, who graduated to a bigger machine in Mitsubishi, after Red Rooster Racing identified him as a precious talent and gave him a powerful Cedia.

    INRC giant: N Leelakrishnan, right, who has 25 National titles in the 32-year history of Indian National Rally Championship from 1988 to 2019. He has six drivers National titles and as he tuned his own car and went on to be the tuner for 13 other overall winners. An impeccable record of 19 wins as a tuner. Here he is preparing Karna Kadur’s car for the second round of INRC 2020 after taking the driver feedback. Photo by David Bodapati

    The triple somersault and the safe exit, was baptism by fire. Pai was not his navigator then. The genial giant, Karna, never looked back, missing his first National title in 2012 but went on to win multiple National titles in every class he entered.

    And soon he had Nikhil Pai, giving the calls and the sound engineer, sound and steady in his performance, ever smiling and willing to enhance the show by his driver with impeccable prep, hardwork and disciplined attitude, and what it takes to beat the best… When they first became the National champions both were together.When they first won a National title for Polo, they were together. No driver misses the advantage of such a navigator. I love Karna, I admire Nikhil. Both are good and complement each other. It was also the dependable duo, who brought the first National title for VW Polo, winning their overall National Title in 2016.

    The other driver I admire and follow is Dean Mascarenhas, who faded away after a stunning debut as a 18-year teenager. But in Itanagar, he had a mature drive and proved that he still can hog limelight, only if sponsors back him up. Wish talented drivers are nurtured and sponsored!

    Karna on the other hand is already moulding youngsters and is good at managing teams. Karna, born into a sporting family, is a talented and hardworking driver, nay a thinking driver! And he is made of champion stuff, as he excelled in many forms of motorsports, a teacher in the mould of his guru, Leela, the 6-time National champ, an impeccable master of holistic driver development!

    “It is not fair to compare drivers, or for that matter co-drivers of different eras,” he told this reporter recently. But `we journalists’ end up writing good (and sometimes bad) without much thought. So, I may have missed some greats from the past, in the glorious 33-years (including 2020) of INRC… May Their Tribe increase!

    Unsung heroes: Mechs and Engineers are the unsung heroes behind any rally winner. The three here and other team members, worked day and night as the double-header with just a rest day in between took a toll on the mechs. Next round we promise you to get their names.

    The third round of the Indian National Rally Championship 2020 (INRC) for four-wheelers is scheduled to be held at the Kethanoor windmill farms near here from Jan 29 to 31. Promoted by Champions Yacht Club and organised by Coimbatore Auto Sports Club (CASC), under the aegis of fmsci, the governing body of motorsports (FIA ASN) in India, the top drivers in their class Karna Kadur and Nikhil Pai are raring to go in their (the magic behind the car with legendary Leelakrishnan at work) VW Polo shod on MRF tyres, expect some fireworks on Karna’s favourite gravel terrain, the patchy, pebble-filled windmill farms.

    “It’s rally week! While Karna (Kadur), me (Nikhil Pai) and everyone at Arka Motorsport , MRF Racing and Volkswagen Motorsport India are busy getting our car ready, here’s a little peek at the last two rounds of the Rally of Arunachal where we finished 2nd and 3rd overall respectively. Hoping to better that performance this weekend at Coimbatore, the 3rd round of the INRC. See you there!,” say the champion duo.

    See you in Kethanoor! Happy Rallying!!

    Watch the Arunachal Pradesh INRC Round 1 & 2 short Video here!

    Editor’s Note: David Bodapati, has been following INRC from 1988 as a sub-editor in Indian Express and has been covering at least one round (read K1000) from 1996, except an year or two, and did research for over 10 years to compile INRC Hall of fame.

    This article has been last updated on 28 Jan 2021 at 12.12pm

  • Philippos-Naik win maiden Overall title at Nashik

    Nashik, 4 July 2004: Talented Philippos Mathai and co-driver Ashwin Naik won the MAK Nashik Rally, the opening round of MAI Indian National Rally Championship (INRC), sponsored by Gulf Oil, which concluded here at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday.

    The Nashik Rally is the season opener of Motorsports Association of India’s (MAI) ambitious 8-round calendar for 2004. The rally fraternity will move to Bangalore for the second round K1000 in August.

    Strong contender Jiby Maliakkal and co-driver Nikhil Pai, who won the final rally last year in Pune, fell into 37-second arrears on Saturday night and made an aggressive attempt to cut the gap but could make only 22 seconds and ended up second overall.

    Thus Philippos Mathai and Ashwin Naik bagged their maiden overall title. The Maliakkal and Pai duo, who lost crucial time when their 1600cc Honda City V-Tec went off the road. The duo finished 15 seconds behind clocking one hour 31minutes and 18 seconds. The duo of Mathai and Naik also won the 1400cc title. Arjun Rao Aroor and experienced CK Chinappa came second in the 1400cc class while Sandeep Sharma and co-driver Kulbir Singh Dhaliwal were third.

    The Rally Star Cup was won by Zohrab Zorabian and co-driver Rayomand Banajee ahead of Amith Kumar and co-driver Amith Anand. Rajesh Gadakh and co-driver Paritosh Kohok finished third.

    The results (provisional):

    Overall: 1. Phillipos Mathai/Ashwin Naik 1:31.18; 2. Jiby Maliakkal/Nikhil Pai (Team Chettinad) 1:31.33; 3. R. Karthikeyan/G. Satish 1:31.42.

    1400cc category: 1. Phillipos Mathai/Ashwin Naik 1:31.18; 2. Arjunrao Aroor/CK Chinappa (Methods) 1:32.40; 3. Sandeep Sharma/Kulbirsingh Dhaliwal 1:35.12.

    Rally Star Cup: 1. Sohrab Zorabian/Rayo Banerjee 1:38.16; 2. Amith Kumar/Amith Anand 1:40.07; 3. Rajesh Gadakh/Paritosh Kohok 1:44.57.

    Note: This article is manually migrated from the archives of old website.