Can Adith KC and Harish KN Maintain Their Lead in Dakshin Dare After Day 2?

Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Aug 29 (NationPress) The dynamic duo of Adith K.C. and Harish K.N. from Palakkad and Bengaluru showcased their skills in the challenging terrain of the Motorsport Inc fmsci 14th Dakshin Dare rally, propelling themselves to the top on Day 2. The rally took place on dirt tracks located about 30km from the city.

“Today's run was smooth, and our main goal was to ensure the car reached the finish line safely while gaining time in our preferred sections,” stated Adith, a two-time INRC champion in his category, with Harish quickly making a name as an excellent co-driver. “Despite encountering a puncture towards the end of the day, we managed to protect our lead and are optimistic about maintaining this pace through the upcoming stages,” added Harish. The talented pair now leads the competition by 15 seconds in their Honda City, ahead of the second-placed Gypsy.

Currently in second place is Vinod Singh and Shailendra Singh from the Ashva team, while Aieman Ahmed (co-driver Sagar M) of Team VM Motorsports executed a solid performance. Overnight leaders Archit Jindal and Aashish Bhaskar from Delhi faced a setback with a rear right puncture that cost them 15 minutes. However, they persevered to survive the day and are ready to fight back over the next two days.

Another contender, Nikeetaa Takkala, paired with co-driver Pavan, experienced a setback when she missed a right turn, losing approximately 37 seconds. Although she was ranked second at that point, a technical penalty later concluded her day. Nikeetaa plans to incur her penalty and restart during the shorter Plantation Selective sections (33.44km) on Saturday to remain competitive in both her classes.

Making waves today was Phoebe Nongrum, the sole driver representing the North East, who delivered an almost flawless performance in her Polo. With seasoned co-driver Venu Ramesh Kumar from Coimbatore, they secured fifth place overall and claimed the lead in the Ladies class.

The leading pair of Vamcy Merla and accomplished co-driver Ashwin Naik, a multiple national champion, faced issues with power loss early in the day while driving their #1 1600cc Gypsy. Nevertheless, they skillfully managed the vehicle, even resorting to second gear, and successfully completed the 77km stage, earning the chance to restart on Saturday as leaders of their class 5.

Provisional unaudited results:

Overall (after leg 2):

1. Adith KC/ Harish KN (Team Vamcy Merla Motorsports) (03 hours, 55 minutes, 18 seconds);

2. Vinod Singh/ Shailendra Singh (Team Ashva) (03:55:33);

3. Aieman Ahmed/ Sagar M (Team VM Motorsports) (03:57:16);

Class 2: Group T1: 1. Adith KC/ Harish KN; 2. Aieman Ahmed/ Sagar M; 3. Sidharth Santosh/ Vybhav Mukund Rao (Privateer) (03:57:36);

Class 10: Group T2: 1. Vinod Singh/ Shailendra Singh (Team Ashva) (03:55:33); 2. Deepak Sachyadeva/ Rajit Singh (Team Ashva) (04:03.47);

Ladies Class: 1. Phoebe Nongrum/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Team VM Motorsports) (03:59:35);

Class 5: Group T1: Vamcy Merla/ Ashwin Naik (Team VM Motorsports) (04:04:18);

Class 8: Group T2: Akhil Jain/ Akhil Dhaundiyal (Team Ashva) (04:11:14);

Class 11: Group T2: Archit Jindal/ Aashish Bhaskar (Team Ashva) (04:13:55);