Chennai, April 19 (NationPress) Karna Kadur from Bengaluru, alongside co-driver Kumar Ramaswamy from Coimbatore representing Arka Motorsports, triumphed at the 49th South India Rally held at the Madras International Circuit on Sunday, despite facing a turbo failure. The event was hosted by the Madras Motor Sports Club. His primary rival, Gaurav Gill, had to retire due to a mechanical complication.

Kadur, aged 37, showcased extraordinary speed throughout the weekend, skillfully navigating the extreme heat while competing in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, supported by Vamcy Merla, and the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship. His performance reaffirmed his remarkable skills. Jeet Jhabakh from Hyderabad, with co-driver Musa Sherif from Kasargod, secured second place in the APRC, while the Spanish duo of Edgar Vigo Lopez and Fatima Ameneiro Teijeiro completed the podium.

The Madras Motor Sports Club honored Musa Sherif with a token of appreciation for achieving his milestone of competing in his 350th rally, both nationally and internationally.

In the overall standings of the INRC, apart from Kadur, the top three finishers hailed from Bengaluru, with Ritesh Guttedar and Suraj M (AART Motorsports) taking the second spot, followed closely by Arvind Dheerendra and Shahid Salman (Duran Racing). Ritesh also emerged victorious in the INRC 2 class.

Additionally, two female participants, Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru) from Chettinad Sporting and Anushriya Gultati (Dehradun), were notable among the top 10 finishers in the INRC. Tarushi, partnered with co-driver Athreya Kousgi, achieved a double victory by winning both the Ladies and Junior INRC categories. Anushriya, alongside co-driver Karan Aukta from Arka Motorsports, finished second in the INRC 3T class, just behind Vishakh Balachandran.

Arvind Dheerendra and co-driver Shahid Salman marked their debut with Duran Racing by clinching the INRC 3 title.

Kadur's only challenge during an otherwise smooth drive was the unexpected loss of turbo power early in the second Special Stage on Sunday, which cost him over a minute while he was leading Gill by approximately 30 seconds. Interestingly, Gill, a three-time APRC champion, also encountered a mechanical setback during the same stage, which allowed Kadur to gain a decisive advantage. His team efficiently resolved the turbo issue during the 30-minute service interval.

“It was somewhat challenging for me after losing the turbo just 700 meters into the Stage (19.38 Kms), but I managed to endure. Although I lost over a minute, I was fortunate to have a sufficient lead to maintain my position. The service break after the Stage allowed me to regain my pace for the remaining two stages. I remained optimistic throughout the weekend, which was crucial, and I was grateful for my mechanics who have been with me for over a decade and knew precisely what to do. Naturally, I am ecstatic to win here and commence the season on a high note,” Kadur expressed.

Jeet Jhabakh’s inaugural APRC season unfolded as he had envisioned. “Once Gill dropped out, I felt relieved, and with no realistic chance of catching up to Karna (Kadur), I chose to secure my APRC points, even if it meant easing off a bit. I spotted Gill parked on the Stage and spun, but managed to recover. It was a narrow escape!” said a relieved Jhabakh, who had previously finished fourth in the APRC Round-1 in Otago, New Zealand, earlier this month.

For Edgar Vigo Lopez, it was indeed a rigorous challenge. “We are thrilled to finish on the podium, but it was quite demanding due to the heat! We are unaccustomed to such conditions, yet we owe a great deal to Arka Motorsports for providing us with an excellent car. Overall, our first visit to India was enjoyable, and we eagerly anticipate performing well in the upcoming APRC rounds in China and Indonesia,” Lopez remarked.

Provisional classification:

Asia-Pacific Rally Championship:

1. Karna Kadur/ Kumar Ramaswamy (Arka Motorsports) (01hr, 59mins, 55.5secs)

2. Jeet Jabhakh/ Musa Sherif (pvt.) (02:04:58.0)

3. Edgar Vigo Lopez/ Fatima Ameneiro Teijeiro (Spain) (02:05:47.8).

Indian National Rally Championship:

INRC Overall:

1. Karna Kadur / Kumar Ramaswamy (Arka Motorsports) (01:59:55.5)

2. Ritesh Guttedar / Suraj M (AART Motorsports) (02:04:27.4)

3. Arvind Dheerendra/ Shahid Salman (Duran Racing) (02:04:29.2).

INRC 2:

1. Ritesh Guttedar / Suraj M (AART Motorsports) (02:04:27.4)

2. Jeet Jabhakh / Musa Sherif (pvt.) (02:04:58.0)

3. Arjun Y Mavaji / Jeevarathinam J (Chettinad Sporting) (02:07:49.8).

INRC 3:

1. Arvind Dheerendra / Shahid Salman (Duran Racing) (02:04:29.2)

2. Chandan Manchegowda / Suraj Keshav Prasad (Arka Motorsports) (02:06:02.4)

3. Tarushi Vikram / Athreya Kousgi (Chettinad Sporting) (02:06:46.1).

INRC 3T:

1. Vishakh Balachandran / Chiranth Jain (Duran Racing) (02:05:43.6)

2. Anushriya Gulati / Karan Aukta (Arka Motorsports) (02:06:38.8)

3. Adith KC / Avinash CA (Arka Motorsports) (02:11:01.9).

Ladies:

1. Tarushi Vikram / Athreya Kousgi (Chettinad Sporting) (02:06:46.1)

2. Athira Murali / Arun Chakkalakkal (Duran Racing) (02:15:30.0)

3. Sonakshi Paranthaman / Dheeraj Salimath (Chettinad Sporting) (02:20:56.8).

Junior INRC:

1. Tarushi Vikram / Athreya Kousgi (Chettinad Sporting) (02:06:46.1)

2. Sonakshi Paranthaman/ Dheeraj Salimath (Chettinad Sporting) (02:20:56.8)

3. Hoshmand Elavia / Venu Ramesh Kumar (Pvt.) (02:50:41.3).

Masters Cup:

1. Pradeep Ravi / Thimmu Uddapanda (Arka Motorsports) (02:07:15.1)

2. Balakrishna Jayasimha / Arjun Dheerendra (Pvt.) (02:18:13.6).

Classic Cup:

1. Sreejesh MP/ Naushad KM (Pvt.) (02:38:28.7).