Motor
Rallying India
The Beginning
Motor
racing activities first started in the post independence period as many of the
World War II airstrips in different parts of the country were left deserted and
enthusiasts took advantage of this to pursue this sport. One such airstrip was
at Sholavaram, near Chennai. Soon, racing caught on in other parts of the country
too. In time, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) became the
governing body of this sport. Rallying - the mission to test man & machine
against Indian terrain also rose to become a popular sport. National Championships
were instituted and winners became cult figures.
Moving
ahead Rallies were shortened to 750 kilometeres as long as they
were part of the National championship and that made competition very tight. Team
MRF, Team JK, Team JCT and Team Paarel are the only four teams in India today.
Car and bike enthusiasts yearning for more adventure started setting off to cross
country expeditions. Presently, motor sport includes activities like autocross,
motocross, drag racing, motor gymkhana, treasure hunts and precise family rallies.
Thanks to a deal between the West Bengal State Government and Grand Prix India
Private Limited, a world class Formula One Racetrack with all the attendant features,
facilities and infrastructure has been set up. Indian Narain Kartikeyan has already
made a name for himself in the high-speed world of motor racing. But some applause
must go to the sponsors who have supported him in his endeavor: J.K Tyres, Ford
Motors, UB Group and the rest.
Indian Motor racing is roughly 50 years
old and rallying 30 years. Though motor sport started with circuit racing in India,
the fact today remains that racing has hardly progressed within the country.
To experience that rush of blood and the pump of the adrenalin, get behind a wheel.
For
those interested, India is a major venue on the international rally circuit, with
quite a few rallies now established as annual events, attracting not only national
level participation but also from the international level.
The terrain
that India provides -from the deserts to the beaches, to the mountains -tests
not only the skills of the rallyists but also their mettle.
One of the
more well known rallies, till about a few years back, was the Himalayan car rally,
which has since been discontinued.
Of recent origin are the vintage
car rallies in which some very rare, collector cars are not only displayed but
also run in the rally.
If you're lucky, you might just spot a 1935 Jaguar
convertible'or even an 1898 Humbrette.
With a terrain that shifts from
hill roads to forest tracks, desert trails to beach routes, India tests the mettle
of both man and machine in motor rallies. Several championship rallies are held
in India every year. Picturesque vintage car rallies are also held in some of
the metros like Kolkata's Annual Statesman Vintage Car Rally. One of the most
challenging Motor rallies is the Himalayan Car rally.
··» Adventures
in India —› Camel
Safaris India —› Polo
in India —› Motor
Rallying India —› Hang
Gliding in India —›
Heli Skiing in India —›
Jeep Safari India —›
Motorbike Safari India —›
Horse Safari India —›
Water Sports in India —›
Mountaineering in India —›
Trekking in India —›
Camping in India —›
River Rafting in India —›
Skiing in India —›
Rock Climbing India
