Karna Kadur from Bengaluru, partnered with co-driver Kumar Ramaswamy from Coimbatore, triumphed in the 49th South India Rally at the Madras International Circuit. Despite facing a turbo issue, Kadur emerged victorious, leaving behind his main rival, Gaurav Gill, who had to retire due to mechanical problems. The event was hosted by the Madras Motor Sports Club.
Kadur, aged 37, showcased exceptional speed throughout the weekend, excelling in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship and the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship. Hyderabad’s Jeet Jhabakh and his co-driver Musa Sherif secured the second spot in the APRC, while the Spanish duo of Edgar Vigo Lopez and Fatima Ameneiro Teijeiro claimed third place.
In the INRC Overall category, Kadur led the pack, followed by two other Bengaluru teams. Ritesh Guttedar and Suraj M from AART Motorsports finished second, with Arvind Dheerendra and Shahid Salman from Duran Racing securing the third spot. Ritesh also clinched victory in the INRC 2 class.
Notably, female competitors Tarushi Vikram from Chikkamgaluru and Anushriya Gultati from Dehradun performed exceptionally well in the INRC, both finishing among the top 10. Tarushi, alongside co-driver Athreya Kousgi, triumphed in the Ladies and Junior INRC classes. Anushriya, partnered with Karan Aukta of Arka Motorsports, took the second spot in the INRC 3T category.
Kadur faced a setback during the rally when his turbo power failed suddenly in the second Special Stage on Sunday. Despite this, he managed to retain his lead after a remarkable effort by his service crew to rectify the issue during the service break. Kadur expressed his delight at the victory, emphasizing the crucial role played by his experienced mechanics.
Jeet Jhabakh, in his debut APRC season, secured a successful outcome, especially after Gill’s withdrawal from the race. Edgar Vigo Lopez, on the other hand, found the Indian conditions challenging but expressed gratitude towards Arka Motorsports for providing a competitive car. Lopez looks forward to the upcoming APRC rounds in China and Indonesia.
