Top rally pair of Karna Kadur and Musa Sherif won the overall title in the 2024 Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship after the conclusion of the iconic K1000 Rally, the sixth and final round of the INRC 2024, at Tumkur on December 15.
The Bengaluru-Kasargod duo, from Arka Motorsports, supported by MRF, won with a two-point lead over second-placed seven-time National champion and Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill, and co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar, supported by JK Tyre.
Six out of the seven classes in the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship entered the last mile. The championship in these classes were decided only at the popular 48th K1000 rally. Except Gypsy Cup, all the remaining six classes, INRC, INRC2, INRC3, Junior INRC, Women’s class and FMSCI Classic Cup were up for grabs in the last round which added to the thrill for the spectators at Tumakuru.
INRC:
With two overall INRC titles, Karna Kadur began the season with 7-time co-driver champion Musa Sherif. They logged a DNF in the South India rally, the very first round. They bounced back by winning the Rally of Maharashtra. There on, they managed to finish second in Rally of Coimbatore, before missing the podium in the Rally of Hyderabad. But the fourth position got them good points to stay in contention and they finished second at the Robusta rally, held in Coorg. They went into the final round the Karnataka1000 rally with a comfortable 25-point advantage. However, late breaking on a left hander in stage two on Day 1, hanged their championship dream in balance.
With no damage to the car, they rejoined on Day 2 and with three leg points Karna Kadur clinched the overall title with a total of 122 points. Musa Sherif with 131 points was the co-driver champion.
Seven-time National Champion and Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill and co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar are supported by JK Tyre. They missed the first rally of the season due to non arrival of their new Ford Fiesta. Their very first rally of the season at Nashik with the new car ended up in a DNF, in the very first stage of the rally.
At Coimbatore rally, they had to pull out in the second stage of the rally. They rejoined on day two but met with the same fate. This pair’s much-awaited breakthrough began from the Rally of Hyderabad where they accumulated 40 points after winning the rally. They repeated the same performance at the Robusta Rally of Coorg and made way into top-three in the Points Table. They continued their winning spree by winning Karnataka 1000, with a hatrick of victories. But they fell short by two points to top the championship points table and hence Gaurav Gill finished as first runner-up. Aniruddha Rangnekar with 120 points finished second runner-up in the Co-drivers championship.
The Chettinad Sporting pair of Aditya Thakur and Virender Kashyap, supported by MRF and Sidvin, began their season with a second position finish at South India Rally. A DNF at Nashik followed by a top finish in the Rally of Coimbatore put them in top of the points table. They managed to finish third in the Robusta Rally at Coorg and held on to the second spot. A fourth position in the Karnataka1000 rally pulled Aditya down to second runner-up with 115 points. Virender Kashyap with 121points was the first runner-up in the Co-driver Championship.
Arka Motorsports began the final round with 71-point advantage. Finally with a total of 234 points they won the Team Championship. Chettinad Sporting with 176 points were first runner-up. Snap Racing with 79 points finished third.
INRC2:
Aditya Thakur and Virender Kashyap, supported by MRF and Sidvin, from Chettinad Sporting began the final round with a 16-point lead and a second position finish in Karnataka1000 put them on top. Aditya with 153 points was the champion while Virender with 158 points won the Co-drivers Championship.
Fabid Ahmer, supported by MRF, from Chettinad Sporting went into the final round with 101 points. He climbed one position up in the championship with a third position finish from a total of 129 points. He began the season with a sixth position finish at Chennai and was the winner at Rally of Maharashtra. He missed the Rally of Coimbatore and was placed second in Hyderabad. He came seventh in Coorg and managed to be on the podium with a third position finish in Karnataka1000.
Jason Saldanha from Arka Motorsports managed 116 points from four finishes. First he finished fifth in South India Rally, there on, he had a DNF at Nashik. He skipped Coimbatore rally and in the final three events he finished on the podium. He was third in Hyderabad, second in Coorg and was the winner in Karnataka1000. He was second runner-up, while his Co-driver Thimmu Uddapanda with 122 points finished first runner-up. Arjun SSB from Snap Racing with 117 points was second runner-up.
In the Teams Championship, Chettinad Sporting began with 10-point advantage which was extended to 25 after the final round. Arka Motorsports finished as first runner-up.
INRC3:
Daraius Shroff from Chettinad Sporting with 166 points is the champion of INRC3 class. He has two top position finishes in Coorg and Karnataka1000 rally. He began this season with a second place at Chennai and finished third in Nashik. He logged a DNF in Coimbatore.
Jeet Jhabakh from Chettinad Sporting began the season with a DNF in South India Rally and he finished second in Maharashtra and a won in Rally of Coimbatore. With this, he was the new championship leader but he was unable to hold on to it. He finished 11th in his home town Rally in Hyderabad, in the further two rallies in Coorg and Bengaluru he finished in third and fourth position and finally with a total points of 120, he was first runner-up, he managed to climb one position up.
Arnav Pratap Singh from Snap Racing began the season with a DNF but with two top position finishes at Nashik and Hyderabad, he was aiming to creep up but he had to finish 11th in the final round, where he toppled his car on Day 1. Thus, it pushed him to second runner-up with a difference of one point. Vinay Padmashali with 154 points was the Co-driver winner followed by Arvind Dheerendra as first runner-up with 143 points and Venu Ramesh Kumar V with 142 points was second runner-up.
Chettinad Sporting won the Team Championship with 309 points. Arka Motorsports moved one position up after the final round to finish as first runner-up with 162 points. Snap Racing who began this round in second position had to finish third with 146 points.
FMSCI Classic Challenge Cup:
Aneeshnath S from A & A motorsports with 179 points won the championship by 14 points. Privateer Praveen Dwarkanath was first runner-up and Shaikh Hussain Pasha with 133 points finished third.
Amitha Aneesh with 180 points won the co-drivers championship followed by KB Kariyappa with 140 points stood second. Roshan Claver Crasta finished third with 44points.
A & A Motorsports won the teams championship with 179 points while Snap Racing with 31 points stood second.
Women’s class:
There was a tie with 155 points between Harshita Raj Gowda from A&A Motorsports and Phoebe Nongrum from Snap Racing. Based on the number of top positions, Harshita was declared as the champion and Phoebe was placed as second. Nikeetaa Takkale had a DNF in K1000, and with 114 points, she came third.
Gypsy Cup:
Baljinder Singh Dhillion is the 2024 Drivers champion with 196 points. While two privateers from Bengaluru, Sanjay Agarwal and Dr. Akarsh were fighting it out for the second position with just two points separating them before the last round. Finally, Sanjay Agarwal with 146 points came second followed by Dr. Akarsh in third.
Goutham CP with 200 points is the Co-drivers Champion. Vignesh Mahalingam with 119 points finished as first runner-up.
The Team Championship was bagged by A & A Motorsports with 200 points and Mandovi Racing finished second with 72 points.
Junior INRC:
Arnav Pratap Singh from Snap Racing with 167 points is the driver’s champion. Arjun Rajiv with 166 points from Chettinad Sporting is second and Abhin Rai from Ideal Racing with three points difference is third.
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