Nashik’s Shamim Khan, riding a Mahindra Rodeo, overcame a strong field, which included a host of former champions, and tough conditions to emerge triumphant in the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally, sponsored by Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd. and organised by Sportscraft, on Sunday, for the fourth time.
In a field of 40 riders , the Team Mahindra rider, who was champion in 2003, 2004 and 2010, rode judiciously over the dirt tracts of Navi Mumbai to win the gruelling 35-km race in a timing of 31 minutes and 59 seconds in
penalties.
Defending champion R Natraj of TVS Racing, who pipped Khan in a close finish last year, was forced to pull out immediately at the first Time Control itself due to mechanical failure of his scooter. He was among four who
failed to finish.
Pune’s Pinkesh Thakkar of Team Ceat, astride a Kinetic Honda, was second in 33 minutes and 45 seconds, while Bhopal’s Syed Asif Ali of TVS Racing, astride a TVS Wego, third in 33:54 seconds. How good Khan was can be gauged from the 2.26 seconds that separated him and second-paced rider Thakkar. Despite suffering a nasty fall in the
second of the three legs the participants had to cover, he used his experience to come out tops.
“This was the toughest of all the monsoon races I have competed in. It did not rain so heavily during the race, but, as a result, the surface at the finish was sandy and loose. It was difficult to launch that final burst on the home straight at the time controls,” said Khan, while nursing his injuries suffered
from the bad fall he had.
The rally was flagged off by from Hotel K Star in Belapur CBD by Nilesh Garg, Channel Sales Head Gulf Oil Lubricants. Heavy rain over the last few days made riding on the gravel-laden, winding course dicey. Under the
circumstances, riders had to exercise extreme control while negotiating the steep inclines, hairpin bends and water-logged stretches they encountered.
Some of them took a tumble or two and some even damaged their scooters.
The two women riders who braved the challenge admirably deserve special mention. Nidhi Shukla of Team Ceat, riding a Suzuki Access, completed the course in 46 minutes.14 seconds, while Vishakha Falsunge, astride a Honda Activa, was home in 1 hour, 11.28 seconds penalty points.
While all the participants performed admirably, with only 36 of the starters completing the rally, special mention must be made about the first-timers who went through the motions with equal élan.
Among them, Bhopal’s Mohammed Ali Khan, astride, a Suzuki Swish, was adjudged the best and awarded the late Firdosh Vajifdar trophy for his spirited riding which saw him place overall fourth in a timing of 34 minutes, 32 seconds.
While Shamim Khan won the overall title and topped in the 160 cc 4-stroke class, Thakkar won the 81cc to 110cc class 2-stroke class.
Former champion Manjeet Singh Bassan, of team Ceat, astride an LML Vespa, won the 111cc to 160cc class, finishing in 35.37 seconds.
Speaking during lunch later, the riders applauded the challenge Sportscraft plotted for the rally. Some wondered how the organisers were to chalk out such a challenging course, which even utility vehicles would have found
difficult to negotiate.
One of them was candid enough to ask Shrikant Karani, the bossman of Sportscraft, whether he used a helicopter for his reconnaissance. Whatever he used, there can be no gainsaying that it certainly was the perfect one for
rallying!
The prizes were given away by Commissioner of Police Navi Mumbai, Shri Prabhat Ranjan
