Famous Car Rallies in India
Rallying is a form of motor sport that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars. It is distinguished by running not on a circuit, but instead in a point-to-point format in which participants and their co-drivers drive between set control points (special stages), leaving at regular intervals from one or more start points!
Indian National Rally Championship or (INRC) is a rallying series organised by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), which is the Governing Body or ASN of India recognised by FIA culminating with National Champion Driver and Co-Driver. The driver and co-drivers’s championship are based on a point system.
There are different types of rally formats. Let’s talk in detail about a few!
TSD endurance format:
Up till 1988, the TSD format was modeled on endurance format with Popular Rally starting in Cochin which would have a re-group in Coimbatore or Ooty, covering a few days and close to 1000 km. Same was for South India Rally (Chennai), Karnataka 1000 (Bangalore), Scissors Action Rally (Coimbatore) with all routes criss-crossing into each other cities and covering two or more states. Overnight re-grouping was done at different locations and a fresh starting order was issued in a re-group start. Routes were dirt and off-road conditions as well as ghat sections.
Stage rally:
FMSCI usually covered between 300 and 400 km and Rallies were conducted in low traffic areas in country side. Some events were Day Rallies; others ran in Night only while some had a mix of Day and Night.
Over a period, the Stage Distance became shorter and overall Rally was conducted in a few closed stages, closed to traffic. Since 2000 under MAI, the Rally ran as per FIA regulations in a format of a one Day Recce, Two Day Rally and the results were also announced by the end of the day. Stage Marshall Training was conducted by hiring FIA nominated personals by both FMSCI and MAI. Spectator and competitor safety became prime factor in event management. Also during the MAI years, night rallies & Two Wheeler rallying were stopped.
There are various locations in India where car rallies are held.
Also, there are various annual rallies. Top 10 rallies in India are stated below:
India-ASEAN Car Rally
The Vintage Car Rally
Great Arc Rally
Women Car Rally by NGO ‘Uthaan’
Blind Man Car Rally
Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm Car Rally
Himalayan Car Rally
Monsoon Rally
Kalinga Green Car Rally
Indian National Rally Championship and many more!
Also, you’d be surprised to know that rally drivers are considered to be stupidly skilful! Rally drivers race on closed-off public roads. They run against the clock, one car at a time, on dirt, pavement, and anything in between. They run in all weather, in virtually every country on the planet. The sport is a glorious, lovely thing, full of noise and violence and sliding sideways between trees at 100 mph. There is real, palpable risk and skill on display. You stand next to a closed-off rally road — they’re called “stages” — during competition, and it’s instantly obvious why people do this sort of thing.
Reason 1: They enjoy getting off the couch and having adventures.
Reason 2: They are moderately attracted to risk.
Reason 3: They think BASE jumping is for narcotised children.
It’s also clear why the pastime’s apex, the FIA-sanctioned World Rally Championship, is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
So all in all, we can say that rallying is a sport like none other! And the adrenaline it pumps in us is growing higher with time!
There are no ovals, pace cars or rain delays. Rally racing features real cars racing against the clock on closed-off sections of real roads that are usually unpaved and unforgiving. Events can last several days and cover hundreds of miles through rain, snow, day or night. This extreme test of skill, speed and endurance is what makes rally racing the world’s premiere and most exciting motor sport!
