SPO-RALLY-SCOOTER

Monsoon Scooter Rally shifted from Navi Mumbai to Nashik
    Mumbai, Aug 17 PTI) The 29th JK Tyre Monsoon Scooter
Rally has attracted 35 riders, including multiple time former
champions Manjeet Singh Bassan and Shamim Khan, apart from
last years winner Venkatesh Shetty.
    The event, normally held in July, has been put off to
August 25 and instead of Navi Mumbai, it will be held in
Nashik, about 200km from here, in association with the Nashik
Automotive Sports Association, said Shrikant Karani of event
organisers Sportscraft at a media meet here last evening.
    "Our regular sponsor pulled out and it was a nightmare
on how to conduct it. We tried to hold it in Panvel (Navi
Mumbai), but due to some circumstances which I dont want to
reveal it could not be held there," said Karani.
    Karani said JK Tyres and TVS Racing then came to the
organisers' rescue and said the event should not be scrapped
as it was a unique race earmarked only for scooters and they
will underwrite the expenses to some extent.
    "We will cover the rest of the expenses on our own,"
he added.
    Riders from Mumbai, Nashik, Kolhapur, Bhopal and
Indore will be seen in action in the race which will also see
two women riders - Nidhi Shukla and Priya Gala.
    Gala, who did well in last years rally, vowed to do
even better this time.
    Among the other top riders will be former champions
Avtar Singh (2011), Muzzafar Ali (2013) and Syed Asif Ali
(2016), Karani said.
    According to the organisers, the slushy conditions
expected during the monsoon season will again make the rally a
challenging one.
    "We are excited to be part of this unique rally. We
look forward to the riders making a huge splash in wet and
slushy conditions that is the charm of the Monsoon Scooter
Rally," said JK Motorsport's Sanjay Sharma.
    Besides trophies and cash prizes, JK Tyre will be
giving away two scooter tyres each to the first three overall
winners, the best first timer and the best lady rider.
    TVS Racing has drafted its leading riders Shamim Khan,
Syed Asif Ali and Yash Pawar for the event, while Aprilia
Racing team has brought in their team rider Pinkesh Thakker.
    The annual event is open to all Indian-made scooters
and will see competitions in three categories: S-1, two-stroke
scooters between 80cc to 110cc; four-stroke scooters from 80cc
to 210 cc in Group B; and S-2 between 110cc to 160cc geared
scooters.
    With the event being held away from Navi Mumbai for
the first time, riders will have to contend with an all-new
course, comprising competitive and transport sectors.
    The competitive sector, comprising gravel-laden dirt
tracts, water-logged stretches and inclines, will be around
15-km-long.
    "We, at TVS Racing, are excited to be part of the
Monsoon Scooter Rally for the fifth consecutive year. Our new
race machine NTORQ SXR has performed exceptionally well in
the INRC (Indian National Rally Championship) and we are
confident that it will battle the challenging terrain of this
rally with equal ease.
    "Our riders are in great form and have adjusted well
to the new scooter, which means we should have positive
results in the rally," said B Selvaraj, Team Manager of TVS
Racing. PTI SSR
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