The Hindu : Warren-Judd clinch MRF India Rally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 09, 2002

Sport

Sport - Racing : Motor

Warren-Judd clinch MRF India Rally

By D. Ravi Shankar

Stewart Warren (left) sprays the bubbly on co-driver Darryl Judd after winning the MRF India Rally in Bangalore on Sunday. — Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

BANGALORE Dec. 8. Stewart Warren and Darryl Judd had an easy outing on the final day of the MRF India Rally 2002. With the title assured on the penultimate day barring mishaps, the focus was on to complete the race without pushing the car to the limit. Naren Kumar, too drove cautiously to hold on to second place.

Putting behind the disappointment from his previous effort at Thailand, the 37-year-old New Zealander wasn't tested for the most part of the rally. Naren, who had done well to break into the lead initially on the first stage, found his lack of familiarity with the Mitsubihi Evo VII four-wheel drive worrying him.

He also had to face mechanical problems including punctures and that led to a Stewart Warren stranglehold.

The only point of interest was when Naren did manage to show glimpses of his driving skills clocking the fastest timing on certain sectors.

The final day's run though not competitive, was quite challenging. The route past the Khodays distilleries had many dips and climbs making it an arduous path to negotiate. Understandably almost all the cars preferred to take it easy and sector timings were the slowest among all the three days.

Suffering from a bit of the `Delhi belly' on the final day, Stewart Warren said after the first service break, "We are just taking it steadily to the finish.''

He also added at the podium that it was a great feeling to win especially after the disappointment at Thailand. The team would take a break for Christmas and hoped to compete again next year for sponsors MRF.

The final day saw seven cars, all in the international section, taking part. The INRC drivers and the Rally Star Cup contestants all stayed off the roads despite having the option to participate.

For the Chinese team of Lang Xu and Guanguan Men in the Subaru GC-8, the bad start on the ceremonial flag-off where their car refused to start, ended on a much happier note.

Xu and Men did extremely well to take the third spot and moreover it was their first-ever effort on a four-wheel drive.

The battle for the fourth spot generated some interest on the final day, as Gerard McGroarty managed to edge out Robert Whyatt. Trailing by 84 seconds on the final day, McGroarty pushed hard in the final leg and just about pipped Whyatt.

The results (provisional): 1. Stewart Warren (Darryl Judd) Mitsubishi Evo VII 2:50:30.9; 2. Naren Kumar (D. Ramkumar) Mitsubishi Evo VII 2:53:04.4; 3. Lang Xu (Guangyuam Men) Subaru GC-8, 3:02:24.7; 4. Gerard McGroarty (Karl Francis) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III 3:07:29.9; 5. Robert Whyatt (Malcolm Cox) Mitsubishi Evo III 3:08:33.5.

INRC: 1. Arjun Balu (R. Kumar) 2:17:03.1; 2. Leelakrishnan (Farooq Ahmed) 2:17:28.9; 3. Karandip Singh (Jaidas Menon) 2:20:10.9.

INRC 1400cc: 1. Shresta Patil (Lohit Anand) 2:30:08.5; 2. Rahul Kantharaj (Vivek Bhatt) 2:33:53.6; 3. S. Venkatesh (V. Srinivas) 2:42:19.3.

Rally Star Cup: 1. Lohit Urs (M.K. Bopanna) 2:30:23.6; 2. S. Ramprashanth (Ravi Venkatesh) 2:30:59.4; 3. Amith Kumar (Amith Anand) 2:40:49.0.

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