The Hindu : Sport : Tough conditions make contest even

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Saturday, Aug 11, 2007
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Sport

Tough conditions make contest even

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Johor Bharu (Malaysia): Heat and humidity seem to be two factors which have put on hold any pre-event expectations for most of the competitors in the fifth round of the FIA APRC, being held here.

The fact that 2006 APRC and mr6 champion Cody Crocker, currently dominating the event with 34 points, 14 points ahead of close rival Katsuhiko Taguchi of MRF Tyre Rally Team, acknowledges that MRF team can also pose a threat to the best of the challengers is indicative of the toughness of the rally in adverse conditions.

Even 2005 Production World Rally champion Toshihiro Arai in the MotorImage Team was not keen to entertain any guesses and just hopes to put in the best effort.

At close of entries, 12 teams are in the fray of the event which also happens to be the Round 3 of the Malaysian Rally Championship.

Gaurav Singh Gill of Team MRF, who is leading in the Indian National Rally Championship 2007, will be participating here.

He will be paired with Australian co-driver Karl Francis and is keen to make amends after he was forced to miss the last two rounds in Australia and Japan as his car was damaged beyond repair in the first round.

“I will have to be more cautious from now on,” he says on the eve of the rally. He will try his Mitsubishi Evo 8 for the first time on Friday during shakedown.

By all means, it will be a battle of the big guns as it has in the field four APRC champions including 2005 Production Car-World Rally Champion Toshihiro Arai (Japan) in the MotorImage Team.

Their Subaru Impreza WRX will be locked in a close fight with the MRF Tyres Team drivers in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 cars.

MRF Tyres Team drivers Katsuhiko Taguchi (Japan), 1999 APRC champion and Jussi Valimaki (Finland), 2005 APRC winner, will have to use this Malaysian opportunity to reduce Cody Crocker’s lead.

Out to give Rifat, Crocker and Aral a run for their money are MRF Rally team and Karamjit, as well as 2005 Malaysian Rally Champion (mr5) Brian Green.

Crocker is ahead

With 48 points, Crocker is 14 points ahead of MRF’s Taguchi and Jussi is two points behind Taguchi.

Also in the fray is the local legend and five-time APRRC title-winner, Karamjit Singh in a Mitsubishi Evo 8. He also won the Production Car World Rally Championship title.

“I don’t think we will have enough time to test and set up the car as well as I would have liked to. But I am quite sure it will suit the fast and flowing Field Stages in Johor,” he remarked.

Naren Kumar will be another new face and will be with the Team Rally India on board a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9.

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