The ‘Textile City' is a happy hunting ground for Team TVS Racing's Pramod Joshua. He won the last two editions here and hopes to repeat his magical act for the third year in trot when he takes on the best in the business in the Rally of Coimbatore, the MAK-INRC season's opening event for two wheelers, at the Kethanur windmill farms near here on Sunday.
“I love Coimbatore. I won here in 2008 and 2009. I want to begin the season with a hat-trick,” said Joshua, who missed the overall title quite narrowly to compatriot K.P. Aravind last year.
Joshua, who will be on a RTR 160, wants to give Aravind, the reigning national champion, a run for his money. The latter is eager as well to prove a point to the former.
“I know the competition is within the team but I want to begin on a winning note as well. Last year, I had a tough time from my team-mates and was able to clinch the issue only in the last leg,” said Aravind.
“We are well-prepared and the bikes too have undergone some important changes,” he added.
The 34 riders in fray took the mandatory recce at Kethanur early on Saturday. With a crystal clear picture of the dips, bends and the bumps en-route, they will now come forward with some fresh ideas for a free-flow performance on the all-important race day.
TVS Racing is the only works team but the riders from Zen Rallying, VMW Racing, Speed Racing and Vepsam Racing are all confident of clocking their best in the various classes.
“Don't dismiss us, we will be in the hunt as well,” said local hope Venu Ramesh Kumar, who won the 130cc Group ‘D' class the last two years.
Pitted in the Group ‘B' 210-260cc class, Venu, who will be riding a Karizma, broke the engine casing in the recce but sorted it out on time and cleared the scrutiny.
The first bike will be flagged off at 8 a.m. at Kethanur, which will also see the second round of the Speed Indian National Rally Championship for four-wheelers next weekend.
