Shivamogga: Amidst the landscape with majestic windmills, Suresh Rana and co-driver Parminder Thakur fierced through competitors maintaining their lead on Day 4 of Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare. Driving in their Grand Vitara, they covered the leg in 06:17:03.
The top positions remain unchanged in the Ultimate Cars category with Sandeep Sharma and co-driver Karan Arya in their Maruti Gypsy covering it in 06:20:38, on steady second followed by Jasmohan Saini with co-driver Vikram Thakur in their Maruti Gypsy covering the distance in 06:32:07.
Commenting on the tough competition, Sandeep said, “With each passing day, the competition seems to get tough and edgy. We are managing to maintain a very minute difference between the lead and us. We are looking forward to the last leg and hope to create a lead position. It’s my 8th Dakshin Dare and it has been a lot tougher than the last two editions.”
The three stages of the leg were undertaken on the same route around the Vani Vilasa Sagara dam but with extended stage distances spread across 153 kms with a total distance of 472 kms, which enhanced the competitive levels.
Although T Natraj maintains to lead the rally covering the required distance in 05:10:49, the Ultimate Bikes category witnessed Febin Jose moving up to second position covering the distance in 05:52:04. The third spot is held by a new entrant in the leading position - Akash Aithal covering the distance in 05:56:14 at a close third.
In the Endurance Cars category, Ganesh Moorthy & co-driver Nagarajan T are leading the rally with a day-end penalty of 00:16:39; followed by Raghu Nandan & co-driver M Prakash with a penalty of 00:17:06 and B.P. Vinaykumar & co-driver M Chandrashekar at 00:17:33.
Friday will be the most anticipated leg moving towards Goa, which can be a game-changer in the lead positions on last day of the rally.
