Vikram Mathias, PVS Murthy win Nashik Rally to clinch National Championship

Nashik, 21 Dec 2008: The 2004 National champion Vikram Mathias won the Overall winner’s trophy and also clinched the Indian National Rally Championship for a second time, albeit with a different navigator, as he won the IMG’s Rally of Maharashtra, the final round of INRC 2008, here on Sunday.  and thus also sealing the overall champiopnship title for 2008.

Calling the pace notes and silently contributing to the success is co-driver PV Srinivasa Murthy, who toiled along with the popular driver to bag his maiden National Championship. Vikram Mathias won his maiden National Rally Championship four years back in 2004 with the popular navigator BS Sujith Kumar sharing the honours as co-driver.

The Red Rooster driver won by a huge margin of 8 minutes, 26seconds from Vikram Devadasan, a Rally Star Cup (RSC) competitor, who finished a commendable second overall in the rally, after both the 1600 class challengers, Girijashankar Joshy and Sanket Shanbhag suffered technical issues. Vikram’s teammater, novice Amittrajit Ghosh, also went out of the reckoning early on Day 2 on the first stage of the day when he hit a rock, destroying his suspension.

Ramesh and Sanket Shanbaug stood fourth and Girijashankar Joshi of Winspeed stood fifth in the overall category.

In the Gypsy Cup category, Sandeep Sharma was the winner followed by Suresh Rana and Chettinad Sporting’s Sanjay Agarwal on the podium in that order.

In Rally Star Cup category, Chettinad Sproting’s Vikram Devadasen got the top position followed by Shailendar Hegde in second and Godrej Byram in third.

In 1400 CC category, Saurabh Chaudhary claimed the winner’s trophy while JM Manju stood second and S Sujay claimed the third spot.

In the 1600 CC category, Winspeed’s Sanket Shanbaug lifted the winner’s trophy and his teammate Girijashankar Joshy claimed the second spot.

The winners were given trophies and mementoes at the hands of Superintendent of Police Nikhil Gupta and other dignitaries in a glittering ceremony at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) here. The rally was organized by Western India Sports Association (WISA).

Provisional Unaudited Results:

Overall: 1. Vikram Matthias Mitsubishi Cedia (REd Rooster Racing) (1hour, 26min, 21sec); 2. Vikram Devadasan Maruti Esteem (RSC) (1:34:47); 3. Shailendar Hegde (Maruti Esteem RSC) (1: 35:03);

Group N 1600 class: 1. Sanket Shanbhag (Maruti Baleno) (1:36:22); 2. Girijashankar Joshy (Maruti Baleno) (1:36:28);

Group N 1400 class: JM Manju (Maruti Esteem) (1:40:31); 2. Sourabh Chaudhry (Maruti Esteem) (1:43:34); 3. S Sujay (Maruti Esteem) (1:45:38;

Rally Star Cup (RSC): 1. Vikram Devadasan (Maruti Esteem) (RSC) 1:34:47); 2. Shailendar Hegde (Maruti Esteem) (RSC) (1:35:03); 3. Byram Godrej (Maruti Esteem) (RSC) (1:37:35).

Gypsy Cup: 1. Sandeep Sharma (1:41:10) 2. Suresh Rana (1:42:15); 3. Sanjay Agarwal (1:45:08);