Karna Kadur wins APRC round on international debut; Nikhil Pai drives Polo magic again
Chennai, 27 March 2022: Gentle giant Karna Kadur, who brings back glorious memories of Team Kadur, along with experienced co-driver Nikhil Pai, a stalwart with ‘Tulips’ and ‘pace-notes’, made a scintillating debut in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and brought Arka Motorsports team a solid victory in the first round of the APRC Asia Cup 2022. The duo thus qualified for the APRC finals to be held in Australia later this year where the winners of other rounds will join to decide the APRC title. In 2016, the pair brought the first National title for Volkswagen in the annals of Indian National Rally Championship (INRC).
The Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) pulled off yet another miracle in bringing APRC to India, albeit in a new regional format of APRC Asia Cup. After a brief hiatus of two years (2020 & 2021) thanks to COVID, APRC made a comeback but in its regional avatar as Asia Cup and Pacific Cup, held separately in their own regions. All winners and ranked teams selected by ASNs from these regional events, will join the grand finale at Australia in November to vie for the APRC title. MMSC successfully completed the 44th South India Rally, a leg of the APRC (Asia Cup) and the third and final round of the delayed and depleted National championship, INRC.
Three-time APRC champion, Gaurav Gill, who came second here, has already registered for the APRC 2022 and will be taking part in a Japan rally for prep and will proceed to display his talent at the finale Down Under. As per the current rules, a penalty of 10 minutes plus the fastest stage time will be added to any car which did not finish a particular stage. However, Younus Ilyas of Race Concepts who did well till the fag end, may have lost a third place in APRC, for not having parked the car in Park Ferme on time.
Karna Kadur, who got the first overall National INRC Championship title for Volkswagen Polo, winning the coveted title in 2016 has a record of sorts winning many a National title in different classes. But the APRC round win, has its own charm. Ably partnered by Nikhil Pai, one of the senior-most of the current navigators, Polo tasted its first victory in the Indian shores in 2013 when Sirish Chandran won a round in INRC. Later, he also stood with Karna Kadur to fulfill a dream of winning their first overall National title (2016), also in a polo; and now the duo did it again bringing their first international win at home behind the steering wheel of a Polo. Gifted with a clarity in thought and clear vision, Pai, at 50, looks forward to another fruitful season. “With the 2022 season starting early, we have no time to rest. I am looking forward to a great year ahead,” said Pai.
Born in Bengaluru, 33 summers ago, Karna Kadur caught the eye of theIndian motorsports connoisseurs as he displayed immense talent and skill in his teens and twenties and continued his momentum but lack of sponsors meant that his potential is yet to fully blossom. He won the Rally Star Cup, a baby of MAI, in his debut in 2009 and went on to win many other National titles, with Group N victory in 2012 being another major haul. He not only won the Overall National title in 2016 but notched overall wins in 2017 and 2018, the year where he graduated to INRC2 and pocketed the National title on debut in the class.
In 2020, the duo were planning to break through into international circuit, but the pandemic, and lack of proper commitment from the sponsors halted their plans. It is a pity that such a talented pair had to slog and always fight with shoe-string budgets for lack of “backing and budget” as Karna put it. Nevertheless, the APRC participation and Asia Cup win will be a moment to cherish for some time, and hopefully bring-in some well-deserved sponsosrs.
But there is no time to relax. “We get only two days off, then we are back to work with early 2022 calendar. We will work hard and hopefully put down a plan to go the for the APRC finale,” said Karna Kadur after his victory podium. Karna, is adept at road racing too and has excelled in the racing Nationals and also became a driver coach and mentor. He was first selected for Red Rooster team in 2010 after his brilliant show in his debut year in 2009.
Nikhil Pai, is a sound engineer by profession. Everything he plans is sound and safe. A meticulous planner and systematic executor, his hardwork and attention to detail can match few in the field. He has been a consistent and safe co-driver calling pace notes for many different drivers in a career spanning three decades. He made his international debut in 2012, in Rally Sarangala in Sri Lanka and called the notes for former Indian National Champion Lohit Urs in the Malaysian National Championship in 2013. “But this is my first victory in an International event. It is a long time coming and I am thrilled right now. A big shout out to my team, sponsors and all the mechs and yes, we have done it,” said Pai.
Karna Kadur and Nikhil Pai will be back to Chennai for South India Rally on April 22, the first round of INRC 2022.
