Dakshin Dare rally to be flagged off on August 2

The seventh edition of the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare rally will be flagged off from here on August 2.

Traversing through the scenic terrains of Shimoga, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Bellary and Mangaluru, the rally will conclude in Hyderabad on August 7 after six rigorous days of continuous adventure and thrill.

The rally will covering a total distance of 2,000 km in five legs. The tarmac and uneven rocky paths across the route will make it even more arduous, especially with the occasional monsoon showers.

The day before the flag off will be committed to a scrutiny check of all participating vehicles. One hundred and twenty teams will gear up for the rally.

"It has been an incredible voyage since the rally's inception in 2009. I believe each year brings with itself a bunch of surprises and novel achievements, especially with the kind of zest motorsport enthusiasts have in them," Maruti Suzuki general manager (marketing) Vinay Pant said.

"After the success of Raid de Himalaya and Desert Storm in north and west, we realised that the southern region of the country possesses exceptionally challenging routes and natural beauty that should be touched upon as well and that's how the foundation of Dakshin Dare was set."

The participants will be competing in three categories -- Ultimate Car, Ultimate Bike and Endurance.

The event will witness Suresh Rana, nine-time winner of Raid de Himalaya and three-time winner of Desert Storm, competing against Sandeep Sharma and Varun Davessar, defending champions in the Extreme category along with Karthik Maruti and Sankar Anand, winners of the Endure category in 2014.