Motorsports: Ahluwalia, Nataraj move into lead

Delhi-based Amanpreet Ahluwalia (co-driver Venu Ramesh) emerged overall leader in the Extreme category after a dramatic Leg 2 that was run in rains and slushy conditions as overnight leader and favourite Suresh Rana (Parminder Thakur) slipped to second place in the 5th Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare Rally Tuesday.

Likewise, last year's winner Nataraj Rajanna of TVS Racing moved to the top spot in the two-wheeler category with Leg-1 leader and team-mate Pramod Joshua dropped to second spot and 36 seconds adrift with Saratha, on a Hero Honda Karizma, jumping two spots to end up third in the Overall classifications.

With three rain-ravaged Stages run around the Polibetta town in Kodagu district, the conditions worsened as the day progressed as the terrain turned slushy and slippery leading to vehicles getting bogged down. Consequently, one of the stages was cancelled.

Rana, the eight times Raid de Himalaya champion from Manali, was one of the victims as he lost time when his Grand Vitara got stuck in the slush and Ahluwalia, driving a Gypsy, profited, moving from second to first in the standings. Bangalore's Sanjay Agarwal (E Shivaprakash), also in a Gypsy, maintained his overnight third position.

The story was almost similar in the two-wheeler category where the bikers were put to acid test, having to negotiate difficult conditions that were made worse by the four-wheelers who churned up the terrain.

So much so, some of the bikers ended up having an unwanted mud bath, repeatedly falling, but getting up to resume, thus earning the admiration of the aficionados.

After a night halt in Ooty, the participants depart for Coimbatore on Wednesday for the third Leg via the Craigmore Estates where the Stages will be run. With rains lashing the hill station, the going is expected to be very tough.

Provisional classification (after Leg 2 - Extreme):

Four-wheelers: Amanpreet Ahluwalia / Venu Ramesh (Maruti Gypsy) 1 (1hr, 59mins, 58secs); Suresh Rana / Parminder Thakur (Grand Vitara) 2 (02:01:35); Sanjay Agarwal / E Shivaprakash (Gypsy) 3 (02:04:22).

Two-wheelers (Overall / Group B-260cc): Nataraj Rajanna (TVS Racing, Apache) 1 (02:14:52); Pramod Joshua (TVS Racing, Apache) 2 (02:15:28); Saratha (Hero Honda Karizma) 3 (02:28:32).

Group B-165cc: Akshay (TVS Apache) 1 (02:40:36); Raja (TVS Apache) 3 (02:46:26); Nanda Gopal (TVS Apache) 2 (02:48:47).