Sandeep Sharma, Nataraj extend lead in Dakshin Dare

The positions in the Extreme category, both four and two-wheelers, remained unchanged with Sandeep Sharma (co-driver Varun Davessar) and Nataraj Rajanna in the lead at the end of Leg 4 in the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare Rally here Friday.

While the overnight leaders maintained their pace and nursed their leads, the pairs of Imran Khan and Gagan Vijay driving a Maruti Esteem, and Nayan Sarma with navigator Dhananjaya, in a Gypsy, escaped unhurt following major crashes.

Imran Khan missed a small right turn after a crest and crashed while Sarma went off at the same spot, seemingly distracted by the stricken Esteem. Sarma slammed into a rock and the Gypsy fell on its left side. The crew managed to roll it back on the wheels, but with the oil leaking after the sump broke, Sarma retired.

The competitors completed a run of 55 kms over two Special Stages, one of which was run twice before returning to the town for a night halt.

In the Endure category, run on Time-Speed-Distance format, overnight top three teams hung on to their positions with Karthick Maruti and navigator Sankar Anand at the top followed by Sachin Singh (Prakash and Pratima Naidu) and Ganesh Moorthy (Nagarajan).

The competitors will proceed to Goa on the final leg of the 2,000 kms cross-country Rally Saturday for the finish.

Provisional classification (after Leg 4):

Extreme - 4-wheelers: Sandeep Sharma / Varun Davessar (Maruti Gypsy) 1 (02hr, 37mins, 46secs); Sanjay Agarwal / Venu Rameshkumar (Maruti Gypsy) 2 (02:38:14); Suresh Rana / Parminder Thakur (Maruti Gypsy) 3 (02:40:39).

Two-wheelers: Nataraj Rajanna (Group A TVS 450) 1 (02:14:21); Mohit Verma (Group B KTM 390) 2 (02:22:20); Pramod Joshua (Group B TVS 260) 3 (02:25:35).

Endure (TSD): Karthick Maruti / Sankar Anand 1 (01min, 59secs); Sachin Singh / Prakash/Pratima Naidu 2 (02:38); Ganesh Moorthy / Nagarajan 3 (02:56).