Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare rally flagged off

Chennai: The third edition of the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare rally was flagged off on Sunday from the Besant Nagar beach, kicking off a five-day event that will cover 2,100 km.

The rally will see about 100 motor racing enthusiasts take part in more than 40 four-wheelers and 15 motorcycles as they race across the diverse terrains of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Organised jointly by Maruti Suzuki and Motorsport Inc, a leading motorsports organiser in India, the rally will culminate at Bangalore on June 17. The event promises to be an exciting affair with the introduction of the Ultimate category for both four and two-wheelers. The five-day `Dare` will see racers traverse through a multitude of dirt, tarmac, gravels and slippery tracks.The venue of the rallies include the renowned tracks outside Chennai, canal and windmill stages around Coimbatore, hair-pin bends and curving, narrow roads around Ooty, and coffee and tea estates in Coorg, before reaching the final destination in Bangalore. The third edition of the rally will also cover a longer distance of 2,100 km as compared to the 1,800 km in the second edition. The first race will see participants put in a day-long shift behind the wheel to reach Kodaikanal before the event passes through Coimbatore, Ooty, Mysore, and Coorg to reach Bangalore.The rally is spread over 11 special stages with monsoons in the background and promises to test the nerve and grit of all participants and their machines in a unique multi-terrain adventure. PTI