Free wheeling

Our correspondent tests his motoring skills at a rally and learns it is not all about speeding

Our correspondent tests his motoring skills at a rally and learns it is not all about speeding
The tyres of his SX4 sedan screech the tarmac as he speeds off into the horizon. A couple of minutes later,he emerges through a trail of smoke,making a series of sharp zig-zag turns closely following it up by a 360-degree spin. I watched in awe. He then jammed the wheels to a halt,metres before the finish line and accelerated,crossing the line with the engine roar filling the air. Two minutes and 10 seconds. We have a new record, smiled the rally official.

That was rally champion Gaurav Gill at the Maruti-Suzuki Autocross 2008,a car rally for motoring enthusiasts. I was at the rally waiting my turn with a hundred odd participants. This rally organised for amateurs and rally enthusiasts wasnt a conventional rally,where you race opponents to the chequered flag,here you are tested for strategy and technical skill,where the fastest qualifier wins the rally,your only competitor is time.

The rally course has been designed as a combination of gymkhana and autocross styles. The former tests a drivers technical skills like braking,maneuvering sharp corners and awareness,whereas autocross,the speed and handling abilities.

Amidst hushed whispers participants discuss strategies to beat Gills record breaking time. I calmly waited my turn admiring the tweaked up beauties parked on the side. Not that I cant drive,but my only adventure behind the wheel has been doing 120 km/hr on open freeway. Before long,it was my turn and I brought my car,and A star,in the 1,100cc category. Having never driven in a rally and let alone in this kind of car,I was more than nervous.

A kind official at the rally,Deepak Baluja,offered to be my navigator after seeing me gape at the test road. I readily agreed for any kind of help I could get. The key is not to screech the tyres. That wastes time and ruins the tyre. But the key is to have fun, he advised. Pleased,I followed his advice. I waited for my cue: Red amber green,I lightly accelerated,the car awkwardly jolted forward. Baluja gave me a stern glance. I still had a lot to learn about the cars sensitive controls.

At 30 km/ hr I hardly got the crowd their feet. The first obstacle was a 360-degree turn into a box marked by plastic barricades. I cautiously entered the enclosure,narrowly missing a few barricades but rammed into them towards the end of the enclosure. Back up,slowly, advised Baluja. One smooth turn,a forward gear and Im was off,to tame the next obstacle. I confidently shifted the car into third gear. Since the rally is on tarmac and not off-road,the car tends to skid a lot,but that was not my concern since I was as fast as a cattle-drawn cart.

But my non-speeding worries came to a halt,with a loud stop from Baluja,Its a Dead-Box, he said. It was a marking where the car has to halt completely. I slammed the brakes,gently stopping the car,since I was not doing more than 40 km/ hr. Good,now accelerate. I then finally begun to enjoy the race,the reason was an open stretch in the distance meant I could accelerate fully,but I chose to cautiously cruise at 50 km/ hr,afraid of knocking off barriers. The most challenging part of the course,zig-zag turns,a series of criss-crosses marked by bollards,rose up the road in front of me. Steady now, Baluja cautioned. I eased off on the throttle lightly applying the brakes. The car swerved violently spinning me off course. I regained control and merrily drove the wrong way for a couple of metres,before correcting course.

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Error corrected,I approached the series of zig-zags,again. Bang on. I made the sharp turns without a fuss. Then comes the slalom (a series of turns in the shape of an eight) and successfully did them too. Off to the final stretch and I heard the crowd cheering me in the distance. I felt encouraged. But then a closer look told me that everyone was signaling me to let another car (a crowd favourite) who was trying to get my attention to let him pass. But there was room only for one and I cruised along nonchalantly. Finally I crossed the finish line,to Balujas relief and of course the car behind me. You clocked five minutes and 30 seconds, announced the rally official. It was not good enough to qualify,missing out on a chance to hold the silver trophy and a podium finish. But I was glad that I got to drive a brand new car and had fun doing it.