The JK Tyre Xtreme 4Play, North India's biggest off-roading competition, was flagged off here on Friday evening during a grand ceremony, with as many as 15 top teams from across the country competing for honours in their modified cars. Local team and defending champions Gerrari Off Roaders will begin as the favourites to conquer the various obstacles in this seven-stage event that is being held at Kikar Lodge, India's first private forest reserve, spread across 1800 acres on the foothills of Shivalik Mountains in Punjab.
Gerrari has fielded four teams and will be spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Gurmeet Singh Virdi and Kirpal Singh Tung. Nicknamed kings of off-roading, they will look to make the most of their familiarity of the local terrain. Kabir Warcha and Yuvraj Tiwana will also be a team to watch out for.
Other teams in fray, include BODA from Bengaluru (2 teams), Fairmont from Maharashtra, Kerala Adventure Sports Club (KASC), KTM Jeepers (Kerala), MARS (Hyderabad) plus a couple of more local teams from Punjab . Each team consists of two cars and four personnel, two drivers and two co-drivers and both must complete a stage to qualify for points.
The off-roaders have been fully modified including roll cage, engines, better suspension and good ground clearance, to tackle the natural or artificial obstacles. If one of the cars gets stuck, the other car in the team comes to the rescue. Both cars need to qualify for points, with the team taking the least points getting the most pints.
The two-day event will see the teams compete across four stages. Saturday promises to be the most challenging for the drivers and most thrilling for fans and families with the event weaving through four tough stages. They have to wade through water and deep mud. The last stage will be held on Sunday.
Harjinder Singh, father of ace rallyist Hari Singh and Gobinder Singh Chopra, father of Kikad Lodge's owner Amrinder Singh, flagged off the teams on Friday evening.
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