The first Taj Agra Car Race was flagged off Saturday afternoon by Dimple Yadav, wife of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who could not come for the programme, at the Etawah lion safari.
Yadav said the car rally was a dream project of the chief minister and would help boost tourism in this sector.
"The 80 participants will reach Agra later in the evening and Sunday morning they will head for Chambal's crocodile sanctuary in Bah, then Bateshwar and return to hotel Country-Yard Mariott by evening," Motor Sports Association of Agra Secretary Rajiv Gupta told IANS.
Gupta said there were 20 women participants in the race. "Three women participating in the event are paralysed."
Present at the flag-off ceremony were formula car racer Harvijay Bahia, UP Tourism Director General Amrit Abhijat and senior officials of the state government.