Braving wet and slushy conditions, defending champion Venkatesh Shetty annexed the JK Tyre 29th Monsoon Scooter Rally title here on Saturday.
The veteran rider from Mumbai completed the 5-kilometre loop thrice over in picturesque Sarul village in just 19 minutes and 13 seconds.
He was in his elements as he was the first to be flagged off. He needed just 6.13 minutes in his first run and 6.03 in the third; he recorded the fastest time, a sensational 5.57 minutes in the second run, making it the fastest time of the day.
Cheered on by enthusiastic fans even as light rain lashed the mountainous terrain, Shetty showed amazing control, confidence and courage to tame the dirt track.
Zeeshan Sayed, also from Mumbai, claimed the second place while TVS Racing's Syed Asif Ali took third place, finishing the entire stretch in 21.36 and 22.19 respectively.
The popular FMSCI-approved scooter rally, organised by Sportscraft and Powered by TVS Racing, had been shifted from Mumbai to Nashik at the last moment but still proved to be a huge success.
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As many as 34 riders from different parts of the country, including a couple of women riders took part in the race.
--IANS
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