Experienced rider Shamim Khan of Nashik, atop a Mahindra Rodeo, overcame a strong field that included a host of former champions and tough conditions, to emerge triumphant in the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally, organised by Sportscraft for the fourth time here today.
In a field of 40 riders, the Team Mahindra rider, who was champion in 2003, 2004 and 2010, rode judiciously over the dirt tracts of Navi Mumbai to win the gruelling 35-km race, clocking 31 minutes and 59 seconds in penalties.
Defending champion R Natraj of TVS Racing, who pipped Khan in a close finish last year, was forced to pull out immediately at the first Time Control itself due to mechanical failure of his scooter. He was among four who failed to finish.
Pune's Pinkesh Thakkar of Team Ceat, astride a Kinetic Honda, was second in 33 minutes and 45 seconds, while Bhopal's Syed Asif Ali of TVS Racing, astride a TVS Wego, third in 33:54 seconds.
How good Khan was can be gauged from the 2.26 seconds that separated him and second-paced rider Thakkar. Despite suffering a nasty fall in the second of the three legs the participants had to cover, he used his skills and experience to come out tops in the Gulf Oil sponsored event.
"This was the toughest of all the monsoon races I have competed in. It did not rain so heavily during the race, but, as a result, the surface at the finish was sandy and loose. It was difficult to launch that final burst on the home straight at the time controls," said Khan, while nursing his injuries suffered from the bad fall he had.
Heavy rain over the last few days made riding on the gravel-laden, winding course dicey. Under the circumstances, riders had to exercise extreme control while negotiating the steep inclines, hairpin bends and water-logged stretches they encountered.
Some of them took a tumble or two and some even damaged their scooters.
