2016 Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare flagged off from Bengaluru
The 2016 edition of the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare was flagged off from Orion Mall in Bengaluru. This year there are 110 teams that'll fight for top honours. There are a total of 190 participants competing in three categories - Endurance (TSD format), Extreme Car and Extreme bike. The participants will drive/ride from Bengaluru to Goa via Coorg, Murudeshwar and Shimoga over six days covering a total distance of around 2,200km.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Ram Suresh Akella, vice president of sales at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, "The Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare was conceptualised to enhance the thrill of off-road rallying experience for motorsport enthusiasts in South India. The twists and turns in this area make it even more exciting for the participants, especially with the slippery monsoon terrain. Pioneered in 2009, the rally aims to challenge motorsport enthusiasts to achieve greater milestones in their motorsport journey. The increasing participation each year encourages us to strengthen such motorsport events."
The organisers have stated that the 2016 Dakshin Dare is tougher than ever before and the incessant rains over the last couple of days will pose a major challenge for all participants.
There are a variety of cars that are participating this year, most of which are the tried-and-tested Maruti Suzuki Gypsys. The S-Cross, however, makes its debut at the 2016 Dakshin Dare. The list of bikes includes the Hero Impulse, TVS RTR 450 RX and the Royal Enfield Himalayan. There are a couple of TVS Wego scooters too.
Defending champion Sandeep Sharma will face stiff competition from multiple Raid de Himalaya and Desert Storm winner Suresh Rana.
Stay tuned for updates from the 2016 Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare.