CHENNAI: It will be a nervous, yet exciting, few days for Vamshi Merla. Friday’s flag-off at the Madras Motor Racing Track will mark a fresh start for the Indian National Rally Championships (INRC), the first round of the event since the Champions Yacht Club took over as promoters with ambitious plans.
There have been a lot of good signs so far. A record 55 teams will be in fray in the opening round including three-time Asia-Pacific Rally Champion Gaurav Gill. The new promoters’ ambitious plans were enough to convince JK Tyres — one of the biggest players in Indian motorsports — to make a return to rallying after more than a decade. Even though sponsors, as always, were hard to come by, a few have jumped onboard at the last minute.
Vamshi, who is CEO and director of the Champions Yacht Club, has grand designs for the championships. The first few steps will be visible over the coming few weeks. “I have increased the stage distances to 120km. Earlier it was some 60-70km. We have increased the money given to the clubs who organise racers. There are schemes where the promotors take care of newcomers and lady entrants.”
Vamshi had some radical ideas that have proved difficult to implement in such a short period of time. Chief among this has been an idea to bring in foreign drivers. But current INRC regulations mean that idea is not practical. “They (foreign drivers) are interested. But the federation has taken a decision that NR4 cars will not be eligible for the championship this year. They are not interested to come if they are not fighting for the championships. Next year, they will come.”
Another idea he is planning to pursue is to try convince state governments to enter teams. “We are trying to attract state-based teams, supported by the respective governments,” he says. “It will cost a morsel for the government to support a team but it will make a huge difference to the sport. Subhakar Rao, chairman of the Champions Group, is supporting 20 drivers. When a businessman can support 20 drivers, then can a state not support 2 drivers?”
The biggest hurdle has been attracting sponsors. But Vamshi is prepared to play the waiting game. “It has been hard,” he says. “It is hard to convince people because the sport has been lying in a low level. Even when we say we are going to do all these things, it’s hard for people to believe it. We are willing to wait for the second round for good investment.”