The return of JK Tyre into the rallying scenario brought the shine of the 90’s to Indian rallying with the battle royale between JK Tyre’s yellow brigade and MRF’s red. The Indian National Rally Championship 2005 was once again replete with the excitement as the two major teams battled it out to prove their mettle. While three of the nine rounds were cancelled on various grounds, the six rounds at Tura, Mysore, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Delhi and Hyderabad witnessed fierce rallying.

Floating two teams of the star-drivers Naren Kumar along with co-driver Ram Kumar and defending champion Vikram Mathias along with co-driver Sujith Kumar, JK Tyre made the comeback in style to clinch the national title.

Having not participated in the first round at Tura, JK Tyre’s participation in the second round at Mysore unfurled the hallmark battle of Indian rallying between the reds and the yellows. While Naren Kumar had to lose precious moments with cattle on his way, defending champion Vikram Mathias held the fort for the yellow brigade taking the lead; but was eventually denied victory due to technical infringement. The round went to MRF with Arjun Balu, Lohit V. Urs and Aroor Arjun Rao hitting the podium to take the championship lead.

The ensuing rounds at the Karnataka-1000 Rally in Bangalore and the Chandigarh Rally were painted yellow with JK Tyre’s Naren Kumar winning both to close the gap with MRF’s Arjun Balu to only four points. A second place finish at the Rally of the North was enough for JK Tyre’s Naren to take on the championship lead by a single point to Arjun Balu who finished third, while MRF’s new entrant Aroor Arjun Rao won the rally.

The Rally of the North also witnessed great adrenalin-pumping action from defending champion Vikram Mathias of JK Tyre who was leading the round but eventually moved out of the championship after a close shave when his baleno rolled over five times in quick succession near the flying finish on Day 2.

Team JK Tyre's Naren Kumar and co-driver Ram Kumar crowned Indian National Rally Champion 2005

JK Tyre National Racing Champion Gaurav Gill who was signed by JK Tyre for the 2006 rally season got an early break to replace Vikram Mathias, comprising the second team for JK Tyre along with co-driver Sujith Kumar for the last round at Hyderabad.

Going into the final round with a lone point ahead of Arjun Balu, JK Tyre’s Naren Kumar and Ram Kumar displayed superlative drive to seal the championship title for themselves on Day 2 itself, while the concluding third day witnessed JK Tyre’s new entrant Gaurav Gill prove his mettle with excellent driving finishing second in his very first competitive drive, only 8 seconds behind Indian National Rally 2005 champion Naren Kumar.

“With the unmatched driving skills of Naren Kumar and co-driver Ram Kumar, and unparalleled car preparation skills of Leelakrishnan coupled with the fantastic tyre, JK Tyre had a winning package and I am glad that the comeback of JK Tyre into rallying has been momentous while also bringing once again the much-needed shine to Indian rallying,” said Mr Sanjay Sharma, Head-Motorsports, JK Tyre. “In tune with JK Tyre’s commitment to promote Indian motorsport and the motorsport talents to international platforms, we are seriously considering options to promote the JK Tyre duo Naren Kumar and Ram Kumar to international platforms, similarly as we have done with our racing and karting stars,” Mr Sharma added.

“The 2005 INRC season has also brought to the fore, a budding talent in the form of JK Tyre rookie Gaurav Gill. With the spectacular second place finish in his maiden drive at the last leg of INRC, Gaurav has proved that he is the force to reckon with in the next season. We are looking forward to favourable results in the ensuing season as well,” said Mr Sharma.

** END **