QUEPEM: In an interesting turn of events, Gurmeet Virdi (co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung) of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh managed to edge past the neck-to-neck competition with Siddartha Santosh (co-driver Prithviraj AC) for the top spot, as Gurmeet retained and solidified his bastion with 1829 points out of 2400, in Quepem, on Saturday.
The second position is now held by Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Changappa) of Coorg-based V5 Offroaders as he showcased some spectacular off-road motorsport action to secure a total of 1765 points. Siddartha Santosh, representing Bangalore based Team BODA (Bangalore Offroad Drivers Association), who was breathing fire down Gurmeet’s neck with a one-point margin by Day 4, has slipped down to the third position with 1534 points by the end of Day 5.
They are followed by Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh) of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh with 1492 points and Malaysian driver Merwyn Lim (co-driver Tan Choon Hong) of Mumbai-based Team Fairmont with 1476 points on fourth and fifth position respectively.
Day 5 saw the teams engage in six Terminator Special Stages, SS 19 to SS 24, at Maina in Quepem. Most of the stages were technical and designed to test the competitors on their winching and vehicle handling skills along with co-ordination with the co-driver. Sporadic downpour turned the Stages into a complete mud-fest with vehicles struggling to maneuver through the slippery and slushy terrain.
