Pune, Sep 20 : After two action-packed rounds, in Chennai and Bangalore, the FMSCI Indian National Rally Sprint Championship 2024 for two-wheelers will head to Pune for the third round on Saturday.

The grounds surrounding the Nanoli Speedway will witness more than 95 entries, the highest participation ever for the West Zone, battle it out in the monsoon sprint rally, in a bid to qualify for the final round in December.

"It's fantastic to see such strong participation in the third round. With over 95 entries, the competition will be fierce and I am happy to see top riders from the nation ready to set the trail ablaze in the FMSCI Indian National Rally Sprint Championship 2024, in Pune. I am sure the riders are raring to go. We are happy to see more riders step up to take part, it is a great sign for a growing sport," said Gautam Shantappa, vice president, FMSCI on the occasion.

Suhail Ahmad, who dominated multiple categories, with victories in Group A upto 550cc, Bullet Class upto 550cc, and Open Class upto 550cc in the Chennai leg and finished second in the Open Class upto 550cc and Bullet Class upto 550cc in the Bangalore leg, will also be seen attempting to better his timings with the Sahyadri mountains and perennial Indrayani River in the backdrop.

'Pune is a city which boasts a rich culture of dirt biking and off-roading; I am looking forward to some fierce competition from the riders in the West Zone. I am sure I will enjoy competing against some of the prominent riders at this circuit in one of the most beautiful settings for rallying in the country. With the final round a couple of months away, the pressure is on to better your timing and make sure you are in the best form,' Ahmad commented.

This picturesque monsoon rally is a highlight in the Indian racing calendar and Badal Doshi from Mumbai, Amarendra Sathe from Pune, Pinkesh Thakkar from Pune, and Rajesh N Swami from Raigad are a few of the prominent riders from West Zone vying to qualify for the final round.

The FMSCI Indian National Rally Sprint Championship 2024 for two-wheelers will feature 13 classes, designed to foster a fair and competitive environment to bring the best of Indian riders.

Following the Pune leg of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Sprint Championship 2024, the series will continue to unfold across India. The championship will move to Indore for Round 4 on October 5, followed by Round 5 in Guwahati on November 24.

The season will culminate with the finals in Pune or Bangalore on December 14-15, where the top contenders from each zone will compete for the ultimate title.

/IANS