SUVs add zing to FMSCI-Indian Rally Championship.

Now with SUVs being allowed to compete alongside saloon cars for the rallies, the 2014 FMSCI-Indian Rally Championship spread over six rounds is expected to witness some exciting tussle. It will also see the country's leading rally driver Gaurav Gill from New Delhi in action..

Gill, the 2013 Asia Pacific Rally champion, had won the SUV category in Mahindra Adventure colors last season. Kolkata's Amittrajit Ghosh had bagged his second straight Indian National Rally Championship crown.

Gill had also won the National championship in 2011. This year's championship has been rechristened Indian Rally Championship to accommodate international participation.

Both the drivers will be pitted against each other in the opening round - the Mahindra Adventure Rally of Maharashtra - to be run on tarmac in Nashik from June 13 to 15, 2014.

All other rounds will be run on gravel and are scheduled to be held in Coimbatore (July 13-15), Chennai (July 25-27), Kolkata (Oct 31-Nov 2), Bangalore (Nov 21-13) and Chikmagalur (Dec 5-7).

Samir Thapar of JCT Rallying, along with experienced co-driver Gurinder Mann, will will compete with the three Mahindra Adventure SUVs in a Mitsubishi Evo X. Around 20  cars have so far registered for the National championship in four categories. The first category is the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) (only saloon cars/SUVs up to 3500cc), the second is the IRC 2000cc (Group N, 2WD), the third is IRC 1600cc (Group N, 2WD) and the fourth category is the FMSCI 1600cc Cup (for cars homologated prior to Dec 31, 2007). Participants in the IRC 2000cc, the IRC 1600cc and the FMSCI 1600cc Cup also compete for the overall championship (IRC).

National titles will be given to the best driver, co-driver (navigator) and team in all four categories.