8th Maruti Suzuki Raid de Himalayas rally flagged off

Shimla, Sep 30 (UNI) The 8th Maruti Suzuki Raid de Himalayas, India's toughest and longest motor sport event, was today flagged from here by State Bank of India DGM Raj Kunwar.

The seven-day event would have two independent race formats concurrently, featuring twenty-nine cars and 32 motorcycles in the ''extreme category'' and 31 vehicles in the ''reliability trial''.

The rally, jointly organised by Department of Youth Services and Sports and the Himalayan Motorsport Association (MTA), would traverse through Manali, Kaza, Dhankar, Patsio and Leh before coming to end at Manali on October six.

Four women drivers are in the fray in the four-wheel category besides five foreign teams with a total of 66 in this category, 36 each in the Reliability Trial and two-wheel categories.

The rally would terminate at Manali on October six and the prize distribution ceremony would be held the following day.

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