Correspondent
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 18
Here’s a piece of good news for extreme adventure sports lovers in Nagaland who were let down during this year’s monsoon season by not getting to witness the Nagaland Adventure Club’s (NAC) annual extreme autocross and exciting drag race motorsports event. The NAC today announced that the 4th Horsepower Challenge 2013 has been moved up to December 6 and 7, to test dry grounds instead of the usual monsoon’s muddy tracks.Addressing a press conference at Rendezvous, Kohima on Monday, NAC advisor K.K. Paul Rutsa said the NAC is organizing this year’s edition of Horsepower Challenge in December to experiment dry tracks as well as to coincide the event with the Hornbill Festival. He said that though the motorsports event is not part of the Hornbill Festival, holding it parallel to the festival will open up a big way for the participants of the Horsepower Challenge coming from outside Nagaland to witness the festival. Also, local and foreign tourists coming to revel the state’s biggest festival can enjoy our event at the same time, he added.
Rutsa said the event will be divided into Autocross (four-wheeler) and Motocross (two-wheeler) categories. The competition under Autocross will be sub-categorized for cars (below 1000cc or above) and SUVs (4x4), whereas Motocross will have an open class competition and for novices as well. Rutsa also disclosed that NAC is expecting a participation of 70 cars (four wheelers) and 30 bikes (two wheelers) from Nagaland, Meghalaya, Assam, Bangalore, Bhopal and Delhi.
Pursuing its objective to promote adventure sports despite lacking infrastructure locally, the NAC has not only given birth to a new era of motorsports in the state, opening doors to young enthusiastic and talented drivers, but also brought out some of the best drivers in the country.
NAC advisor, Atu Tsurho, who was also present at the press meet, mentioned that Naga motorsports drivers Anguzo Sekhose, Lima I. Jamir, Peter Rutsa, Ruokuobeituo Kense, Bijo Awomi, Kevin Puro and Toshi Aier have participated in various competitions outside the state representing NAC and have won several titles.
For the 4th Horsepower Challenge, he said that a total prize money of Rs.3 lakhs as well as certificates and recognition for promising drivers is arranged for the winners. Spectators will be charged Rs.50 each for entry. Minister for Youth Resources & Sports Nagaland, Merentoshi R. Jamir will be gracing the finals on December 7.
The event is slated to be held at Nagaland Football Association (NFA) Ground, near NU Meriema Campus from 8am to 4pm on both days.
Meanwhile, NAC general secretary, Burakum Lkr informed that registration for the event is on and forms will be available at TRAP, New Secretariat Road, Kohima and Screwdriver, Golaghat Road, Dimapur.
He said the last date for submission of forms is on November 31 while scrutiny and documentation of the participating vehicles and drivers will be done on December 5.
