Altogether 80 drivers and co-drivers have reached Kohima to compete in Round 4 of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) 2022 – Rally of Nagaland hosted by Nagaland Adventure Club (NAC) in partnership with the Government of Nagaland from 12 to 14 January.

Organised by Federation of Motor Sports Council of India (FMSCI) with Blueband Sports as the promoter, 80 drivers and co-drivers from across the country will participate in the event.

The championship will be held in two routes in Kohima covering a route of 120km – Jotsoma to Dzülekie NEC road on 13 January and Kohima bye-pass road connecting IG stadium on 14 January. The rally will commence at 6am on both days.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will ceremonially flag off the rally at Hockey Ground, Indira Gandhi Stadium Kohima on 12 January at 3:30pm. During the programme, NAC convener Peter Rutsa will deliver the welcome address while Blueband Sports chief promoter Premnath Kasinath will also exhort the gathering.

Some of the prominent riders such as Gaurav Gill, Karna Kadur, Aditya Thakur, Fabid Ahmer and Chetan Shivram will also be participating in the championship, he said.

NAC president Burakum Ao informed that for spectators to witness the event, ticketing is fixed at Rs 2,000 per car and they would be allocated particular spaces as the rally goes on the said routes.

Burakum said the NAC was established in the year 2010 with the objective of promoting Adventure and Motor Sports in the state. Over the years, the club has dedicatedly worked in achieving its objective through its annual event popularly known by all as the HorsePower challenge.

The club feels elated today in achieving one of its dreams of being the first club in the state to bring a national event of the scale of the National Rally Championship to the state which will be first of its kind for the people to witness, he said.

Meanwhile, the podium ceremony will be held on 14 January at 4pm at RCEMPA, Jotsoma.