Champ Naren decides to pull out of INRC

The former Team MRF and JK Tyre driver returned to rallying last year, this time around with Red Rooster Racing and stormed past an accomplished field of drivers to another memorable title but due to ‘business commitments’ he will not be able to compete at the highest level of rallying in India this year.

“I have decided to drop out of this season’s event,” said Naren over the phone from Sri Lanka, where he is holidaying. “See, my business commitments are high and it’s hard to focus on both the things at the same time. Business is the main reason behind me dropping out this season.

“I didn’t say I will never race, I just said I wanted to drop out of this season. If I get another chance in the future I might just take it up,” the 38-year-old Naren, who runs a foundry in Coimbatore, added.

Incidently, Naren’s pull-out comes at a time when RRR are reportedly struggling to keep up with the finances required to run three cars right through the seven-race INRC season which starts in Durgapur on April 22.

This means, the Roosters will, quite conveniently, field a two-car team for the 2011 season with Vikram Mathias and Amittrajit Ghosh as their two drivers to take on the might of main rivals MRF and their deadly driver-trio of Gaurav Gill, Arjun Balu and Arjun Rao Aroor.

Meanwhile, Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India President Vicky Chandhok said on Tuesday that the rally committee would look at scrapping the N+ category if MRF and RRR accept the terms.

“The two N+ teams will need to come to a consensus and then we will knock the N+ category off. As of now one team is okay with the idea but the other isn’t. We know how these decisions affect teams and we will listen to what both of them have to say and then decide.” said Chandhok.