JOIN USA round of the 2014 APRC Asia Cup has been allotted to India after the FIA-appointed observers, Murray Brown (New Zealand) and NS Nathan (Malaysia), gave top marks for last month’s Coffee Day rally held in Chikmagalur. The rally was a candidate event.
While the dates for the India-leg of the Asia Cup, the first of the five rounds, are still to be finalised in view of the general elections likely to be held from mid-April to mid-June, the official FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship website, however, has pencilled in April 25-27.
According to sources in the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), a fresh slot has been sought between the Asia Cup rounds in China (Nov 8-9) and Thailand (Dec 5-7), failing which the only option for India would be to sit out this season and run the event in April 2015. In their report, Brown and Nathan gave the Coffee Day Rally a total of 952.5 points (out of 1000) based on the overall conduct of the event in conformity with FIA regulations.