Part-1
What is it about human beings wanting to go faster and faster, wanting to look for every option to make that one millisecond count and moreover wanting to show off that they have the ‘biggest, boldest and maddest way of them all’? My three-way ponderings answered themselves during the 2013 Valley Run drag racing championship.
A two-day-long supercharged mixture of high octane speed and burning rubber, the event saw hundreds of participants from across the country bring their homemad(e)/ purpose-built racers to take part in a quarter-mile dash for glory. Held on the runway of the Amby valley Airport on March 9-10, this was the first time that the event was taking place. It was held under the guidelines of the FIA (International Automobile Federation) and the FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India).
Part-2
The car event was divided into various categories comprising Indian street stock, Indian pro-stock, Zen Class, and Indian with fuel injection, foreign cars with same categorisation, unrestricted cars and then diesels. So the list was exhaustive and the list of vehicles participating, even bigger.
There were a variety of cars across various categories and platforms. At one end many participants had modified their Maruti Zens by fitting them with the 1.6-litre mill from the Baleno sedan. These cars, in various states of tune, are capable of producing between 70bhp and 110bhp but weigh as little as 650kg giving them a power to weight ratio of just over 168bhp per tonne.
Part-3
The middle order comprised of many participants entering souped-up Honda Citys (first and third generation), Honda Accords and Esteems, Swifts, Skodas and the rather odd-looking but incredibly powerful love child of a Peugeot 309 and a Honda Accord 3.6-litre V6. Most of these cars like the Zens had been stripped out, reinforced and given a few aerodynamic aids to make that extra horsepower count.
Sitting slightly higher up the order was a whole group of heavily modified Lancers, a few Mitsubishi Evos, few last-generation Toyotas as well as an old two door Honda Civic. The other end of the scale included an exotic variety of two-door foreign monsters like the Lamborghini Gallardo, a Porsche 911, a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Audi R8 and two Mansory prepared Bentley Continentals.
Part-4
However, the highlight of the car category was the orange Nissan GT-R which seemed to be in a class of its own. The GT-R participated in many of the runs including the one after the sun had set on the second day due to popular demand.Its presence was summed up by the driver of a modified Honda City who shook his head in dismay when he realised that he was going up against the GT-R. Needless to say, the view of four circular brake lights and a large carbon fibre spoiler racing into the distance, while mesmerising to us, surely must have made him groan in despair.
We should make a special mention of some participants who decide to bring along their SUVs to take part in the run. There was a Range Rover, a Tata Safari, a matte black Porsche Cayenne and its more luxurious sibling the Audi Q7.
Part-5
We also spoke to Rongom Mukerjee, owner, organiser of the event and ardent petrol head. He said that it was a huge challenge to set up and run an event of such a scale and that he was in it for the passion more than anything else. He added that the response to the first Valley Run was a sign that there was huge scope for an event of this kind to grow in the country.
He faced many obstacles in the form of false starts but even then many people showed genuine interest in participating. The Valley Run took around three months to organise and will be a bi-annual event with the next round slated to take place tentatively in October this year, said Rongom.
Part-6
Ultimately though, the event turned into a meeting place for Indias burgeoning drag racing community. While some exchanged tips and tricks, many others took to observing their opponents, noting how they prepared for a run as well as what they did for a good start (not right in the beginning, never going to catch up). This two-day fest has managed to satisfy the petrol head in me, for now at least, but I seriously hope that it returns with an even bigger bang and hopefully some major American Muscle later this year.
