From the time, my college mate "Bike" Senthil used to drive like an ace racer to take me to movies (after bunking classes) in his Yamaha bike, I had the idea of participating in a Organized Rally ! I must admit that I was bit scared when I used to see Senthil getting into numerous accidents in the process.
I would like to do a Rally (now using a car) one of these years. When I spoke about this in the recent trek to Nelliampathy with my 10th Std friends, one of my school mates B Senthil (he is an ace navigator in the game) said that he could help me with it easily and was explaining the two types of Rally - Stage and TSD (Time Speed Distance).
I would like to take up the TSD rally for sure and hoping that it happens soon.. and preferably in my own car - Ford Ikon - Rally Sport ! (photo attached)
Finally, the day came... B Senthil calls me and says that a TSD Rally is being organized by Coimbatore Auto Sports Club on Dec 19 and he said that I should take this up. I was busy till Dec 17 with so many things and finally met Senthil to understand what this Rally is all about. He gives me a dope for 45 minutes and asks me to program the TimeChart and Distance Calculator overnight! Programming.. I said that I don't know as it is more than 13 years before I touched visual basic! It is easy thambi.. just do what I say is how it started.. So, I take my laptop and find that I have only excel sheet with me as software !!!!!!
But, when it comes to this part of programming, suddenly some spark came and some memory which was put idle came into play for me. Worked 2 nights and 1 day to get the software to 80% ok and showed into Senthil. He was happy, but asked for some simple practical features that I could not program in any way due to excel and my Home edition limitation. Senthil gave up on me and said that he would adjust with it and
we can proceed. We called another friend of ours - Lakshmanasamy (Lawyer, who is now in the middle of going to sabarimala!) to be the co-driver/the speed controller. Laks said that he would not budge for both first and then given the two evils, he would choose the driving instead of operating a computer!!
The day came and I was all set to show off my new jacket purchased in China!! Wearing the famous "bud" jacket and thinking like I am driving NASCAR, I set out for the rally in my "RallySport"
Photo - Me in the jacket !! Laks next to me and Senthil in Yellow T-shirt!
Reached CASC at 8.30 a.m. We were given the number 29 !! Felt so good to have the number on the car.
Senthil was giving both of us the last minute briefing about Tulip (which gives the route map, the intersections, distance etc.), the Time Chart which tells which speed to maintain and how many minutes to finish a sector.
We were flagged off then and the race began. It was a proud moment for me taking the car out !!!! After 1 km in to the race, both me and Laks what it is all about and how important the job of a navigator and time controller is in this race. The drivers skill is tested big time when we really have to catch up on time lost. We switched job and I got to do the Computer job and realized that how important the software is in a race field!!!!
Just before the first TC (TimeCheck), we missed a turning because of a yellow board or Yellow building confusion. Lost couple of minutes in that leg and got really grooved in for the rest of the race. There came a halt. The race was stopped for few hours due to a traffic congestion near Annur and we had to go to a different start place as a convoy of cars (great sight for the villagers and definitely helps them to increase the land price)! Waited for 2 hours and we were given the start again. By the time, we were pros with what we do and what need to achieve!!
When everything was going well for 15 minutes, the car stopped and refused to start in the middle of the road! I was thinking of the Rajini movie where he talks to the car Lakshmi. I call my car "Neelambari" and I was kind of talking to her to start. Luckily, she budged and started and we moved on to catch up the lost 4 minutes. Laks was amazingly great in the winding sector to make up for the loss . We prayed that the TC should not be there on the way till we made up for the lost time. Just when we made up the lost time, we got the TC. We did the next TC in zero penalty.. yes ZERO PENALTY.. this means that we did the race not coming early (which attracts double penalty) or late (which attracts single penalty). Note: Penalty is number of seconds you come in early/late.
On to the next leg and we doing damn well... We then missed a left and took right just in front of my mama's house! Realized the mistake after 1.5 kms and took a U to catch up again. Taking wrong turns makes the race really interesting for sure and gets everyone into tension. Laks caught up quickly and was ready to take the last TC. Again......., we took a wrong left and had to back track. We lost 4 minutes in this! Checked in proper for the last passage (trap kept to fool you before a TC) and then on to the TC.
We were told that we can now reach the final leg and there is no TC on the way. We cruised on the Avinashi Road and reached back to the Stadium where we had to end the race. Photo - After the race. Evening, Senthil calls and says that we did
12th in the race. If we had taken the right left before the last TC, we could have been within the top 6 !!!
I was really really really happy with the result of the race.
I must really thank B Senthil for his help to complete one of TTD and making the day memorable. When it comes to race, he really awes me with his IQ, the dedication and the urge to perform better even with his physical contraints. I must say about Laks now.. As an "Aiyyappa sami", he was thoroughly cool headed through out the race and cracked best of the jokes. I could clearly see his sportsman spirit to win the race all the time. He is a great driver and should definitely continue to race in future!
Thanks Laks for being a great sport and a great company!
Now.. Will I go for the next race? 12th out of 34 this time.. hmmm... why not?
It was with my friend Vil Vijayan, I made a trip in 2007 to US for a consulting assignment to Fremont, CA. When we were there, I expressed my interest on variety of things to do in US to him and Vil was one Super Jolly person who doesn't mind experimenting things. 
But, when it comes to this part of programming, suddenly some spark came and some memory which was put idle came into play for me. Worked 2 nights and 1 day to get the software to 80% ok and showed into Senthil. He was happy, but asked for some simple practical features that I could not program in any way due to excel and my Home edition limitation. Senthil gave up on me and said that he would adjust with it and we can proceed. We called another friend of ours - Lakshmanasamy (Lawyer, who is now in the middle of going to sabarimala!) to be the co-driver/the speed controller. Laks said that he would not budge for both first and then given the two evils, he would choose the driving instead of operating a computer!!
Reached CASC at 8.30 a.m. We were given the number 29 !! Felt so good to have the number on the car. 
We were told that we can now reach the final leg and there is no TC on the way. We cruised on the Avinashi Road and reached back to the Stadium where we had to end the race. Photo - After the race. Evening, Senthil calls and says that we did 12th in the race. If we had taken the right left before the last TC, we could have been within the top 6 !!! 
