Over 100 drivers from across the country to take part; Rs. 2 lakh cash prize for the Fastest Driver

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru Gravel Fest-2023 motor sporting event, organised by Automotive Sports Club of Mysuru (ASCOM) with support from the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, will be held at the gravel circuit next to Lalitha Mahal Helipad on Dec. 3 from 8.30 am to 5 pm. Entry is free for the public.

Member of the erstwhile royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar and actor Abhishek Ambarish will be the chief guests.

Over 100 drivers from New Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other parts of the country will be competing with expert drivers of Karnataka. Racers Den Thimmaiah, Chethan Shivaram, Jahaan Gill, Nikitha Takale and others will be taking part. Fastest driver of the day will be conferred with ‘Mysuru Gravel King-2023’ along with a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh. Winners of various events will be presented with a silver trophy.

There will be nine categories of cars based on the engine capacity. Up to 1,100cc, 1,100 cc-1,400 cc, 1,400 cc-1,650 cc, Indian Open Class, Ascom Open Class, Ladies Class and 4W Open Class and theAPEX    class, a category reserved for special tuned fast cars.

To nurture and encourage local motor racing, ASCOM has a special race category for young local drivers of Mysuru with 26 city youths participating to showcase their driving talent. Not to be left behind, the ladies class too has a record 10 drivers competing for the top position.

To ensure that event is family friendly, ASCOM has constructed stadium-like seating arrangements for public to sit and enjoy the racing action. Big LCD screens will be strategically placed around the circuit for spectators to catch the full racing action. The circuit will also house a dedicated food and beverage stalls. The venue is also equipped with chemical toilets, a well-marked out parking area. Extra precautions are being taken to ensure that event is safe for both participants and spectators.

The Mysuru Dasara Gravel Fest was first held in 2017 and it continued in 2018 and 2019. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the event was not held in 2020, 21 and 2022. The 2019 edition saw more than 100 racers from across the country participating in various races and viewed by over 20,000 spectators. A total cash prize of Rs. 4.40 lakh was awarded to the winners.

This year, total cash prize of Rs. 7 lakh and trophies are up for the grabs.