How A Decade Old Motorsport Rally Is Making It's Comeback In Kochi This Year
- 20 Apr 2017
- Susmitha Suresh
- Features
The decade-long wait by motorsport enthusiasts for the Popular Car Rally is over
The Popular Car Rally, which was last held over a decade ago in Kerala, is making its comeback this year. Popular Vehicles & Services Pvt Ltd, a Kuttukaran Group Company, is the title sponsor of the event while Mobil and Axalta Coating Systems joins as Associate Sponsors.
The Rally is scheduled to be flagged off on 13th May from Marine Drive Kochi. It will begin at 3.00 PM on 13th and end at 5.00 PM on 14th May, making its way through specific places in Kerala. This passionate event was extremely popular among the motorsport lovers in Kerala back in its heyday. Only four-wheelers will be featured this year. The Rally is set to end the next day at Marine Drive, where the Prize Distribution ceremony will take place as well. Mr. John K. Paul - Managing Director, Popular Vehicles & Services Ltd. & President - Federation of Automobile Dealers Association said, “Having made Popular synonymous with motor rallying, we hope to carry on its rich legacy, for its sheer adventure and the passionate enthusiasm we all share for Popular Rally.” Blue Timbre Music LLP, a part of the Group, has come up with a theme song exclusively for the Popular Rally 2017.
Kuttukaran Group having a legacy of 78 years in the automobile sector has a combined turnover of Rs.3,500 crore, a 7,000-plus strong workforce combined with a network of over 200 units in different parts of the country. Popular Vehicles and Services Ltd has one of the largest networks for Maruti in the country consisting of 7 dealerships, 3 NEXA outlets, 38 service centers, 10 used car outlets, 6 driving schools churning more than three lakh of car sales, three million car services and one lakh used car sale.
(Not in order of seating) From Kuttukaran Group, Mr. Paul K. John, Ms Megha Abraham, Ms. Gloria Mahesh and Mr. Subash George took part in the Press Meet along with all core team Members from SAM.
Southern Adventures and Motorsports (SAM) will be executing the Rally this year as well. The group which had its origin in 1940 as an entrepreneurial venture started by the Late K P Paul, has successfully conducted the Rally for 21 years. Members having 15 to 20 Years of experience with a relentless passion towards motorsports, led to the formation of SAM. Dr. Bikku Babu – COC (Clerk of the Course for Popular Rally 2017), Noufal Sayed – Managing Partner, Southern Adventures & Motorsports, Bonnie Thomas – Dy COC, George Varghese – Chief Safety Officer, Milen George Cherian – Competitor Relations Officer, Biju George Thomas, Asst. COC, Paul Mathew, Media Relation Officer and Dilu Anachira Hospitality Officer comprises the core team of SAM.
This will be a revival of sorts for the event in Kerala and is sure to be an exciting event. There will also be other events held as part of the Popular Rally, like the Battle of the Bands open to all interested and the Brezza Treasure Hunt, exclusively for Brezza customers. For further details regarding the event and its history, you can check out their website at http://www.popularrally.com/. Get ready to rev your engines again
Text: Susmitha Suresh Photos: Various Sources
