File picture of a model flagging-off last year’s rally from Calcutta

Bhubaneswar, April 14: Blink and you might miss them! The East Coast Wild Run — a race-cum-rally — would see cars racing through the streets of Bengal and Odisha.

The organisers — Eastern Motor Sports Association, Calcutta, and Kalinga Motor Sports Club, Bhubaneswar — believe that the event will promote adventure sports in Odisha.

“Car rallies are not very famous in eastern India. We hope this rally provides that impetus towards its popularity in this region,” said Praveen Chandra Bhanjdeo, president of Kalinga Motor Sports Club.

Though the registrations are on till April 20, unfortunately, no team from Odisha has registered yet.

The registration fee is Rs 15,000. To participate, one needs to have a hard-top car and a driving licence. There will be two winning teams — one professional and an amateur. Cash prizes and trophies will also be conferred to the best ladies’ team, the best first timers and the best tuners (mechanic).

“A participant will have to abide by the traffic rules of the respective state. Any traffic rule violation can cause disqualification or penalty points. Moreover, the event is not just about driving skills, teams will have to be alert to check the route markings and do complicated mathematical calculations for ascertaining the correct timings that enhance the thrill of racing,” said Billy Bose, chief co-ordinator of the rally.

The participating four-wheelers will cover 950 kilometres in two days.

The launch ceremony will be held at Nazrul Manch in Calcutta a day before but the race begins on April 26. In the first leg of the rally, the participating teams, consisting of a driver and a navigator each, will have pit stops (halts) at Haldia and Digha before finally stopping at Dhamra in Odisha.

The second leg of the race will see vehicles vroom past the picturesque coastal routes, port towns, villages and major cities of Odisha. On the second day, the path charted by drivers will be from Dhamra to Puri via Paradip.

The race will be a time-speed-distance event that requires the participants to drive their cars along an undisclosed route marked by arrows. The participants will have to drive at the specified variable average speeds mentioned in the book known as tulip chart. Any delay or early arrival will cost them crucial points. The event will be monitored by marshals who will record the timings of the teams from undisclosed locations.