Local drivers stage down-hearted battle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Leading national drivers have opted to keep
\nthemselves away from a possible world-class battle during the
\nIndonesia Rally championships in Medan, North Sumatra next month.<\/p>\n
\"I just want to do my best as far as I can. It will be great
\nif I manage to finish among the top ten,\" national champion Tony
\nHardianto told a press conference Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\"I will take on top class drivers who dedicate all their lives
\nto the racing sport. They must have better preparations than our
\ndrivers who find this adventurous sport a kind of hobby,\" Tony
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Tony displayed his skills when he finished fourth behind
\nJapan's Kenjiro Shinozuka last year.<\/p>\n
A record 51 drivers from 18 countries have confirmed their
\nentry at the July 7-9 annual race which also serves as the
\nopening leg of the Asia Pacific Championships series. Tony will
\nlead the local challenge against 19 foreign drivers who include
\nseasoned world championship regulars.<\/p>\n
Scot Collin McRae and Finland's Tomi Makkinen are making their
\ndebut on the bumpy, winding tarmac road along palm oil and rubber
\nplantations in North Sumatra. Defending champion Kenneth Eriksson
\nof Sweden, former winner Possum Bourne of New Zealand and
\nFinland's illustrious driver Ari Vatanen will add to the suspense
\nof the rally.<\/p>\n
Asian drivers from Japan, India, Malaysia, South Korea, China,
\nHong Kong and Chinese Taipei also line the participants list.
\nMembers of the first family, Hutomo Mandala Putra, Indra Rukmana
\nand his son Dandy Rukmana will be other noted drivers to watch.<\/p>\n
Former national champion Dolly Indra Nasution shared his
\nworries with Tony. \"They are big names. It's going to be such a
\nstruggle out there that finishing tenth remains praiseworthy,\"
\nDolly, the 1991 national number one, said.<\/p>\n
Competitors of the three-day race will have to complete 27
\nspecial stages covering a stretch of 461.32 kilometers.<\/p>\n
Starting from the Merdeka square, Medan, the participating
\ndrivers will take on the first eight special stages from Medan to
\nTebing Tinggi. They have to survive the longest track on the
\nsecond day from Medan to Parapat, before spending the night at
\nthe country's most famous lake, Toba.<\/p>\n
The final nine stages will start from Lake Toba and finish at
\nthe Merdeka square.<\/p>\n
The organizers have dropped one stage out of the scheduled 27
\ndue to technical reasons. The straight track of the ninth stage
\nat Rambong Sialang is considered too dangerous for drivers,
\ntechnical commission official Indrajit Sardjono said. (amd)<\/p>",
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