Hutomo, Chandra favorites in Goro Champ of Champs

JAKARTA (JP): Hutomo Mandala Putra and Chandra Alim are the favorites to win the Goro Champ of Champs rally, scheduled to be held in Cikole and Bandung, West Java on Nov. 29.

Hutomo and Chandra face at least 50 other competitors in the one-day rally near the volcano Tangkuban Perahu and the West Java capital.

Among the other racers are Adiguna Sutowo, Arief Indiarto, Aswin Nasution, Anthony Sarwono, Aswin Bahar, Anto Soeprapto and Akbar Hadianto. They are all old hands who have participated in local and international races since the 1970s.

They are up against rising junior stars Rifat Sungkar, Yaldi Indra P, Irvan Gading, Dandy Rukmana, Deyu and veteran driver Dolly Indra Nasution.

Chandra leads the rankings with Hutomo, the youngest son of President Soeharto, close behind.

The Goro Champ of Champs consists of three events, the national sprint rally, the Carting Open and a moped race. The events are being staged as part of the national meeting of the Indonesian Motor Association in Bandung.

The sprint rally will be held in Cikole while the carting and moped races will be staged in Bandung.

The racers will vie for total prize money of Rp 30 million (US$8,800). The overall winner will be awarded the Goro Champ of Champs trophies.

For the sprint rally, the drivers will have to compete three five-kilometer Special Stages on regular roads in the hills around Cikole, near Tangkuban Perahu.

The Goro Champ of Champs is sponsored by Goro, a wholesale company controlled by Hutomo and the state-owned oil company Pertamina.

So far 115 automotive enthusiasts have registered to take part in the carting and motorcycle races and another 65 drivers in the sprint rally.

Registration is still open until Nov. 26 at Trandypromo Mandira, Jl. Kesehatan 2/6, Bintaro, South Jakarta and IMI Jawa Barat, Setrasari Mall, Jl. Surya Sumantri No. 120, Bandung.

Registration fees are Rp 150,000 (sprint rally), Rp 75,000 (go-cart) and Rp 25,000 (moped). (lnt)