GULF FOSTER A CHILD CAR DRIVE –– AN EVENT WITH A CAUSE

How difficult is it to drive from Dadar to Khandala? ‘Not that easy’ would be the answer if you asked those who participated in the Gulf Foster A Child Drive on Sunday. True, it was not as simple as it sounds.

The Gulf Foster A Child Drive is one of the most looked forward events in Mumbai’s motorsport calendar. It is not about speed, but sense in deciphering a maze of directions. This year too it was no different. 48 entries were received and though there were five non-starters, it was worth the while for the participants, with two or three children from the orphanages of Regina Pacis Boarding and Our Lady’s Home, who spent time with underprivileged kids.

The Sportscraft-organised drive, was an exercise in concentration and precision reading of the course, from Our Lady’s Home in Parel to Duke’s Retreat In Khandala. Driving through a maze of directions courtesy a tulip chart proved challenging and entertaining for the 43 vehicles that made the trip.
And coming out best was Nadeem Karmali and Nazli Karmali. The duo read the tulip chart astutely to finish with the minimum penalty-points and emerge triumphant.

The pair of Sonal Sawant and Nilesh Rane finished second while 59-yar-old Sunil Shanbaug, who was once a regular at rallies fine-tuning vehicles, and his wife Anapurna Shanbaug were third.
Mrunal Tanna, an old hand in the business of driving through tulip charts, and Binita were the best All-Ladies team. Daksha Shah and Asmita Mehta were second in the category while Pouruchisty Elavia and Gulzar were third.

The team of Rufina, Asif, Aseem, Ayaan and Zain Karmai, in a Maruti Alto, won the prize for the Best Dressed Team. They participated with the message ‘Unity in diversity’.
Nayan Marphatia, Anand Krishnan and Aparna Saxena, also in a Maruti Alto, won the award for the Best Decorated Car, which had ‘Education’ as their theme.
After the vehicles were flagged off by Mr. Alain Dujean, V.P. Gulf Oil International, it was survival of the shrewdest as the drive wound it way through the narrow lanes and streets of Mumbai en route to Khandala.

For starters, the rally was not about speed but skill on finding the way by use of a tulip chart and be on the right route. There were many pit sops along the course where the participants had to check in and answer one question at each pit-stops.
Many of the drivers lost their way. Some followed the vehicle in front of them and paid the price, while some dashed off to the next time control, not realizing they would be checking too early, and lost vital points in the process.

But while the drivers pulled their hair to find their way out, the children accompanying them were ecstatic, not bothered about the plight of the one at the wheel and co-driver. They were just happy to go to Khandala for the first time in their lives as some of them confessed later during a sumptuous lunch and variety entertainment at the Dukes Retreat.

While the drive came in for all-round applause both for the participants and kids from the orphanages, Sunil Shanbaug, perhaps the oldest participant, summed it up best. “Something new and excellent,” he said. “The question and answer part at different controls got all of us – even the children -- involved. That made it more enjoyable. Well organized and great event,” he added.

If you missed the drive this year, be sure to make it the next time.

GULF FOSTER A CHILD CAR DRIVE - 4TH FEBRUARY 2007
FINAL RESULTS
POS	PRIZE	COMP NO	DRIVER's NAME	NAVIGATOR	CREW MEMBER	CREW MEMBER	CHILD
OVERALL WINNERS
1ST	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	10	NADEEM KARMALI	NAZLI KARMALI	ANIL ,JOYTI & YUGAL		Vishal Marian
2ND	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	26	SONAL SAWANT	NILESH RANE	ANITA MAHTRE	NIKHILA RANE, YASH RANE	Lloyd Rodricks
3RD	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	46	SUNIL SHANBHAG	ANNAPURNA SHANBHAG	SAMEERA PAI		Agnal Narohna
4TH	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	27	AUNSHUL VARMA	SHILPA VARMA	TUSHAR SHAH , AMITA SHAH		Joyson Mascarenhas
5TH	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	41	KRISHNA KANAKASABHAPATHY	UMA KRISHNA	GAYATRI KRISHNA		Moses Baswant
ALL LADIES TEAM
1ST	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	3	MRUNAL TANNA	BINITA	VINITA		Pervin Chaudhary
2ND	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	1	DAKSHA SHAH	ASMITA MEHTA	MEENA SHAH		Yoshita
3RD	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	4	POURUCHISTY  ELAVIA	GULZAR	KAMALRUKH		Priya Pillai
BEST DRESSED TEAM INCLUDING THE ORPHAN CHILD
1ST	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	42	RUFINA KARMALI	ASIF KARMALI	ASEEM KARMALI	AYAAN KARMALI, ZAIN KARMALI	Julio Lasrado
BEST DECORATED CAR
1ST	TROPHY + GIFT HAMPER	15	NAYAN MARPHATIA	ANAND KRISHNAN	APARNA SAXENA		Kashida