Adrenaline, Grit, and the “Death Trap”
After a year filled with adventure and off-road thrills and having freshly returned from a solo bike trip to the Himalayas – I, Rock n Roll Rider, witnessed another yearly spectacular. This was none other than the BigRock Dirt Park Trail Attack 8, held at their facility on March 29th.
BigRock conducted its 8th edition of Trail Attack, a dedicated off-road race for amateurs where budding riders return year after year to clinch the podium. This year was particularly special for me as an admin of The Off-Road Hunters; two of our beloved community members secured the 1st and 2nd positions in the Himalayan Class, a truly proud moment!
Quick Guide: What is BigRock Dirt Park Trail Attack?
- What is it? India’s largest amateur off-road race event, targeted at budding Adventure Bike riders.
- When? Usually held in February or March. This year’s event spanned March 28th and 29th.
- Who? Anyone with enthusiasm and a commitment to safe riding.
The Track & The “Gauntlet”
The track built for the 8th edition was a literal “death trap” of sorts, consisting of major obstacles mixed with jumps and fast sections. Targeted at amateurs, the course featured rock gardens, tyre sections, deep pits, and loose soil inclines that tested every participant to their limit.
The stats prove how brutal the weekend was. Out of 75 entries received across 6 classes, only 41 riders managed to complete all 9 laps. Each lap was a grinding 4.2kms, pushing both riders and machinery to the breaking point.
Fastest Timed Lap: 8 minutes and 55 seconds, achieved by Rajeev G Malagi.
Overall Endurance Winner: Rishi Sai Ganesh (Hero Xpulse Class), who finished all 9 laps in an astonishing 1hr and 45 minutes.
Being someone who has been trail riding and following races, I felt some sections were severely bottlenecked due to the majority of riders having trouble clearing obstacles, causing significant hindrances for those looking to glide through. The resulting carnage left numerous riders with crashes and a substantial number of bikes damaged, with some of them deemed unusable, at least for now.
An Editor’s Eye: While the racing was top-notch, the event’s production felt scaled back. The participants weren’t provided with any goodies, compared to last year where they got a jersey and a balaclava. It felt like BigRock’s busy schedule might have spread them too thin, leaving this edition slightly under-hyped and rushed.
BigRock Dirt Park Trail Attack 8 – Final Winners
Overall Top 3 Finishers
| Rank | Name & Motorcycle | Category | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Rishi Sai Ganesh (Hero Xpulse 200) | Class 1 | 1:45:39.797 |
| II | Manish Kuppireddy (Hero Xpulse 200) | Class 1 | 1:50:45.293 |
| III | Mahesh G (KTM 390 Enduro R) | Class 4 | 1:57:32.461 |
Class 2: Royal Enfield Himalayan Class
A proud moment as admin of The Off-Road Hunters—our members secure the top two spots!
| POS | Name | Fastest Lap | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Nirmal Kumar | 12:53.082 | 2:03:02.043 |
| II | Gagan Lohar | 13:28.734 | 2:08:42.149 |
| III | Dhanush N | 13:09.125 | 2:10:08.614 |
Class 1: HERO XPulse Class
| POS | Name | Fastest Lap | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Rishi Sai Ganesh | 11:03.309 | 1:45:39.797 |
| II | Manish Kuppireddy | 11:23.308 | 1:50:45.293 |
| III | Mohammed Zuber Ali | 12:10.981 | 1:58:27.742 |
Class 3: Indian Motorcycles Up to 350 CC
| POS | Name | Fastest Lap | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Raju S | 13:01.934 | 2:23:49.875 |
| II | Abhilash Bharadwaj | 15:40.281 | 2:38:11.161 |
| III | Sivakumar | 15:03.882 | DNF (8 Laps) |
Class 4: Indian Motorcycles 351 CC to 500 CC
| POS | Name | Fastest Lap | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Mahesh G | 12:17.359 | 1:57:32.461 |
| II | Faizal Sabu | 12:16.907 | 2:02:54.027 |
| III | Hemachandran R | 13:37.867 | 2:13:19.177 |
Class 5: Big Bike Class (Above 450 CC)
| POS | Name | Fastest Lap | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Manuj Bharadwaj | 13:36.379 | 2:35:10.282 |
| II | Haneesh Iqbal N | 17:38.344 | 3:09:26.637 |
Special Mention: The dedicated Ladies Class featured only 1 participant this year. While she unfortunately couldn’t complete the grueling course, her presence was a testament to the growing spirit and commitment to off-road racing in India.
With this, the Trail Attack 8 concluded. While many riders were cherishing their podium finishes, others are already mentally preparing to come back stronger better next year. Keep riding!
