Two-time Kenya champion Alastair
Cavenagh in a Porsche 911 will be
the first one off the ramp in the Top
Fry Rift Valley 1000 Rally to be held
in Baringo and Elgeyo Matakwet
counties from December 10-12.
According to the draw conducted
yesterday during the event’s launch in
Nairobi, Cavenagh will be followed by
multiple Kenya and Safari champion
Carl Tundo, who will be driving a
Triumph TR7.
Third off the ramp is
South African speed merchant Geoff
Bell, who is teaming up with Kenya’s
Tim Challen in a Datsun 260Z.
The top ten is a composition
of some Kenya’s fastest drivers
including six-time Kenya champion
Ian Duncan, who is seeded fourth in
a Ford Capri and veteran Safari driver
Frank Tundo, who will drive car
number six.
Frank will be navigated by his
daughter Natasha Tundo, who is incidentally the new KNRC Division
Three drivers champion. Raaji Bharij
and Rajay Sehmi (Ford Escort Mk1 )
have been seeded fifth.
The legendary
Aslam Khan and his brother Arshad
will drive car number 13, a Porsche
911. The South African Verlaque
sisters Megan and Lola are seeded
23th and 26th respectively.
The
Verlaques are no strangers on Kenyan
racing terrain having taken part in
the ARC Safari Rally a few years back.
The event got a shot in the arm
yesterday when Menengai Oil under
their flagship Top Fry brand came
on board as title sponsors. Other
sponsors for the event are Best
Whiskey, Liquid Telecom and zero car
providers Toyota Kenya.
Clerk of the course Lynn Tundo
while announcing the draw, said
cars manufactured before 1985 are
eligible for the event and will be
divided into four classes. “The seeded
list comprises of all sorts of cars.
Unlike what drivers are used to, this
rally will feature a secret route with
teams receiving their route notes in
the morning just before the day’s
program revs off.
The distance is a
1000km meaning the rally traffic
will have to tackle over 300kms
daily,” Lynn said adding: “The rally
headquarters will be centered at Lake
Bogoria Spa.”
Scrutineering will be held on
December 9 at Lake Bogoria Spa
with the flag off programmed for
December 10.
Lynn added that
the route has been designed with
competitor and spectator safety in
mind and devoid of boda bodas,
human and motor traffic.
Menengai
Oil head of marketing Simpson
Osiemo said it’s quite exciting day for
the company to be associated with
an event that rekindles old Safari
memories. “We are looking forward
to the competition and will offer the
required support to the organisers,”
Osiemo said. Former KNRC bigwig
Rob Hellier said the event will be
exciting given the secret location of
the stages.
“I have not driven a rally
car for more than a year and will
take it easy on Day 1 to see how the
car performs,” said Hellier. Cavenagh
conceded that he has lots of cobwebs
to dust off after taking a sabbatical
from the competition.