Ugandan driver Duncan Mubiru is among the foreign drivers enlisted for the KCB Eldoret Rally which will traverse Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties on October 8.
According to his local coordinator Jaswinder Chana, the Ugandan speed merchant will be navigated by George Ssemakula in a Mitsubishi Evolution X.
Flying Finn Tapio Laukannen and his compatriot Pasi Torma have also entered the event hoping to maintain their lead on the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) log. Tapio, who is a former Finland and British champion, also hopes for a repeat performance of last year’s Eldoret Rally which saw the event on the world famous Flouspar terrain.
The event, which counts towards the sixth round of the KNRC, will be flagged off at KCB Western Branch in Eldoret town and end in Iten, an area synonymous with Kenya’s long and middle distance athletes.
The designated spectator stage will be at Chemweno Farm in Moiben and finish at Elgeyo Market County, better know as the ‘Home of Champions’.
After flag off, the rally traffic will tackle a 10km liaison distance through to the first stage at Ilula-Kapkomoi and onto the super special and first service at Chemweno.
Crews will then tackle four stages at Chebiemit, Salabin, Kimuron and quarry; repeat the loop again before finishing at Iten.
Mubiru, better known as ‘Kikankane’ in Ugandan rallying circles, last competed in Kenya two years back during the KCB Safari Rally.
Mubiru has been a household name in motorsport for some good time but he is yet to lay his hands on the coveted Ugandan NRC title.
“I have already placed his entry for the event and it will be exciting to welcome the Ugandan speedster back in Kenya,” Jaswinder, a former KNRC Group ‘S’ champion, said.
Among top drivers expected to feature in the Western Kenya Motor Club organised rally are six-time champion Ian Duncan, Carl Tundo in his new Ford Fiesta Proto, Onkar Rai, ‘Flying Singh’ Baldev Chager and Rajbir Rai who finished second last year.
The 2WD class has its usual suspects in Eric Bengi, champion Leonardo Varese, Sammy Nyorri and fast-rising Alex Lairangi. It will be an all-Toyota showdown with Bengi and Nyorri in their traditional RunX machines, Varese in his Corolla RSI and Lairangi in the 2012 championship winning Sprinter GT. KNRC Division 2 class will renew the rivalry between leader Mahesh Halai of Shamba Boys and Eric Bengi, who is also gunning for a rare double in the season.
Group ‘S’ which is a category of cars with expired homologation will be a tussle between Kisumu-based Chandrakhant Devji ‘Chandu’and Edwards Maina.
STANDINGS
Drivers
1 Tapio Laukkanen 104
2 Jaspreet Chatthe 100
3 Ian Duncan 72
4 Rajbir Rai 61
5 Carl Tundo 51
Co-drivers
1 Gurdeep Panesar 111
2 Greg Stead 65
3 Amaar Slatch 64
4 Tim Jessop 62
5 Gareth Dawe 61