• Manvir already has two Zambia Rally victories (2017 /18) under his belt.
• Former 2WD champion Eric Bengi and Rai siblings—Onkar and Tejveer—are also expected to shine for Team Kenya.
Manvir Baryan leads a star-studded six man Kenyan team for this weekend’s Gomes Zambia international Rally in Ndola, the third leg of the FIA African Rally Championship.
Manvir, who is the log leader and two-time continental champion, carry the country’s hopes alongside five-time Safari Rally champion Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo and multiple Kenya rally champion Baldev ‘Boldy’ Chager. Former 2WD champion Eric Bengi and Rai siblings—Onkar and Tejveer—are also expected to shine for Team Kenya.
Manvir already has two Zambia Rally victories (2017 /18) under his belt. He returns to the Zambia event in a Skoda Fabia R5 rally car, better known in Zambia as the ‘Rat’. The ‘Rat’ has literally swept the ground with all its race adversaries, winning all ARC rallies, apart from Safari.
The Skoda Fabia R5 model has been racing in the WRC 2 class and is based on the road version of the Skoda. Onkar, the 2011 KNRC Division 2 champion is making his debut in Zambia in a Skoda Fabia R5 which won the season-opening Nakuru Rally this year.
Tundo said: “It will be my first time in Zambia rallying and so I’m really looking forward to the experience. I’m very thankful to Menengai Oil for giving me the opportunity. I am going to enjoy Zambia as there is no pressure for any championship apart from the Kenya pride factor.”
Bengi remarked: “We are very excited after a two-day reconnaissance which kick-started our campaign in Ndola on Wednesday. Our main aim really is to experience, learn and improve on our performance. We hope to bring some good tidings to our sponsors, fans and supporters,” he said.
Chager said: “We are not in any way in the race for the ARC Championship. We just decided to do this event for the sake of cross the border experience. Obviously, we have no experience in Zambia’s routes and stages so it will be a nice change and challenge altogether. The approach is to take it as it comes and the main thing is to have fun and enjoy the experience.”
Local crews recceed on Wednesday and Thursday well in time for the action which revs off today. Zambia international Rally is the third round of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) after the season-opening Rallye Bamdama of Ivory Coast and York Rally of South Africa. Safari Rally Kenya slated July is also part of the ARC calendar.