Former S Class and Division 3 champion Karan Patel will lead 24 drivers off the ramp at the season-opening KCB Guru Nanak rally which starts at the bank’s Kitengela Branch on Sunday.
Driving a Ford Fiesta R5, Karan will be followed by Eric Bengi (Evo10), Tejveer Rai (VW Polo), Ian Duncan in his crowd-pleasing Nissan Patrol pick-up, Carl Tundo with his EVO 10, Onkar Rai (VW Polo) and champion Baldev Chager in a R4 Evo 10.
The weekend event will traverse stages at Stoni Athi, Kifaru and SGR, whose repeat run is the designated power stage. Karan leads the pack in the new rotational system of eight KNRC Premier Class drivers gunning for honours this season.
Duncan is the most successful driver in the Guru Nanak leg, having won a record 11 editions in different car makes.
Meanwhile, KCB Bank have injected Sh25m towards this season’s KNRC Rally and Autocross championships. The seven KNRC events have been allocated Sk20m while the remainder will go towards the 10 KCB autocross events.
KCB Marketing and Communications Director Angela Mwirigi said: “We are overly excited as we launch this year’s sponsorship with We are glad to note that our sponsorship has seen the motorsport industry grow from strength to strength as we prepare for the 2020 World Rally Championship Safari Rally.”
“We are keen to continue nurturing and building talent in the industry for local and global competitions” she added.
KMSF chairman Phineas Kimathi said: “The huge boost by KCB will go a long way in the successful staging of the events. The sponsorship has kept the sport aloft over the years.”
Sunday’s event will count towards the newly created East Africa Rally Championship that will traverse Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
The rally reconnaissance will take place at Stony Athi Resort on Saturday, while the scrutineering checks will take place at the Sikh Union Club on the same day.
