•Chager won the season-opening KCB Nakuru Rally event in Elementaita but lost his championship lead to Kabras Sugar Racing teammate Tejveer Rai after a bad run during the Equator Rally.
•Chager was out on Day One of Equator but managed to complete Day 2 thus salvaging KNRC points on the Super Rally rule which allows teams to restart the next leg.
Image: SAFARI RALL MEDIA TEAM
Defending champion Baldev Singh Chager and long-time friend Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo are spoiling for a fight for the Kenya National Rally Championship points during the WRC Safari Rally which will serve as the third KNRC event.
The event follows the first leg in Nakuru in February and ARC Equator Rally in April. Besides the blistering pace of WRC contraptions, local drivers are sure to also thrill fans as they fight for national points.
Chager won the season-opening KCB Nakuru Rally event in Elementaita but lost his championship lead to Kabras Sugar Racing teammate Tejveer Rai after a bad run during the Equator Rally.
Chager was out on Day One of Equator but managed to complete Day 2 thus salvaging KNRC points on the Super Rally rule which allows teams to restart the next leg.
Besides Tundo-Chager rivalry, youngster Karan Patel (Ford Fiesta R5) and the Rai's Tejveer and Onkar (VW Polo R5) are also drivers to watch. Tundo is back with the Minti Motorsport VW Polo R5 which he drove during ARC event.
However, Chager will be at a disadvantage considering all his opponents are on R5 cars which are one step below the WRC car. All local R5 drivers including Tundo (VW Polo R5) will be competing in WRC 3 Class.
Apart from the KNRC Premier Class battle, KNRC Division One, Two, and Three points will be at stake.
Among Division One drivers fighting for the category, points are Paras Pandya of Mombasa, McRae Kimathi, and Sohanjeet Singh Puee also from Mombasa.
Paras and Kimathi Junior are tied on 39 points apiece. Paras skipped the Equator Rally and will be looking to recover lost ground against Kimathi who now has a new car courtesy of the FIA Rally Star Program. He will drive one of the three Ford Rally 3 cars alongside Jeremy Wahome (22) and Hamza Anwar (22).
Division Two has Hamza Anwar and Evans Kavisi who is the category leader.
Tundo admitted that fighting the WRC2 cars will be tough considering they compete regularly at a high level.
Tundo said he was happy with his performance during Equator Rally. He said: "It was one of those rallies that worked like clockwork. The car is intact after taking a beating during the Equator. "
"We will go out and enjoy the experience of competing in a WRC event again. Never thought it would happen for me so it is all a bonus and privilege to be able to do it. National points will also be at stake so let's see how it goes," Tundo said.
Chager was the victor in Nakuru where Tundo retired. Tundo, on the other hand, won the Equator where Chager had to contend with several mechanical problems.
Chager said: 'It's actually very exciting with all the hype building up around WRC Safari. WRC cars are in a different league altogether; It's actually like the Premier League. I mean, competing against them is going to be very difficult because we are not registered and our cars are actually not physically allowed in the WRC main class. But my car is fully compliant and I'm looking to maximize on KNRC points to regain the top position."
The Safari Rally represents an amazing opportunity to not only gauge Kenyans against WRC 2 calibre of drivers but to also inspire locals to savour the atmosphere at the highest level of the sport.
KNRC STANDINGS AFTER ARC EQUATOR
OVERALL
1. Tejveer Rai 49
2. Baldev Chager 42
3. Onkar Rai 38
4 Carl Tundo 30
5 Jasmeet Chana 24
SPV
1. Ian Duncan 30
2. Nikhil Sachania 24
Group N
1. Jasmeet Chana 48
2. Evans Kavisi 34
3. Hamza Anwar 30
CLASSIC
1. Ian Duncan 30
2. Kailesh Chauhan 24
DIVISION 2
1. Evans Kavisi 43
2. Hamza Anwar 30
2= Ghalib Hajee 30
DIVISION 1
1. McRae Kimathi 30
1= Paras Pandya 30
3. Steve Mwangi 24
3= Nikhil Sachania 24