Karamveer Singh Rooprai has dedicated his fifth straight win in the 2022 Kenya National Autocross Championship to his grandfather Sadar Jaswant Singh Rooprai who passed away in the United Kingdom last week.
The 11-year-old won the Bambino class during the belated Sikh Union Club National Autocross 4 race. Rooprai also bagged additional two points on the championship log with the fastest heat time of the day in his class.
After his grandfather's demise on Thursday, Karamveer contemplated pulling out of the race but made the last decision to contest the event held at the Twisty Corners racetrack in Kiambu.
"I decided to race because that's exactly what my Grandpa would have wanted me to do. So I did it for him and I'm now dedicating this win to him," explained Rooprai, who locked 11:03.38 minutes in his best of three heat total to beat Saadh Shamil Farook (1118.88) and Eann Bengi (17:59.24) to the podium dash.
Rooprai is going for a maiden title after he finished second overall in the Bambino Class last year behind Yuvraj Rajput who has since moved up to 2WD Non-Turbo Junior Class.
In the Junior 2WD NT Class, Amaan Ganatra clocked 08:47.04 minutes to finish first ahead of leader Neel Gohil and Yuvraj who clocked 08:50.47 and 16:09.17 respectively.
Gurraj Singh timed 08:26.69 to register an FTD win in a 2WD Non-Turbo buggy ahead of Name of BBBS Racing teammate Rahul Patel and rookie Manveer Ghale. The 2WD Turbo honors went to Gurraj's other teammate Deepal Shah who beat Qahir Rahim to second place.
Other winners included Sameer Nanji (2WD NT - Car), Eric Bengi (4WD Turbo) and Rajveer Thethy in Open Class. The Sikh union round was initially scheduled for April but was postponed due to inclement weather as rains rendered the track impassable.
Sunday's race also welcomed two debutantes John Kigamkia Kidivane and Duncan Maina from Azar Anwar Motorsport, who finished second and third respectively in Open Class.
