•The paraplegic driver says he’s got a great feeling after a credible fourth position in WRC Safari Rally’s Kenya National Rally Championship category.
•Fighting against the able-bodied drivers and beating the two M-Sport Poland Rally 3 Fiestas of Jeremy Wahome and McRae Kimathi was quite an achievement in the 18th overall position
Image: HANDOUT
KCB Racing Team’s Nikhil Sachania is over the moon after a superb performance in his hand-controlled Evolution X at the just concluded Safari Rally in Naivasha.
The paraplegic driver says he’s got a great feeling after a credible fourth position in WRC Safari Rally’s Kenya National Rally Championship category.
Fighting against the able-bodied drivers and beating the two M-Sport Poland Rally 3 Fiestas of Jeremy Wahome and McRae Kimathi was quite an achievement in the 18th overall position. Carl 'Flash' Tundo won the KNRC3 Class ahead of Jasmeet Chana, Maxine Wahome and Sachania in fourth.
“We are really happy with our finish as we completed the rally without any major issues and we were one of the crews to finish without having to restart any day on Super Rally. The 2022 WRC Safari Rally was a very tricky and tough event compared to last year. Our main goal was to bring the car home and achieve a good finish,” he said.
Sachania got through Day 1 at the 4.8km Karasani Super Special Stage (SSS) without any issues.
But the second day on Friday was a lot tougher for him, especially with the red flags on the Kedong ‘fesh fesh’ stage.
“Our Evo behaved well through and through and we managed to bring it back to Naivasha’s (Wildlife Research and Training Institute) Service in one piece,” added Sachania.
On the third day is when Sachania felt he could gain some time on his competition.
During the first loop, he had a clean good run. But on the second pass of Soysambu, Elementeita, and Sleeping Warrior, the rains had really changed the dynamics and the sodden surface turned out to be quite challenging.
Sachania said: “With slippery and muddy conditions, we backed off the pace a little to try and keep the car on the road.”
“On the final day, we thought it would be quite easy to navigate through but we realised the roads had quite deteriorated as we passed. The Hell’s Gate stage was challenging on the final pass, so we got stuck for a short time, losing two places.”
Sachania was happy to get through the challenging Hell’s Gate stage, where the second pass served as the Wolf Power Stage and indeed the last speed test of the Safari.
He quipped: “After Hell’s Gate, we checked into the Parc Ferme on time to complete the world’s toughest rally- such a great feeling.”
“I would like to thank our sponsors KCB Bank for trusting us. It was such a great pleasure flying their banner high. Without their support through the rally, it would have been a mission impossible,” Sachania, who teamed up with Deep Patel, added.
The 2014 KMSF Sports Personality-of-the-year is also grateful to the FIA Accessibility and Disability Commission for their continued support and for helping drivers in his condition to run their campaigns competitively
KNRC Safari Rally Kenya Results
1. Carl Tundo (Evolution X) 4:47.13.4
2. Jasmeet Chana (Evolution X) 4:55.05.3
3. Maxine Wahome (Ford Fiesta Rally3) 5:20.21.6
4..Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (Evolution X) 5:27.44.6
5. Zameer Verje/Zahir Shah (Subaru Impreza) 5:42.34.8
6. Jeremy Wahome/Victor Okundi (Ford Fiesta Rally3) 5:45..49.0
7. Minesh Rathod/Jamie MTavish (Evolution X) 5:54.30.5
8. McRae Kimathi/Mwangi Kioni (Ford Fiesta Rally3) 5:55.59.3
9. Josiah Kariuki/John Ngugi (Evolution IX) 5:56..41.5
10. Isaa Amwari/Job Njiru (Evolution X)6:51.01.7