• Wahome is among the five Kenyan drivers currently competing in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) series where she is running her campaign behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3.
• Wahome was the star attraction during the iconic Safari Rally Kenya in Naivasha in late June.
Image: /HANDOUT
Trailblazing Kenyan lady driver Maxine Wahome is among the drivers enlisted for Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) Bamba Rally slated for Saturday.
The 26-year-old will be navigated by Murage Waigwa in a Subaru Impreza Group N car, which she has been using in the Kenya National Rally Championship campaign.
Wahome is among the five Kenyan drivers currently competing in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) series, where she is running her campaign behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3.
"Preparations are going on as planned. Our team of mechanics has been working round the clock to ensure all is well. It will be good to return to the bucket seat of the Impreza after a good run in Rwanda, where we drove the Fiesta," she said.
Wahome was the star attraction during the iconic Safari Rally Kenya in Naivasha in late June. She managed to win the WRC’s third tier class (WRC3) by 25 minutes and 27seconds and wrapped up the event in 16th overall position, one place behind M-Sport Rally1 driver Gus Greensmith.
Her fairy tale Safari achievement marked exactly a year since the motocross convert took up rallying.
Wahome took the rallying world by surprise given this year’s Safari was her first outing in the M-Sport-built Ford Fiesta Rally-3 car.
In Saturday's KNRC event, Maxine will team up with Steve Mwangi in a two-car Quickmart-sponsored outfit. Mwangi will be navigated by former Kenya 2WD champion Dennis Mwenda.
The MMC leg of the KNRC has attracted KNRC mainstays among them Nikhil Sachania who is teaming up with Alfir Khan in his hand-controlled Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
Two Wheel Drive leader Leonardo Verese is also back in his Toyota Auris 2WD and will partner up with his longstanding navigator Kigondu Kareithi.
Star driver Raaji Bharij and his partner Ravi Soni have entered a Skoda Fabia Rally2 for the event which will count towards the seventh round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC).
Leader Karan Patel will renew his rivalry with second-placed Jasmeet Chana in an all-Mitsubishi Evolution X battle. Karan’s brother Kush Patel will pilot a Subaru GC8 and will be navigated by Mudasar Chaudry.
Other drivers entered for the event include Edward Maina and Mozzart Bet driver Issa Amwari. Amwari will be navigated by Edward Njoroge in a Mitsubishi Evo-X while Maina will team up with Anthony Gichiohi in a Subaru Impreza.
Meanwhile, reconnaissance for the MMC round shall take place in the Bamba area on Friday between 06:00hrs to 17:00hrs.
While drivers will be on a recce, team managers and mechanics will be at Kilifi Mall for Scrutineering Checks.
The ceremonial start, finish and prize giving shall take place on Saturday October 15 at Bamba Mwezamoyo School.
Three stages -KWFT (38.00km), Mirima Wa Ndege (26.36km) and Jila (16.24km) -will be repeated to make up a competitive run of 161.30km. The liaison distance will be 116km while the total distance is 277.50km.
KNRC STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 6 -NANYUKI RALLY
DRIVERS
1 Karan K Patel 167
2 Jasmeet Chana 161
3 Leonardo Varese 60
4 Carl Flash Tundo 59
5 Maxine Wahome 57
6 Kush Patel 54
7 Steve Mwangi 49
8 Jeremiah Wahome 41
9 Ghalib Hajee 40
10 Zameer Verjee 33
CO-DRIVERS
1 Tauseef Khan 167
2 Ravi Chana 161
3 Kigo Kareithi 60
4 Murage Waigwa 57
5 Mudassar Chaudry 54
6 Riyaz Ismail 52
7 Dennis Mwenda 49
8 Deep Patel 45
9 Victor Okundi 41
10 Tim Jessop 39