Rally legends Baldev Singh Chager and Ian Duncan will use this Sunday’s SUC Guru Nanak Rally to test their cars for the forthcoming East Africa Safari Classic Mini Rally.
The Guru Nanak Rally will start at the Voi Wildlife Lodge and finish at Teita Estates covering a total distance of approximately 230km.
Sunday’s event will be Duncan’s fourth of the 2022 season after February’s EASCR in a Rover SD1 Vitesse, April’s ARC Equator Rally in a Nissan 240RS and Nanyuki Rally 2022 where he piloted a Datsun 240Z.
Duncan, who is the all-time record winner of the Guru Nanak with 12 wins, will this weekend be navigated by Jaspal Matharu in a Nissan Datsun. He will take on Chager in the tussle for KNRC Classic Car Class points.
Chager, who is Guru Nanak’s defending champion, said his entry into the event is purely to get some seat time and give his Porsche 911 some testing for the Mini Classic Rally coming up from December 9-11.
The last time Chager drove this car was during the East Africa Safari Classic Rally last February when he swept the ground with all his opponents to emerge the victor.
Chager said: “Since the Porsche 911 had a major strip and rebuild, we will take the opportunity to get back to the driving seat and test the car and components to ensure everything is in order for the Mini Classic event.”
“It’s definitely been a while since we drove competitively—and for sure— the driving will be a little rusty. But that’s the reason we have planned to do the Guru Nanak Rally to dust off the cobwebs and be comfortable during the Classic Rally,” Chager explained.
The “Flying Singh” also believes Guru Nanak will be a good opportunity to get used to being in the same car with his new navigator Gareth Dawe.
“Though we did the Zero Car in the WRC together with Dawe, Guru Nanak now offers us different roles. All in all, I am super excited to be back in a rally car as it's something I have missed a lot through the year,” Chager narrated.
Sikh Union Club (SUC) led by event director Dali Kalsi and clerk of the course Onkar Kalsi will organize the event in Voi.
Traditionally, the Guru Nanak has traversed terrains adjacent to Nairobi but this year, SUC is offering competitors a completely new experience in the vast Taita Taveta county.
Crews in Voi will this weekend tackle a competitive run totaling 170km of which 70.91km will count as a liaison distance.
Four stages will be repeated to make a competitive run of eight stages. The repeat run of the Charcoal Stage (21.30km) will serve as the Power Stage where the fastest three drivers will earn additional 3-2-1 points in the championship.
Guru Nanak will count towards the ninth and last round of the KNRC. The title race is a two-horse affair between Karan Patel and leader Jasmeet Chana.
KNRC OVERALL STANDING
Drivers
1 Jasmeet Chana 209
2 Karan Patel 200
3 Kush Patel 86
4 Leo Varese 82
5 Maxine Wahome 74
6 Steve Mwangi 60
7 Carl Tundo 59
8 Hamza Anwar 47
9 Jeremiah Wahome 41
10 Nikhil Sachania 40
