Newly crowned Kenya National Rally champion Karan Patel believes his sublime performance in the just-ended 2022 season is the beginning of better things to come.
Karan took part in the African Rally Championship (ARC) season in 2022 but lost the continental title to Zambian Leroy Gomes by virtue of skipping the iconic Bandama Rallye of Ivory Coast as well as a mistake he made in the muddy Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.
On Sunday, the motocross biker turned rally ace, successfully vanquished his rival, Jasmeet Chana, in the season-closing Guru Nanak Rally 2022 to rack up his maiden KNRC title at the expansive Teita Sisal Estates in Taita Taveta County.
Chana went into the season closer with a 9-point advantage over his race adversary Karan but turbo gremlins on the second loop of the 8-stage, 236km Sikh Union Club organized round saw his title aspirations go up in smoke.
In Teita, the RedBull athlete won 8 out of 8 stages (including the designated 10.59km Kamtonga-2 Power Stage) to also lay his hands on the coveted Guru Nanak title previously won by Ian Duncan a record 11 times.
Duncan, who failed to finish Sunday’s event in a Nissan Datsun classic machine, was present in Teita to see the new champion receive the prestigious Guru Nanak floating trophy for his cockpit adroitness.
Teita Estates is incidentally where Lee Rose sealed the 2004 KNRC Mombasa Rally at the penultimate stage. Eighteen years later, a new star and champion has replicated the feat.
Karan thanked his parents for believing in him and sponsoring him throughout his racing career.
Karan said: “Without them (parents), I wouldn't have RedBull on board and other sponsors who have supported me. Rallying was the second motorsport I took part in after bikes, something that my dad (Kiran Patel) has invested a lot in terms of time and money.”
He added: “My parents have been with me through and through racing bikes, sometimes falling off the bike and being taken to hospital. I mean, it has been a very long journey from motorbikes to rally cars and I want to say this is the beginning of many championships won and hopefully we can bag the African Rally Championship but time will tell.”
Asked what his affiliation as Kenya’s first and only RedBull athlete means to his rising career behind the wheel, Karan quipped: “Again, time will tell.”
Karan intends to do ‘all rallies’ next season which will include the KNRC locally and the ARC on the continental arena and indeed a few European races.
Karan reckons that it’s been a good fight between him and Jasmeet Chana who finished most of the races in the second position behind him.
“It’s for him to know not to give up, and keep pushing because we will be back to contest the same championships,” Karan said in finality.
FINAL RESULTS -GURU NANAK RALLY
1. Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 1:49.56.2
2. Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Porsche 911) 1:59.12.2
3. Anthony Nielsen/William Bass (EVOX) 2:00.33.3
4. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (EVOX) 2:04.40.6
5. Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (EVOX) 2:04.48.9
6. Kush Patel/Mudasar Chaudry (Subaru) 2:11.34.3
7. Amman Shah/Shah (Subaru) 2:15.34.7
8. Daren Miranda/Vinay Shah (Subaru) 2:24.49.9
FINAL KNRC STANDINGS
1. Karan Patel 233points
2. Jasmeet Chana 230
3. Kush Patel 101
4. Leonardo Varese 82
