Chana targets podium finish in KCB Voi rally

After winning the National category in the recent WRC Safari Rally, KNRC Group N Champion and leader Jasmeet Chana hopes to get back in the saddle behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10.

Chana is among the drivers headed for Voi in Taita Taveta County for the next round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) scheduled for August 7 to 8th.

The KCB Bank-sponsored driver believes it’s just a matter of time before he begins to contest for top podium places on the KNRC front.

Chana will be navigated by his elder brother Ravi Chana, a KNRC celebrity in his own right.

“As you all know, KNRC is more of a speed event. WRC Safari Rally wasn’t a speed event. So, in KNRC you need to send it from the word go whereas in the WRC you have to execute a calculated drive to make sure you are there without breaking the car. For KNRC you’re just off and there are no two ways about it.

“We won the Group N Championship last year and we want to win it this year again championship and then we will see what goes in 2022.”

Chana nevertheless admits that R5 cars will be a tough nut to crack, more so on twisty and technical stretches.

Chana explains that R5 cars are more nimble, lighter and quicker. He reveals that the only way Group Ns can match them is where there are straight roads.

“But when it comes to tight sections, R5s are quicker. The other thing is that R5 cars get much better grip on corners because of the way they are built. Whereas the Group Ns are quicker on the straights because of the speeds. It will be a challenge but we will fight for it.”

“The approach will just be the same as we do in a Kenya national- push from the word go to maintain our lead in Group N Championship and a podium in the KNRC.”

Chana has won most of the categories in KNRC and the only big thing remaining for him now is the KNRC main class.

“Hopefully with KCB coming on board since Safari, I can achieve top positions with the kind backing and with Jaguar Petroleum good willing it will come.”

“Voi has always had amazing routes and we have been driving there from three to 4 years and they have amazing roads, they have a mix of everything, rough smooth it’s very technical in some places but overall they have very nice roads.”

“Hopefully with a calculated drive before the season we should be able to hit our target.”

Jasmeet reckons that the Safari felt shorter or sounded shorter “but the roads were not forgiving.”

“The car went through a little bit of bettering in Safari but nothing major. We are going through the car now to repair the parts that were damaged so hopefully it should be ready in a few weeks’ time.”

“We knew from the word go that safari needs to be respected, we had no major issues, whatever we are doing now is just a routine service just to ensure it’s in good nick well in time.

The group N we are not allowed to modify there is nothing much to modify on it. So, no modifications the only thing we are doing is changing the parts that are damaged.”