Charged Charger out to reclaim Kisumu Rally

Former Kisumu champion Baldev Charger is out to reclaim the title during the third leg of the KCB/Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) on Saturday in the lakeside city.

A spectacular show is expected from the top drivers in wet conditions following the heavy rains that are pounding the country with 50 percent of the event taking place in sugar cane farms.

“We won Kisumu Rally in 1998 when I was fresh in and only 21 years-old. We were so close to clinching the national title but we lost because we had not prepared enough and did not have much experience. In the same year we won three rallies and it was our stepping stone.

“This will be a very competitive year with the Safari Rally being postponed. With the amount of time remaining until the end of the season; it’s going to be compact all the rallies will be back to back,” Charger who last won the national crown three seasons ago told reporters during the Kisumu Rally launch in Nairobi on Tuesday.

He will be up against KNRC leader and defending champion, Finn Tapio Laukannen, national titleholder, Jaspreet Chatthe, Carl Tundo and veteran ace, Ian Duncan in the chase for honours across the western sugar belt.

“One has to have a well prepared car and avoid silly mistakes that will damage it since it will not give you enough time to prepare for the next event although one has to be very fast still.

“With the likes of Chatthe, Tapio, Ian and Tundo you can’t be at the back seat and wait for people to fall out so that you pick it up. You will need to aggressive and careful at the same time,” the driver known as the ‘Flying Singh’ added.

Charger who will be driving a Mitsubishi Evolution 10 navigated by Ravi Soni is hopeful that by Thursday they shall finished converting their car from its Group N classification to the R4 class to make the machine stable, faster and lighter.

Championship leader and former European titleholder; Laukannen flew into the country earlier to test his Subaru GVB13R4.

“Having Tapio in the championship really ups the game for all of us, every year its getting faster and faster and drivers are becoming quicker and quicker. There is a new breed of drivers coming in and knocking the door for the older veterans like Ian, Tundo and myself.

“They are investing well, taking their training seriously and have the right mental approach and it’s going to be only a matter of time before you start hearing new champions on the podium. For example, before 2015 no one had heard of Chatthe,” Charger added.

The rally will be flagged off at KCB Kisumu Town Branch and head to the Nucleus Spectator Stage for competitive section one.

There will be three designated spectator stages located along Nucleus, Kabonyo and in Chemelil along Simba between the competitive sections.

While competitive section two and four will start at Kabonyo and finish at Mberere. The rally is expected to finish at Kibos Sugar Industry with the competitive distance being 142.14km.

After winning the Kajiado Rally, Laukannen is leading the KNRC standings with 25 points, followed by Safari Rally Champion, Duncan with 21 while Chatthe is third on 18.