Ian, Flash, Boldy tussle for KNRC title

The title race for the 2017 Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) in Saturday’s Top Fry Nakuru Rally is expected to take a different and exciting dimension in the absence of MRT teammates Manvir Baryan and Tapio Laukkanen.

Manvir, who is the reigning 2017 African Rally Champion, is away for the FIA gala dinner while his teammate Tapio is among those giving the Rift Valley Motor and Sports Club penultimate round a wide berth.

In the absence of the MRT duo, Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo who will be the first off the ramp, leader Ian Duncan, youngster Karan Patel and Baldev ‘Boldy’ Chager are expected to gain substantial  advantage on the log at penultimate stage if they finish in podium positions.

The 2017 KNRC series culminates with the belated Kenya Motor Sports Club (KMSC) round in early January. The KMSC round was postponed from November to January due to the current torrential rains which rendered the black cotton course impassable.

Duncan leads the KNRC log with 87 points ahead of Carl on 85, Chager 79, Karan on 69, Manvir on 68 and Tapio on 63.

Tundo, Ian and Chager who participated in the recent East African Classic Rally have the biggest advantage in the quest for the coveted title should they score highly in Nakuru this weekend.

Having already tasted the  intensity of classic machines over nine days in Kenya and Tanzania,, the trio will savour more faster Evolution Mitsubishi cars.

The rally, which have its headquarters at the Solai Club Nakuru, will be 377 kilometers long of which 156kms will be competitive divided into eight sections.

The first four stages will be repeated with the longest being 30.59Km while the shortest Stage will be 1.76Km. The event will run 83% on Private Land and the balance will be on Open roads.

The one day Event will revolve around Nakuru, Menengai and Mogotio area.The designated spectator viewing area will be the ASK Showground. Prize giving will be held at RVMSC Clubhouse in Solai.

Reconnaissance and Scrutineering kicked off the event program in Nakuru county yesterday.

This year’s Nakuru Rally will feature a  competitive mileage of 156.02 km and a transport road section of 221.22km with a total distance of 377.24 km.

Meanwhile, spectators will have the privilege of keeping abreast with this weekend’s TopFry Nakuru Rally proceedings in real time, thanks to a state-of-the-art satellite “live tracking system” organizers Rift Valley Motor Sports & Club (RVM&SC) will introduce as part of the event’s comprehensive safety plan.

Clerk of the Course Alexander Kobachev while making the announcement said a link will be published on social media to enable public access of rally proceedings on mobile phones tablets and desktop computers.

“We will also use the WRC TAG Heuer timing system to relay timings at the rally Hqs and offer spectators live tracking based on satellite communication. This is to bring rally proceedings to our desktop computers, tablets and mobile phones in real time so that we can be part of livestag action. We will definitely publish the link where everyone can watch rally action live. The link will be published on Facebook and also made available to the media and can actually be multiplied and shared through various social media channels. As many people as possible can click on that link and follow Rally proceedings.”-CofC Alexander Kovatchev.

Simpson Osiemo , the Head of Marketing Menengai Oil Refineries Ltd (makers of Top Fry) said the Top Fry Nakuru Rally has been designed with spectators in mind.

“We are looking forward to an exciting action packed weekend for both the competitors and fans.

We want to assure all spectators that adequate arrangements have been put in place, so those who wish to come with their kids, it will be a fun filled family outing. We’ll provide all the necessary amenities that are required.

And from where we sit as sponsors we are very happy with the what organizers have put in place to make the rally a spectator friendly event,” Simpson Osiemo -Head of Marketing Menengai Oli Refineries.

Top Fry Nakuru Rally seeded entry list (Event date Saturday 9th December)

1. Carl “Flash”Tundo/Tum Jessop
2. Onkar Rai/Gareth Dawe (Skoda Fabia R5)
3. Baldev Singh Chager/Ravi Soni (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
4. Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
5. Karan Patel/James Mwangi (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
6. Tejveer Rai/Zahir Shah (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
7. Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
8. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
9. Mahesh Halai/ Ketan Halai (Subaru N12)
10. Eric Bengi/Tuta Mionki(Subaru N12)
11. Minesh J Rathod/ Shameer Ole Yusuf (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)
12. Aakif Virani/Azhar Bhatti (Subaru)
13. Ammar ‘Bushy’ Haq/Victor Okundi (Subaru N10)
14. Tash Tundo/Chantal Chantal Louise Young (Subaru N10)
15. Hussein Malik/ Steven P. Njenga(Mitsubishi Evolution 6)
16. Leonardo Varese/Kigo Kareithi(Toyota Corolla RSI 2007 2WD)
17. Sam Karangatha/ Edward N. Ndukui (Subaru Leon 1991 2WD)
18. Nikhil Sachania/Salim Khan (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)