Manvir to push harder for maiden KNRC title

Reigning three times African champions Manvir Baryan and Drew Sturrock will be pushing harder for their maiden Kenya National Rally Championship title this season following their second career win at the KCB Kilifi Rally over the weekend.

The duo are convinced of Skoda’s potential after leading the Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) organized round from gun to tape.

Manvir’ in his Skoda Fabia R5 better known as the rat swept the ground with all its opponents including the much- fancied Onkar Rai’s VW Polo R5 which made its debut on Kenyan soil.

Manvir’s British navigator Sturrock said MRT Racing are not relenting in their quest for KNRC points.

“We have never won the KNRC title so this year we want to achieve a big dream. Of course we want to achieve victory in every round that we do and at the end of the season take the main trophy, ” said Sturrock.

Manvir’s second victory in the Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) round saw him and his British partner move to second position on the KNRC log.

They dislodged the Top Fry team of Carl “Flash” Tundo and Tim Jessop from the second position on the KNRC log.

Tundo and Jessop skipped Kilifi tour due to pressing commitments.

After four rounds of brilliant displays, Chager became the first driver to rack up the three figure mark and like Manvir promised to keep on pushing.

Chager consolidated his lead on the log with 102 points as Manvir moved to second on 73, two better than Tundo.

Chager said he is hoping to consolidate his lead on KCB Nanyuki Rally which will take place at Batian and Loldaiga in two weeks’ time.

“Like every rally we want to do our best and gain maximum points.  So in Nanyuki that’s our plan. It was a very tough rally but very enjoyable stages.  There was traffic, but well controlled. We tried to push and keep up with the Skoda so we beat Manvir on CS3 and he beat us again on CS4 with three seconds. In the long 46km stage at Bamba we were pushing extra hard then went off and got stuck for several minutes,” said Chager.

It was a bitter pill for Onkar to swallow on the repeat run of the 21km night stage which ran in the morning.

“The Polo is running really well with no teething problems just that we ran out of fuel in the early morning repeat run and had to kiss the event goodbye,” Onkar said of his excruciating exit.

In a bid to add a little zest to the event after his exit, Onkar returned to route open the third and last run of Mombasa Cement stage but his Polo was 16 seconds slower than Manvir’s Skoda.

Kenya National Rally Championship Standings after KCB Killifi Rally

1. Baldev Chager (KABRAS SUGAR RACING) 102 points
2. Manvir Baryan (MRT) 73
3. Flash Tundo (TOP FRY) 71
4. Tejveer Rai (KABRAS SUGAR RACING) 51
5. Izhar Mirza (COAST PEKEE) 33