NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12- Rally tyro Quentin Mitchell is confident of making his mark in this year’s Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Kenya National Rally Championship after an average performance in last month’s Safari Rally.
Mitchell is primed for Sunday’s KCB Micro Banking Rally to be staged in Thika for the first time in two decades in which he will start in 21st position.
“I think we put in decent stage times in the Safari (rally). We were top nine quickest in some of the sections which shows a marked improvement from last season,” said Mitchell who will be navigated by Tim Challen.
“This year its not so much about getting to the finish but proving that we have got the speed as well,” he added.
With the route of this weekend’s rally being unchartered territory for most drivers, Mitchell thinks the event will throw up a fresh challenge and will provide spectators with a new spectacle.
“The nice thing about going to a new place is that everybody is on a level playing field. It then comes down to a driver’s capability and writing pace notes,” said Quentin who will be driving a Mitsubishi EVO 8.
“If you’ve got good pace notes you can take it to the maximum anywhere but if you’re not so confident in them, you might have to hold back,” he added.
Mitchell thinks a closed rally event will help young rally drivers like himself to flourish and nuture themselves for major events like the Safari Rally and also increase the safety of the sport following the death of Ugandan rally driver Riyaz Kurji in last month’s Pearl of Africa Rally.
“On a close road event you can come round a blind corner at full tilt knowing that there is nothing apart from maybe a wild animal on the other side while on an open road, you don’t know what lie in store ahead of you,” said Mitchell.
