NAIROBI, Kenya, October 2- A new route awaits drivers in this weekend’s KCB Guru Nanak Rally where Baldev Chager and Dennis Mwenda are revving to seal the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and Formula 2 titles.
The penultimate round of the series heads to Longonot slopes as opposed to the traditional setting of the area around Athi River as organisers seek to reinvigorate one of the oldest rallies in the country.
Speaking at the official unveiling of the event Simba Union’s clerk of course, Onkar Kalsi, said the club will maintain their tradition of organizing the ‘best round of the competition’.
“The 34th edition will be no different in terms of good roads, good organization and the fantastic support we get from KCB as we have laid out new routes including private and public roads.”
Kalsi also noted that everything had been put into consideration to stay to the true Guru Nanak standards.
“The terrain and sections closer to Naivasha are more solid and the sections starting from Suswa are a little bit soft at the beginning but it’s nothing to worry about.
“It’s a mixture of fast and rough roads but a lot of tactics and it’s definitely a rally of tactics as opposed to a flat out speeds.”
Many sections will be new to the drivers, added Kalsi.
“This is the first time some of these roads are being used in a long time. I think the 45 Km section in Suswa and Kongoni will add to the success of this round.
In the KNRC, Chager has everything to lose with Carl Tundo the only driver capable of overhauling him but he should clinch the top-ten finish he needs to seal his first title since 2008.
Others battling for top honours at Guru Nanak include Ian Duncan and Azar Anwar.
Behind them, fasting rising speedsters like Rajbir Rai, Manvir Baryan, Kisumu driver Jaspreet Chatthe, Peter Horsey and Quentin Mitchell, all will be in a battle for a good top ten finish.
In the massively popular 2WD class Mwenda has a 110-point lead over Dalbir Thethy, who is the only other driver with a realistic chance of taking the title.
A total of 55 rally cars have already been entered with the highlight being the return of Alistair Cavenagh who has give most of the seasons round a wide berth due to personal commitments.
Cavenagh will not be challenging for any honors but will be testing his Ford Escort Mark 2 that he will use at this years Kenya Airways East Africa Classic Safari.
The rally will be flagged off outside Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Naivasha branch on October 6 at 7.30 a.m and will crisscross Naivasha and its environs including Ndabibi, Aquila Farm, Kedong and Suswa.
The service park will be at Naivasha Sopa Lodge while the finish off point will be at Sikh Union, Nairobi.
The spectator stage is situated at the foot of Longonot Slopes (Near Longont Gate) and just a few meters to the flying finish of Kedong-Ranch- Longonot competitive stage which will be repeated twice. A remote refuel is located a few meters from Longonot Railways Station.
But drivers will tackle a massive 94.24 kilometres of transport road section from Naivasha to Sikh Union where the climax will be a colourful prize giving ceremony which will include home club trophies for Sikh drivers.
