NAIROBI, Kenya, April 2 – The scenic stage is set for the spanking new S2000 Proton cars to make their Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) debut during the third round of the competition against a backdrop of lush highlands of Kiambu County on the weekend of April 26 and 27.
Organisers of the event dubbed KCB Home Loan Kiambu Rally, Rallye Sports Club (RSC), have promised a spectacle to match the excitement generated by the shipping into this shores of the superior speed demons by deposed KNRC champion, Car ‘Flash’ Tundo and Alistair Cavenagh, who are revving to give the S2000s a run out.
However, the Kiambu race will be held in closed roads traversing the Cianda, Mbo-i Kamiti, Migaa Estate and Tatu City private properties and according to RSC chairman, Phineas Kimathi, competitors and fans are in for a rare treat.
“We have completed 70 percent of the program and we have just concluded our training rally last weekend in Migaa and it went on very well.
“We are excited, but obviously we have a few improvements to make on the route and in the general planning,” Kimathi, a former crowd favourite in the local circuit, enthused during the launch of the Kiambu showdown in Nairobi on Wednesday.
Stephen Mwangi, co-driven by Stephen Nyorri navigated their Subaru Impreza N10 to victory in the RSC Formula Club Series event held at the course last Sunday.
More than 40 drivers have confirmed participation in the rally that will cover a total of 183 kilometres of competitive driving.
At the same function Clerk of Course, George Mwangi, cautioned crews saying the rally will prove a challenge to them as all sections are new and extra attention is required to navigate through the route.
“Ideally we would call it a navigator’s rally but it boils down to the crew because these roads have never been rallied before.
“So when they go for the recce; they have to be very particular about how they do their notes. On the day of the event, the navigator has to be awake to give the correct notes and also for the driver to react to them. It’s a very technical rally and I can tell you the longest inter-distance between instructions is 600m, it’s that tight,” the clerk underscored.
The Proton Satria S2000 unveiled
Guests and media at the launch were given a taste of one of the new Proton Satria S2000 to be driven by Tundo and his trusty navigator by Tim Jessop.
Former national champions Tundo and Cavenagh recently acquired the two identical machines prepared by MEM sport.
The entry of the S2000 vehicles will see the dominance of Group-N rally cars being disrupted.
There will be four stages to be repeated on Saturday and Sunday and will tackle the tight and corner strewn terrain in Cianda (22km), Tatu City (30km), Mboi Kamiti (17km) and Migaa (10km).
Migaa will serve as Service Park, Spectator Stage and Rally Headquarters. Recce is programmed to start from 6 am to 6pm on Friday and continues the following day from 6am to 10am.
Scrutineering will be at San Valencia Gardens on Riara Road on the same day from 10am.
The Migaa section has been dedicated to the memory of the late Kenya Racing Team driver Ben ‘Baba Chiru’ Muchemi.
