NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 25 – The 37th edition of the KCB Guru Nanak Rally revs-off in Naivasha town on Saturday with drivers at it to tackle wet and slippery conditions.
Clerk of the course Pipi Renu said heavy rains which pounded the route course the previous night “rendered the surface muddy”.
What this means is that competitors will have to resort to mud comoubd tyres to navigate through the demanding terrain.
But Pipi added that no stage will be cancelled as “they are all passable”.
“We are are just hoping that it does not rain overnight but come rain come shine the stages we will run the itinerary as scheduled,” said Pipi.
A total of 42 cars were cleared to participate in the closing event of the season with Ugandan Ronald Sebuguzi pulling out at the eleventh hour citing mechanical problems on his Mitsubishi Evolution 10.
After accessing damages from last weekends home event in Jinja, Sebuguzi wrote to organisers notifying them of his withdrawal.
The rally will be flagged off by Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua from 630am onwards outside KCB Nakuru after which cars will tackle three stages at Soysambu and Aberdares Hills Golf Resort. The event which is the eighth of the season will see drivers in variuos KNRC categories fighting it out for points on homestretch.
Eric Bengi who has a 14 points cushion over Alex Lairangi will be going for the jugular in his bid to clinch the his maiden 2WD class championship title.
Bengi’s navigator Tuta Mionki is 11 points away from becoming the first lady to claim a Two Wheel Drive title since Carol Wahome.
Onkar Rai and his navigator Gareth Dawe have the KNRC Division 1 title in the bag after the penultimate Kitengela Rally. Second placed Jaameet Chana lost in his bid to catch Onkar but will be driving to safeguard his current position.
Like Onkar, Shamba Boyz driver Mahesh Halal has the KNRC Division 2 championship title in the bag. Second placed in the group is Bengi who is assutwd of the second spot.
The change of navigator for Mahesh on the penultimate round to Parents Hirani has given Tuta Mionki a chance to challenge for the navigators diadem. Tuta is 22 points away from Ketan Halai who skipped Kitengela due to pressing commitment.
Rally Chix Tash Tundo and Chantal Louise Young young become the first ever all lady crew to win the Division 3 title in Kitengela after their nearest rivals, Osman Abdullahi retired.
For the first time this season the Liquid Telecom sponsored team of Tash and Ian Duncan failed to survived the demanding Kitengela conditions, but at least they left Kitengela with two titles under their belts with Duncan clinching the Group N Drivers championship and Tash Division 3.
Chandrakant Devji will fight for the Supplymentary Class with Edward Maina with only four points separating the two. Steve Mbuthia Wainaina is the new leader in the co~drivers series , Julius Mwachuya lays 21 points behind.
Asad Khan and his co~ driver, Harshil Limbani had already secured the SPV Class on the previous round.
Limbani’s title come 30 years after his father, Raju Limbani had won the Under 1600 Class championships in a Colt Lancer.