NAIROBI, Kenya, June 9- Action on the second day of KCB Safari Rally was brought to a pre-mature end when organisers cancelled the last competitive section on Saturday due to flash floods.
With ten cars having passed through a river crossing in the affected stage CS4, the decision was taken to halt the rally that witnessed its leadership change hands in dramatic circumstances.
Defending champion Carl Tundo took over from overnight leader Alistair Cavenagh who suffered a broken radiator with the titleholder who had complained his new Mitsubishi Evo 9 lacking enough power summoning enough to clock 37.38 for the lead.
National champion Ian Duncan followed a minute later in second place, with Kabras Sugar team new acquisition Baldev Chager coming third after timing 39.27 minutes.
Quentin Mitchell (1:44) and Onkar Rai (1:49) who tied in 16th after day one, moved up the grid to finish fourth and fifth in that order.
The organizers will enforce the boogie time rule which will compensate for the drivers who were affected by the cancellation with action that resumes on Sunday picking up from this stage.
Several of them got stuck in the river bed as they tried to go through before the organizers moved in just before Charles Hinga arrived at the spot.
The participants were to tackle a competitive distance of 184.16km and transport road section totalling 172.69km in this Leg 1B.
In the 2WD category Adnan Suhali in his Daihastu Charade maintained the lead clocking 1:06 with James Kirimi (VW Golf) moving up to second as Jagjit Liddar in another VW Golf two seconds adrift in third.
Sunday’s rally has a competitive mileage of 138Km and a transport distance of 173Km with the event concluding in the afternoon at Nairobi’s Kenyatta International Conference Centre.
Cavenagh had taken the overnight lead during the first competitive section at the Uhuru Park completing the 1.19km spectator stage in 1.07 seconds.
Former Africa Pirelli star driver Peter Horsey in a Mitsubishi Evo X settled for second spot, one second behind followed by Ian Duncan in third.
Report sourced by Eddy Kimani
DAY 1 B LEADERBOAD-CS1-CS4
MAIN CLASS
1. Carl Tundo (EVO9) 37:38
2. Ian Duncan (EVO9) 38:31
3. Baldev Chager (Subaru N16) 39:27 4. Quentin Mitchell (Subaru N16)1:44
5. Onkar Rai (Subaru N16) 1:49
2WD
1. Adnan Suhail (Daihatsu) 01:06.10
2. James Kirimi (VW Golf) 01:08.43
3. Jagjit Liddar (Golf) 01:10.01
4. Patrick Kibaara (Levin) 01:11.09
5. Fred Wampamba 01:11.14
