NAIROBI, Kenya January 22 – Kenya Commercial Bank have increased their sponsorship for the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) to Sh39.6m for the 2013 season set to start this weekend.
This is represents a ten percent increase from last year’s Sh36.2m ahead of the season dubbed KCB Mobi Banking Series.
“We sat down with the federation we saw the challenges that we could not meet with the current money that we used to allocate last year. So we decided them a bump so that we can be able to tackle a few things,” the brand manager Andrew Njoroge stated on Tuesday.
He added the unpredictable economic forecast led to the injection of the extra cash.
Njoroge hoped the investment would boost local events.
“We have partnered with a lot more event organizers we are going to make it more exciting. We are going into the family aspect and want all kids to have fun.”
To bring the action closer to fans that throng at areas races are held, the manager unveiled a plan that would ensure they follow happenings without need of entering the restricted routes.
“We will have screens that will be showing the rally live at the spectator stage people can watch it there and we are going to have a lot of competitions on our mobile online platform which we are launching that will enable people interact, not only in Kenya but worldwide,” he announced.
Speaking at the same function Kenya Motor Sports Club chairman Jim Kahumbura who are organising the first leg outlined his team has laid out a tough technical rally with the competitors having work cut out for them.
“This is a driver’s rally except for the first stage which is 12km. the second stage is 44km the other two with one at 32km and the second one is 25km with very good view. You know Kajiado on the Konza side is a bit flat, short of drivers driving on sight.
“They can see very far and it’s going to be very fast and it’s rough. They can see very far.”
The famous Andy’s Corner stretch in Kajiado has been designated as the spectator point.
The start of the 32km – Andy’s Corner stage- is situated 7 kilometres from the highway junction at the Wakawa Zebra Curio Shop, heads all the way to Konza.
Reconnaissance is on Saturday from 8am to 6pm.
The rally that already has more than 50 cars entered will start on Sunday from the KMSC Clubhouse at Nairobi’s South C at 8am.
This will be followed by the ceremonial finish set for 5pm at the Kajiado Service Parkland the prize giving at the same venue.
