NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 18 – Baldev Chager has dedicated his KCB Ramisi Rally victory to teammate Tejveer Rai who got injured during June’s WRC Safari Rally.
Navigated by Ravi Soni in a VW Polo R5, Chager swept the ground with all and sundry to secure his second win of the season.
Carl “Flash” Tundo came second in his Mitsubishi EvolutionX followed by Jasmeet Chana in a similar machine.
Aakif Virani in a Skoda Fabia R5 emerged the Division One winner in 4th overall position.
The all ladies crew of Maxine Wahome and Linet Ayuko emerged the Division Two winners in a career best seventh spot.
Chager was all smiles after victory.
“We (Kabras) have become a smaller team after Tejveer Rai got injured in the Safari Rally. This victory is for Tej, who is recuperating from the accident. For us it’s been great on the coast apart from one stage where I broke a drive shaft and lost some time. The team has been good, the car good. We had Karan earlier in the day, but he had mechanical issues so after that it was me and Tundo fighting for the top spot.”
Ramisi went down as Chager’s second win of the season after Nakuru.
The win was a good consolation for Chager who retired in Machakos last month with a front LH damper failure about 40kms into CS1. He was unable to limp out and get to the Lisa Farm service so had to call it a day for Machakos.
The Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) round was a high attrition rally with half of the field failing to survive the demanding sea level conditions.
The rally traversed some ‘fast and furious’ sugar plantation stages around Kwale County where crews endured some hot and dusty conditions typical of the coast weather.
The event was reduced to a two-horse race when Voi winner Karan Patel dropped out in the first loop of the MMC itinerary.
With Karan gone, Chager and Tundo fought all day with the former carrying the day in scintillating fashion.
The casualties in Ramisi were Eric Bengi, Karan, Jeremy Wahome,
Hamzar Anwar, Piero Canobbio,
Nikhil Sachania, Paras Pandya, Waita, Nzioka, Paras Pandya,
Kailesh Chouhan and Edwatd Maina.
RESULTS 6-RAMISI
1. Baldev Chager/Ravi Soni (Volkswagen Polo R5 ) 01:34.01.5
2. Carl Tundo Tim/ Jessop (Mitsubishi Evolution 10 ) 02:36.16.5
3. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution 10) 01:44.41.5
4. Aakif Virani/Azhar Bhatti (Skoda Fabia -R5) 01:47.47.7
5. Ammar Haq /Zahir Shah (Mitsubishi Evolution 10) 01.49.51.3
6. Hussein Malik/Steven Njenga (Mitsubishi Evolution 10) 01.57.45.1
7. Maxine Wahome/Linet Ayuko ( Subaru Impreza ) 02.09.01.6
8. Kush Patel/Mudasar Chaudry (Subaru Impreza) 02.09.31.2
9.. Daren Miranda/Kyle Lucas (Subaru Impreza ) 02:59.08.10
10. John Fernandes/Rattos Nique (Subaru Impreza) 03:07.29.5