EA Classic Rally lands new sponsor

Geoff Bell

Geoff Bell of South Africa in cruise control during the East African Safari Classic Rally on December 10, 2023. 

Photo credit: Pool | East African Safari Classic Rally

What you need to know:

  • Yogesh Pattni, CEO of Victoria Bank confirmed the support for the East African Safari Classic Rally and the Mini Classic Rally respectively
  • Reigning Kenyan champions, Jasmeet Chana and Ravi Chana will be attempting their 17th consecutive Safari Rally since they made their debut in 2007
  • Riyaz Ismail guided Anthony Nielsen to the victory of the low budget Coast Rally in a Ford Escort MK2


East African Safari Classic Rally will be sponsored by Victoria Commercial Bank.

Yogesh Pattni, CEO of Victoria Bank confirmed the support for the East African Safari Classic Rally and the Mini Classic Rally respectively. Joe Ghose is the Chairman of the EASCR.

The Mini Classic is to be run from August 15 to 19 from the outskirts of Eldoret. 

The route is expected to be centred around Eldoret, including the Cherangani Hills and Bugar Forest respectively.

The next major round of the East Africa Safari Classic Rally will be held in 2025. 

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The main offices for the Safari Rally, Kenya’s round of the 2024 World Rally Championship have moved to Talanta Plaza in Upper Hill, Nairobi.

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Uganda Champions, Yasmin Nasser and his navigator Joseph Kamya will tackle the whole of the 2024 Kenya National Rally Championship after finishing third in the Eldoret Rally over the weekend.

“Yes we will do the whole of the Kenyan Championship as we start preparing for the Safari Rally next month. We will miss the Ugandan Rally Championship this season,” Nasser told Nation Sport.

The Ugandan crew will take advantage of the recent ruling where any driver from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda or Burundi taking part in the round of the 2024 KNRC, will also score points for their home championship.

Nasser will be driving his Ford Fiesta in the KNRC events.

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Reigning Kenyan champions, Jasmeet Chana and Ravi Chana will be attempting their 17th consecutive Safari Rally since they made their debut in 2007.

Their best result in the Safari Rally has been eighth position so far.

They will drive their Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX this year which will be sponsored by Rubis Energy Kenya. They will enter the B13 Class of the Competition.

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Karan Patel, the reigning African Rally Champion, and Nikhil Sachania, the reigning Kenya Group N Champion will both be sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) this season.

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Riyaz Ismail guided Anthony Nielsen to the victory of the low budget Coast Rally in a Ford Escort MK2.

There were five cars in the entry list. The event was open for any vehicles within the right specification.