Heather-Hayes posthumously celebrated at motorsports gala
The various category winners during the Kenya Motorsports Federation Awards ceremony in Nairobi on January 27, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Former Rally Navigator Champion, Tim Jessop, was presented with the winner’s trophy for the National Raid Rally Championship as a driver.
- The fast-growing National Tarmac Racing Championship crown was clinched by Wilf Mulyanga in the Bambino Comer Class while Neel Gohil won the 2WD Non-Turbo Class in the National Autocross Championship.
Jim Heather-Hayes was on Saturday post-humously decorated as 2023 Kenya Motor Sports (KMSF) Personality of the year as the Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) kicked off the 2024 season with its Annual Awards Gala in Nairobi.
The late Heather-Hayes was celebrated for having contributed his vast experience as a well known rally driver to the sport in his days.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who was chief guest at the ceremony held at Nairobi’s Carnivore Restaurant, said he was confident motorsport has seen a new dawn after a chequered last few months.
Hamza Anwar, the FIA African Junior champion, during the Kenya Motorsports Federation Awards ceremony in Nairobi on January 27, 2024. PHOTO / ZIYAAN SIDI
He congratulated KMSF Chairman Maina Muturi for steadying the ship amid a myriad of challenged visited on Kenyan motorsport management.
“Thank you KMSF for staging this important function … Maina Muturi has cooled the system on order to move ahead for the betterment of the sport,” said Namwamba.
“Congratulations Muturi, and I wish you to move ahead with a clear mind in the interests of the sport. Let us continue to improve the sports as we move along,” he said, adding that his ministry will maintain the tradition of an annual ceremony to celebrate motorsports legends.
The first such ceremony was held in Nairobi last year.
“We were told to clean up the sport with a clean attitude. Determination and hard work will help us forge ahead. Our job is to help develop the youth to become our future leaders,” Muturi told the large gathering.
Muturi also congratulated Kenyan rally star Karan Patel, the Africa Rally Championship driver of the year, for a stellar season.
“Karan Patel started with motocross to become the Africa Rally Championship winner and is a past Motorsports Personality of the Year,” he said, paying tribute to parents for encouraging their children into the sport.
The 2023 Overall Kenya National Rally Champions Ravi Chana and Jasmeet Chana with Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum (centre) during the Kenya Motorsports Federation Awards ceremony in Nairobi on January 27, 2024.
Among the guests at the awards ceremony were Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda President Uganda Dipu Ruparelia and Rwanda Automobile Club President Christian Gakwaya.
Other guests included Joey Ghose, Chairman of the East African Safari Classic Rally and Jim Kahumbura, the Event Director of the WRC Safari Rally.
Krrish Vadgama, the Kenya National Karting Junior Rotax Champion 2023, with Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba during the Kenya Motorsports Federation Awards ceremony in Nairobi on January 27, 2024.
Africa champion Patel was present to receive his trophy for winning the 2023 African Rally Championship crown with Tauseef Khan as his navigator.
His camp said Patel’s chances of competing steadily in this year’s Kenya National Rally Championship and African Rally Championship depends on his team getting suitable sponsors.
“We have already bought a Skoda Fabia from Raaji Bharij, but it all now depends on whether we are able to get sponsors to help our cause. We will do the Safari Rally as KCB is with us,” Kiran Patel, Karan Patel’s father, told Nation Sport.
They were joined by brothers Jasmeet Chana and Ravi Chana, who won the 2023 Overall Kenya National Rally Championship, crown among others.
For over 15 years of rallying, the Chana brothers have won each and every class in the Kenya National Rally Championship series before clinching the overall crown.
Wilf Mulyanya, winner of the Bambino Class Karting, with his trophy during the Kenya Motorsports Federation Awards ceremony in Nairobi on January 27, 2024.
Former Rally Navigator Champion, Tim Jessop, was presented with the winner’s trophy for the National Raid Rally Championship as a driver.
The fast-growing National Tarmac Racing Championship crown was clinched by Wilf Mulyanga in the Bambino Comer Class while Neel Gohil won the 2WD Non-Turbo Class in the National Autocross Championship.
The various winners in different categories in the 2023 motorsport season are as follows:
Kenya National Rally Championship:
KNRC Group Classic: Ian Duncan/Jaspal Matharu
KNRC Group 2wd: Daren Miranda/Linet Ayuko
KNRC Group SPV: Jose Sardinha/Shameer Yusuf
KNRC Group S: Kush Patel/Mudasar Chaudry
KNRC Group Rally Raid: Chinu Matharu/Raju Chaggar
KNRC Group B13: Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana
KNRC Group N: Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel
KNRC Group Rally 3: McRae Kimathi/Mwangi Kioni
KNRC Group Rally 2: Samman Vohra/Alfir Khan
KNRC Overall Champions: Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana
National Raid Rally Championship:
Rally Raid Champion: Tim Jessop
Rally Raid Top Driver: Alasdair Keith
Rally Raid Top Navigator: Charles Mousley
Prototype Class Driver: Mark Glen
Prototype Class: Navigator Douglas Rundgren
Modified Class Driver: Alasdair Keith
Modified Class Navigator: Charles Mousley
Buggy Class Driver: Zane Young
Buggy Class Navigator: Chantal Young
Kenya National Tarmac Championship:
Bambino Comer Class: Wilf Mulyanga
Cadet Class: Bixente Rio Wyles
Rotax Junior Max: Class: Krrish Vadgama
Class 2WD Class: Leroy Mwamba Moses Mwendwa
Kenya National 4x4 Championship:
Beginner: Driver Gabriel Lauvaux
Co - Driver: Olivier Lauvaux
Intermediate Driver: Ben Waiyaki
Co- Driver: Prabjot Saimbi
Expert Driver: Gurashish Singh
Co - Driver: Kunal Patel
Co - Driver: Oliver Lauvaux John Herbert
Kenya National Autocross Championship:
Class 1 - 2wd Non-Turbo Buggy Neel Gohil
Class 2 - 2wd Non-Turbo Car Neel Gohil
Class 3 - 2wd Turbo Buggy Azaad Manji
Class 4 - 4wd Non Turbo Jose Sardinha
Class 5 - 4wd Turbo Eric Bengi
Class 6 - Open John Kadivane
Class 8 - Bambino Eann Bengi
Class 9 - Junior 2wd Non-Turbo Karamveer Singh Roopra
Class 10 - Peewee Allan Bengi
FIA ARC Championship:
Driver: Karan Patel
Co - Driver: Tauseef Khan
