Name Vic Preston was synonymous with raw speed

While Eric Cecil founded the Coronation Safari Rally in 1953, and for 50 odd years evolved it to become arguably the toughest rally in the world, the Preston family was synonymous with the motorcar race in the early  years.

The 1953 Safari Rally didn't have an outright winner. But one driver, 25-year-old Victor Robert stood out after finishing third and first in his class.

Who was Victor Roberts aka Vic Preston?

Ronald Owen Preston came to British East Africa Kenya from India in 1897 as a construction engineer in charge of laying plates of the 581 miles Uganda Railway, never having a fixed aboard in company of his wife Florence Clotilda, they led a very adventurous life through the unfolding railway line.

For her contribution, Florence was given the honours of driving the last spike on wooden sleeper on December 19, 1901 at 4 o'clock at Port Florence on the Kavirondo Gulf, today’s Kisumu, to mark the final destination of the iron snake which was to open East Africa to the rest of the rest of the world.

After her death, Preston married Sophie Irma Georges in 1928, and they were blessed with two children, Victor Roberts in 1928 and June Mary one year later.
Roberts grew up as Vic Preston, surrounded by bikes and cars, and soon became a motorcycle racer. At 25, he attempted the Coronation Safari Rally which started on May 27, 1953 and was over 5,000km long.

 Alan M. Dix-Jerry Larsen in a Volkswagen won the first event and Vic Preston scored a class win, driving a Tatra T-600.

Motorsports celebrity.

He won the rally in 1954 in a Volkswagen Beetle and in 1955, navigated by D.P. Marwaha, driving a Ford Zephyr MkII. He became  Kenya's first motorsports celebrity.

But this was not without drama. In the early days the rally was not just about being the fastest from point A to B but also about  incurring the least penalties.

 As an offshoot of the East Africa Automobile Association, the Safari cars were expected to uphold the Highway Code discipline. As a matter of fact,  a speeding penalty within Nairobi City boundary by Vic Preston cost him  an outright victory in 1954.

The 1954 edition remains an example of how unregulated rallying was unlike today.

In 1960 Preston, co-driven by John Harrison, competed in a Ford Zephyr MkII again and finished third overall.

The race was won by Jack Ellis in a Mercedes 219 with his stepson Bill Fritschy as co-driver, followed by Morris Temple-Boreham with his wife Freda Temple-Boreham in a Citroen ID19.

Freda is the first female podium finisher in the Safari. She also finished second twice (1966,  1967) and third once (1965).

Vic Preston abandoned racing in the early 1970s but remained involved in motorsport. He tragically took his own life on October 2 1998, at the age of 69.

Vic Preston Junior followed in the racing footsteps of his father. He became a professional rally driver for Lancia, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi and Nissan factory teams.

He  was one of the best drivers of his generation, beloved by many. He passed on last year aged 72.