Tundo, Chager absence opens door for new drivers
Karan Patel, driving a Ford Fiesta and navigated by Tauseef Khan, on their way to victory in the KCB Voi Rally on August 7, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Karan Patel, who won the Arusha Rally of Tanzania in addition to an event in the KCB-sponsored series last year at the wheels of his Ford Fiesta, looks favorites to grab the headlines once the new season kicks off.
- Tundo and his navigator, Tim Jessop may do selected events in addition to Classic Rallies.
This year’s KCB Kenya National Rally Championship will have a new overall winner after both Carl Tundo and Baldev Chager announced their retirement from the top of the series after many years of domination.
Tundo won the 2021 Kenya National Rally Championship in addition to the 2021 African Rally Championship. Chager has won the KNRC title and the Safari Rally crown on several occasions.
Karan Patel, who won the Arusha Rally of Tanzania in addition to an event in the KCB-sponsored series last year at the wheels of his Ford Fiesta, looks favorites to grab the headlines once the new season kicks off.
Tundo and his navigator, Tim Jessop may do selected events in addition to Classic Rallies.
Likewise, Chager and his navigator Ravi Soni may also tackle selected events in addition to the Classic Rallies.
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The Kenya Motor Sports Club will kick off the 2022 KCB Kenya National Rally Championship season with its KCB Kajiado Rally this weekend.
The organisers will run four competitive stages of which two will be repeated. The longest stage will be 67 kilometers while the shortest will be 24kms. The total mileage will be 236 kms of which 54 will be transport.
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All Kenya National Rally Championship officials from the Clubs will be duty bound and fully answerable to the arm of the Kenya Motor Sports Federation in case of any eventualities, according to part of the newly introduced regulations.
It will be mandatory for all competitors to produce relevant documents before their entries are accepted in any of the rounds of the national events to curb any sort of suspicions.
Documents such as Club Membership Cards and Competition Licenses have to be of the original copies, while no form of receipts will be accepted as substitutes for such important credentials.
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The East African Safari Classic Rally has attracted 48 entries from locally based competitors and others from the foreign countries.
World renowned stunt driver Ken Block is among the foreign drivers in one of the several Porsches to be entered by the Tuthill Team.
Former winners of the major international rally, Ian Duncan and Baldev Chagger, will also participate in the 10-day event that will start on 10 February.
Lee Rose, the former Safari Rally winner and multiple holder of the Kenya National Rally Championship titles, will take part in the Classic Rally in a Ford Escort.
This will be his first rally since he migrated to South Africa over a few years ago.
Cars will cross the 12 countries across the nation after the start from Naivasha before finishing in Watamu.
The Marathon Raid Rally is set for February 10 to 18.
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Did you know that....
In a road rally, competitors compete over a predetermined course against the clock.
Cars start at (usually) one-minute intervals. There is no direct head-to-head racing, and these days the emphasis is very much on navigation and teamwork rather than out-and-out speed.
Rallying is no exception. Cars typically develop around 300hp, and operate on surfaces that range from well prepared tarmac, to gravel, and ice and snow.
Crashes will happen when being the fastest on the road wins the event. There are no style points here, speed matters.
