Anwar sidi bulletin 100th issue

September 2015 | ISSUE NO. 100

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Milestone: The Sidis 100th Issue

Send it for Sidis!

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RALLY BULLETIN

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SEPTEMBER 2015 | ISSUE NO. 100

RALLY BULLETIN

1986 Rift 300 Rally, Nakuru

GREG CRITICOS’S GRAND FINALE

Greg Criticos swept a richly deserved victory in the Rift 300 Rally, capping a season in which he has scored no

fewer than eight second places in his Lancia 037.

The year has, of course, been utterly dominated by Vic Preston Jr with a record-breaking 10 wins. He did not enter the Rift 300 Rally because, following Massimo Biason’s write –off crash in Lancia’s first Safari practice, Junior’s car is now too precious to the Italian team’s Safari preparations to it on a relatively minor Kenyan event.

‘Of course it’s a good feeling to win at last, ‘said Greg, who has tallied twice as many points as most former championship winners yet still has to be content with runner-up spot. ‘But most of all it has served to show us how much we have still got to learn.

We had absolutely no idea how to pace ourselves at the front, or how and when to ease up by the right amount when victory was in the bag. ’Look at that, ‘he said, pointing to the huge 27-minute lead over second placed Ashok Patel ‘s Nissan HA10. ‘That’s not impressive. It’s dumb!-1986 AUTONEWS

©Anwar Sidi Photography 2015

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For the Sidis Brothers,Abdul, Anwar and Asgar, it was no different as capturing good photos could not be comprised with cold nights and in dark isolated places. It was fun all the way despite the challenges.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANWAR SIDI

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Despite the many challenges that have occurred since we made our debut in print business, we’re still going strong, as this

100th issue testifies!Such an achievement is impressive for

any publication, but is especially notewor-thy given the amount of fervor this Bulle-tin has created in local racing circles and across the East African region.

Our first Bulletin was unveiled on the occasion of the Shell Helix Nakuru Rally 2001. As I was seated in my office perus-ing my Bulletin archives, it reminded me of the sites and sounds of countryside beauty-

here we are for the umpteenth time delivering another copy of this infor-mative and innovative publication in Nakuru where the idea was conceived.

We sincerely salute various corpo-rate supporters; individuals and well-wishers who have helped us come this far.

DT Dobie who became title sponsors in 2003, Dalbit Petroleum, Libya Oil Kenya Ltd, ALS, Triton Petroleum and many more have been instrumental in our success.

The concept to run this Bulletin was borrowed from seasoned motoring jour-nalist Martin Holmes who ran a similar publication way back in the WRC Safari days. From then on, we have never looked back and it’s been onwards and onwards! Our first issues were published in a haste and carried many typos! But as the old Chinese adage goes-a 1000miles journey begins with one step. The most gratify-ing aspect of this milestone which spans nearly one and half decades is the fact the Bulletin has given us the energy and gusto to review events, compile necessary his-toric data, deliver key spectator safety info, guide them accordingly on directions and schedule through Google maps, itinerary and previews of various KNRC events. This milestone could hardly come to fruition if it weren’t for my two siblings Abdul and Asgar who have seen rallying technology morph through different guises.

We, the Sidis, have been instrumental in structuring the editorial format, graphic design, writing—almost all aspects of the sport and running a magazine.

Bizone have been spot-on in helping us realize our dream.

We promise to get bigger and better in our reportage vies avis the images we cap-ture from the most remote regions of the rally location.

Enjoy this read and have an enjoyable Nakuru Rally. God Bless!

Yours TrulyAnwar Sidi, Photographer

Milestone: The Sidis 100th Issue

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RALLY BULLETIN

Nakuru Rally is a motor sport event organised each year by the Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club (RVM&SC).

Its indeed one of the oldest and most prestigious rounds on the Kenya National Rally Championship calendar with some of the best routes, the best notes, the best hospitality and very friendly people. The event is associated with historic terrains synonymous with World Rally Championship Safari Rally.

LEGENDARY NAMESThe “roll of honour” for Nakuru has been

a composition of legendary names which include the likes Vic Preston Jnr. in 1985, the late Johnny Hellier the year, Ian Duncan, Patrick Njiru, JT and Sarbi Rai just to name but a few. Five times Safari Rally winner Shekhar Mehta won the Rift 300 Rally in 1985 with the only major threat to his supremacy coming from his own back wheels. A new suspension and a more powerful engine in his Nissan 240RS made the tail of the car rather twitchy. This could have cost him the event had the opposition been there. But the two full works rivals-Vic Preston Jnr. in a Lancia

037 and Mike Kirkland in another 240RS both retired before Mehta’s woes started.

A FAMILY AFFAIROn sundry occasions, Nakuru has also

demonstrated the potential of second generation racers.

When youngster Rajbir Rai took to the treacherous course in Eldama Ravine last year, little did know that he’ll be the one creating history. Not only did the Rai Racing speed merchant join the list of KNRC Nakuru Rally past winners, but also become one of the few sons following in their father’s wheel tracks. Sarbi Rai (Team Principal of Rai Racing) won it in 1993 navigated by Supee Soin (current KMSF Rallies Commission Chairman) in a Toyota Celica GT4.

Rob Hellier won this event in 2002 in a Mitsubishi EVO III emulating his dad’s feat of 1986 when the late Johnny did it in a Lancia Rallye 037.

In 1978, Frank Tundo emerged the victor in a Ford Escort, with his son “Flash” racking up three wins in 2004 in a Subaru Impreza, 2007 in a similar make and 2012 in an EVO9.

RALLY RENAMED

Onwards and onwards for Nakuru Rally

Nakuru Rally has been renamed severally to accommodate corporate sponsors. The Rally used to be known as Sanyo 2000 in the 1980/90s before it was renamed to Shell Oils Rift 300 Rally, Shell Helix Ultra Nakuru Rally. Nakuru has enjoyed KCB livery from 2005 to date.

NOT HELDThe Rally wasn’t held in 1998 and 2000. Ian Duncan and Salim Haji emerged the

winners in 2001 in the crowd-pleasing Toyota Land-Cruiser pick up.

Billy Choda & Jimmy Kenth (L) in their Nissan HA10 during the 1985 Sanyo 2000 Rally.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANWAR SIDI

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PAST WINNERS-NAKURU RALLY

1978: Frank Tundo (Ford Escort)1985: Vic Preston Jnr (Lancia Rallye 037)1986: Johnny Hellier (Lancia Rallye 037)1987: Ian Duncan (Toyota Twin Cam Turbo)1988: Johnny Hillier (Ford Escort Cosworth)1989: Ian Duncan (Toyota Twin Cam Turbo)1990: Patrick Njiru (Subaru Legacy)1991: Ian Duncan (Subaru Legacy)1992: Jonathan Toroitich (Toyota Celica GT4)1993: Sarbi Rai (Toyota Celica GT4)Name of Rally: Sanyo 21st Rally1994: Azar Anwar/Shailen Shah (Subaru Legacy)Name of Rally: Sanyo Rally1995: Ian Duncan (Toyota Celica Turbo)Total Entries: 23Name of Rally: Sanyo Rally 19951996: Patrick Njiru (Subaru Impreza)Name of Rally: Toyota Kenya 500 Rally1997: Nazir Verjee/Peter Stone (Subaru Impreza)

Name of Rally: Toyota Kenya 500 Rally1998: NOT HELD1999: Ian Duncan (Toyota Land-Cruiser pick up)Name of Rally: Shell Oils Rift 300 Rally2000: NOT HELD2001: Ian Duncan/Salim Haji (Toyota Land-Cruiser pick up)Name of Rally: Shell Helix Ultra Nakuru Rally2002: Rob Hellier (Mitsubishi EVO III)2003: Lee Rose (Mitsubishi EVO IV)2004: Carl Tundo (Subaru Impreza)2005: Glen Edmunds (Mitsubishi EVO 6)2006: Ian Duncan (Toyota Hilux Turbo)2007: Carl Tundo (Subaru Impreza)2008: Baldev Chager2009: Lee Rose (EVO9)2010: Alastair Cavenagh (EVO9)2011: Ian Duncan (EVO9)2012: Carl Tundo (EVO9)2013: Ian Duncan (EVO9)2014:Rajbir Rai

Azar Anwar/Surinder Thatti-Datsun 160J

Jim Heather Hayes/Anton Leviton-Subaru RX Turbo

Vic Preston Jnr Ebrahim Chobe/Jonathan Torotich Toyota Celica Turbo

Supi Soin/Sarbi RaiToyota Celica Turbo

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Being one of the fastest growing counties in Ke-nya presently,

Nakuru is uniquely locat-ed within the Great Rift

Valley tourism circuit and attracts thousands of sports

related visitors annually (visit www. visitnakuru.com).

The famed Lake Nakuru still forms part of the Rift Valley tourist circuit. Flamingoes form a ma-jor tourist spectacle on Lake Nakuru.

Sports tourism is a huge and growing global industry with important implications for sports, the impact of travel and tourism related benefits on host destinations.

Sporting events in Nakuru County have from time immemorial provided the host community with an opportunity to secure high prominence in the Kenyan tourism market place. Corporate sponsorships from companies like Nation Media Group, Menengai Oil Refineries, Keroche Brew-eries, KCB, Kenya Airways etc have also played a key role in boosting sports tourism.

Hospitality players are incidentally the biggest beneficiaries of this market with thousands of sports visitors flocking the County year in year out and occupying hotel beds.

Communities in Nakuru are attracted to host-ing sporting events to draw market benefits that

contribute immensely to the economy of the County. Sports tourism in Nakuru isn’t just an experience of sports activities-”it forms a distinct culture of a destination”. Sporting events like rug-by, Rally-sport, schools’ games KECOSO - just to name but a few-have become the most common channels through which visitors satisfy their de-sires to sample foods and hospitality joints.

Olympians Elisha Kasuku and the legendary John Waruinge, four times Safari Rally winner Carl “Flash” Tundo and pro golfer Richard Ainley are some of the most celebrated sports personali-ties from Nakuru County.

In 2002, Ainley had the honour to play a practice round with two former world number one golfers Tiger Woods from the US and Vijay Singh from Fiji in the Buick Invitational in De-troit. Waruinge is one the most decorated boxer in the history of Kenyan boxing. His achieve-ments include a bronze medal and a silver medal at the Olympics along with a gold medal at the commonwealth games. Waruinge was a product of Nakuru boxing club which in the 1960s and 70s produced several exceptionally talented and world beating boxers like Steven Muchoki. Waru-inge, a stylish featherweight boxer of yore, won Kenya’s first ever Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal.

Local professional golfer, Kasuku, who is a former race walker for Kenya and Olympian is the only Kenyan to-date to have played in the

British Open golf championship better know as “The Open”.

One of Kenya’s fastest rising rally youngsters Onkar Singh Rai won the KNRC Division 2 in 2011 in Baldev Chager’s KNRC championship winning Subaru N12.

Nakuru County boasts of some of the oldest pre and post independence sporting facilities like the famous Madison Square Garden, the home of Nakuru amateur boxing club, Rift Val-ley Sports Club which was started in 1907 by a few Englishmen after the arrival of the Railway in Nakuru Town and Nakuru Golf Club situated on the slopes of Menengai Crater and ceremoni-ously opened on February 23 1929 by Lord Fran-cis Scott.

Nakuru once had Africa’s first motorsport racetrack at Langa Langa on the foothills of Menengai Crater. Currently “Solai Clubhouse” in Maili Sita, houses Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club. RVM&SC clubhouse boasts of Kenya’s lon-gest (600m) asphalt racetracks synonymous with the karting championship. RVM&SC recently built a motocross track and hosts some rounds of the Kenya National Motocross Championship.

The Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort in Naivasha was voted the leading golf resort in Ke-nya at the World Travel Awards 2010 in Johan-nesburg on 7th July that year. The Resort played host to the 15th East Africa Challenge Golf Cham-pionship sponsored by Keroche Breweries.

Promoting tourist destinations through sports

ATHLETICS1. Robert Biwott (2013 World Youth

Championship in Ukrain)

2. Alex Sampao (member of the

2015 All Africa Games team Congo,

Brazaville)

3. Richard Kimunyan (gold

medallist 3000m flat world Youth

championship)

4. Faith Chepngetich (silver medallist

World Athletics Championships)

MOTORSPORT:1. Frank Tundo (the guru of motor

racing in RV/started his racing career

in 1972 and won Nakuru Rally in

1978)

2. Carl Tundo (3 times Kenya

Champion/Four times Safari Rally

winner)

3. Natasha Tundo (Top lady driver

from Nakuru)

4. Lee Rose (former Kenya Rally

Champion)

5. John Rose (Veteran of Safari Rally)

6. Onkar Sing Rai (former KNRC

Division 2 Champion & Managing

Director of Menengai Oil Refinery)

7. Ashok Patel ( The only driver

to disrupt the Lancia 037’s of Vic

Preston & Greg Criticos in the late

80’s)

GOLF1. Elisha Kasuku (Retired athlete/

Olympian/pro golfer/only Kenyan

pro to play in the British Open at St.

Andrews)

2. Richard Ainley (Leading

professional golfer in Kenya who

played alongside Tiger Woods)

3. James Lorum (resident pro

-Nakuru Golf Club)

4. Justus Madoya (Leading GOTY

amateur golfer based in Great Rift

Resort, Naivasha/national team

player)

5. Josephine Ainley (National

women’s golf team)

BOXING1. Philip Waruinge (Olympian/

retired boxer/ bronze medallist at

the Mexico City Olympics (1968)

losing 2:3 to local Antonio Roldan

and awarded the Val Barker Trophy

for Outstanding Boxer at the 1968

Olympic Games. Waruinge captured

silver in 1972 in Munich, West

Germany).

2. George Findo

3. Mwangi Muthee “Carlos”

4. Steve Gacheru (retired boxer &

former Telkom coach)

5. Daniel “DK” Kamau (Gold

medallist 1987 4th All Africa Games

in Nairobi/lives in the US)

6. Peter “Dynamite” Odhiambo

7. Daniel Mwangi

8. Sammy “Teacher” Mwangi

9. George “Kidi” Onyango

10. John “Soldier” Ochieng

11. Mwangi Muthoga “Don King”

(Retired boxer/AIBA Referee-judge)

12. Stephen Muchoki (only Kenyan

boxer to win an AIBA World

Championship medal)

HOCKEY1.Zack Aura (Kenya international/

Nakuru Athletic Club and Armed

Forces team)

CRICKET1. Qunta Aoko (2015 women’s national

FOCUS ON NAKURU COUNTY

Prominent sportsmen and women from Nakuru County

Patric Njiru-Subaru RX Turbo Ian Duncan-Opel Manta 400Philip Wairunge

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team member)

2. Daisy (2015 women’s national team

member)

TABLE TENNIS1. Mariga Mwangi (Retired Kenya

National team player/played for KPA

Msa for many years/Vice Chairman

KTTA)

2. Moses Maina (Retired National

Team Player)

3. George Mudiri (Retired national

team player)

4. Ruth Behal (Former Kenya No. 1

women’s player)

5. Isaac Mbote (later became a

boxing official)

RUGBY1. Vincent Mose (Former Nakuru RFC

and Kenya 15s team full back)

2. Edwin Shimenga (Former Nakuru

RFC and Kenya 15s team full back)

3. Gibson Weru (Former World

Rugby 7s international)

FOOTBALL1. John “Mo” Muiruri (Harambee

Stars/Tusker FC)

2. Hilary Echesa (Harambee Stars/

Sofapaka/Nakuru All Stars)

3. Mulinge Ndeto (Defender

Harambee Stars & Ulinzi)

Key Sporting Events in Nakuru1. KCB Nakuru Rally

2. Top Fry Prinsloo Sevens rugby

tournament

3. Great Rift Rugby

4. Kenya Airways Golf Safari 2015

(Nakuru Golf Club)

5. National Boxing League (Nakuru

Amateur Boxing Club-Madison

Square Garden)

6. Stanchat Odyssey Cycling (Gilgil/

Naivasha)

Teams from Nakuru County1. Nakuru Athletic Club (Hockey)

2. Nakuru RFC “Wanyore” (Rugby)

3. Nakuru All Stars (Football)

4. Ulinzi Stars (Football)

5. Oserian (Football -Naivasha)

Sporting Facilities in Nakuru County1. Afraha Stadium

2. Rift Valley Sports Club

3. Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club

(RVM&SC)- “Solai clubhouse” karting

and motocross racetracks”

4. Nakuru Athletic Club: The Nakuru

Athletic Club is also home ground

for Nakuru RFC, a local rugby union

team. Nakuru’s football team, Nakuru

All Stars, who previously played

in the FKF Nationwide Division,

has some their training sessions at

Nakuru Athletic Ground.

5. Rift valley Sports Club: This is

a historical sports club located

in Nakuru county. The club also

has a cricket team playing in the

Rift Valley cricket league. The

club ground has hosted many High

profile cricket games including a

game featuring Rift Valley Cricket

Association XI v Minor Counties of

England.

The Club has also a field hockey team

playing in the National League.

Under the colonial rule, indigenous

Kenyans were barred from Nakuru

Athletic Club. Thus they were using

the “African Sports Stadium,” now

known as Afraha Stadium.

6. Nakuru Golf Club

7. Madison Square Garden-Nakuru

(boxing)

8. Oserian Stadium Naivasha

9. Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf

Resort

Great Rift Valley Lodge enjoys one of

humankind’s oldest views – over the

sweeping floor of the world’s largest

valley and hosts one of the most

scenic 18-hole championship golf

course in Kenya.

Location: An hour and a half ’s drive

or a 30-minute flight from Nairobi (24

kilometres from Naivasha town and

12 off the Nairobi-Nakuru highway),

the Lodge is built on the Eburru, a

mountain that the Maasai call Ol

Donyo Opurru, meaning mountain

of smoke.

The lodge sits at about 7,000 feet,

from which elevation it enjoys

magnificent views to the west and

east. The vistas stretch from the

sparkling waters of Lake Naivasha to

the jagged volcanic crater of Mount

Longonot and, beyond, the sloping

shoulders of the Aberdare Mountains

– Kenya’s most important watershed.

The Great Rift Valley Lodge has been

awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate

of Excellence. The accolade, which

honours hospitality excellence, is

given only to establishments that

consistently achieve outstanding

traveller reviews on TripAdvisor.

Shekhar Mehta-Nissan 240RS

Top Fry Nakuru Rugby players

Ashok Patel Richard Ainley

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KCB NAKURU RALLY 2015

LATENESS

Any lateness exceeding 15 minutes on any individual target time or an accumulativelateness exceeding 30 minutes at the end of each section. Early arrival shall under nocircumstances permit crews to reduce the lateness. Any crew reporting more than 15

minutes late at the start of a section shall not be allowed to start that section.

SECTION

1

SECTION

2

SECTION

3

THE ROUTE:Nakuru Rally 2015 will be

flagged off outside the KCB Menengai branch at 7:00am on Saturday, September 5. The first 5 cars at the ceremonial start will be flagged off at 3mins intervals with the rest revving off at 1 minute intervals.

Thereafter, crews will endure a 48kms transport road section through to Hilltop which is the first stage (12kms).

Another 6kms of liaison distance will precede the 50km Mugurin stage which is indeed the longest on the itinerary. Then a further 48km of transport mileage will lead the rally traffic to the 1.70km spectator stage and into first

service at Menengai West. This loop will be repeated but not until Gicheha and T Farm are run once in between.

Five competitive stages (3 to be repeated) around Alfega, T Farm, Molosirwa, Gicheha Farm and Hilltop regions will be run for a total of 8.

The Spectator Stage, Media Centre, Rally HQs and Service Park will be centred at Albiza Camp in Menengai.

Prize Giving for the event will be held in front of the Rally HQs at Albiza from 4:00pm onwards although the finish for the first car is at 1.25pm.

Scrutineering will be hosted by Shell Hyrax Petrol Station at the Nyahururu junction.

THE GREATEST RACE IN TOWN

Waigwa Murage-Subaru

Eric Bengi-Toyota Runx

Manvir Baryani

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Rajbir Rai-Ford Fiesta

Sammy Nyorri-Runx

Tasha Tundo-Subaru Impreza

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Former British and Finland champion Tapio Laukkanen’s pace on the R4 Subaru Impreza GVB 13 hasn’t only been blistering, but the only reason

the country’s top guns have had to pull their socks.

Who could actually forget how aggressive Tapio was when he demolished the Kenyan bri-gade with a massive 5 minutes on the last day of Safari, only to retire at the remote service point due to a service error.

CANE-FIELD TUSSLEBut Tapio made his intentions clear during

the season opener in Kisumu county where he

led from start to finish on the expansive cane-field stages of Chemelil and Chemase regions of the lakeside.

Tapio- who is tackling the full KNRC season of KNRC on MRT Racing livery- made history as the first Fin to win a round of KNRC years after his compatriot and legendary Juha Kank-kunen first did it during WRC Safari Rally back in the days.

Home driver Jassi Chatthe finished in sec-ond spot apparently 54secs adrift with Onkar Rai sealing the breathtaking podium dash in-cidentally 2.53minutes behind the winner. De-fending Champion Baldev Singh Chager staged a stunning fightback from a disappointing sev-

enth in the fourth stage to a credible fourth just as the lakeside dust finally settled. Chager had dipped to the initial seventh spot what with an excruciating puncture which stymied what earlier appeared to be a podium. Manvir Baryan of MRT also made history by being the first ever Kenyan to bring back a Ford Fiesta R5 to the finish ramp after the other Fiesta of Rajbir Rai rolled out. Driving the R5 for the first time, Manvir was motoring steadily on the stages clocking a cumulative total of 1h31m22s. As proceedings wore on, the Equator Motor Club (EMC) round proved quite unforgiving to some top drivers. Liquid Petroleum/Xado sponsored Ian Duncan became the first major casualty on the first loop with gearbox woes on his Hilux pickup. The six time Kenya Cham-pion kissed the lakeside tour goodbye on the second section at Simba. Protons S2000 driv-ers had to contend with reliability gremlins yet again albeit a spirited morning run on the Chemelil/Miwani cane-field stages. Both Pro-tons were out of the rally. Cavenagh had trans-mission failure while Carl Tundo’s car broke a brake pipe which was fixed in the stage but it refused to start.

63RD SAFARI DRAMAThirty five year old Chatthe navigated by

fellow Singh co-driver Gugu Panesar in a Mit-subishi Lancer EvolutionX entered his name in the annals of Kenyan motorsports history with victory in the 63rd edition Safari Rally in Machakos, Laikipia and Meru counties This was in fact Chatthe’s second win in a trot for an R4 this season, a clear indication that state-of-the-art technology is at its heights. Safari feat was Chatthe’s third career win after similar victories were achieved in the ARC round of Tanzania and Nanyuki Rally last year.

FLYING FINN RULES THE ROOST ON KNRC FRONT

Tapio Laukannen/Pasi Torma-Subaru Impreza

Onkar Rai-Mitsubishi Evo 10

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Chatthe who is being serviced by the MML Sport from the UK achieved the feat what with a fierce battle with Duncan in the last two stages around Kibirichia and Meru Forest.

All in all, Chatthe had his campaign effectively sewn up when two day leader Tapio retired as a result of a service error which saw his crew fail to arrive at the Loldaiga remote service in time.

Safari victory earned Chatthe the title of the fourth “Flying Singh” after the legendary Joginder Singh, Sarbi Rai and Baldev Chager who won two back to back Safaris in 2013 and 2014. Of the four-some, incidentally, only Sarbi is yet to win the Sa-

fari.Second overall was Duncan who on his maiden

outing with a Liquid Telecom EVOX lost the Sa-fari by a mere 13seconds. Duncan who has won the Safari once in 1994 when it counted towards the World rally Championship (WRC) failed to break the 21 year jinx and watched helplessly as the cov-eted title eluded him for the umpteenth time.

“I gave it my all in the last two stages but still found Chatthe going quite quick,” said Duncan who drove Nissan Patrol pickup in Kisumu.

Carl “Flash” Tundo in a Proton Neo Satria S2000 settled for third position. Fourth was Chager who

>>>

OVERALL STANDINGS AFTER MACHAKOS1. Jassi Chatthe (Team Kibos) 128.5points2. Tapio Laukkanen (MRT) 833. Baldev Chager (Kabras Sugar Racing) 82.5

2WD STANDINGS1. Eric Bengi 112.52. Leo Varese 104.5

Tapio Laukannen and Pasi Torma

Jas Mangat-Mitsubishi Evo 10

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failed in his attempt to clinch a hattrick of Sa-fari wins.

Chatthe’s navigator who is also a Kisumu resident was all smiles: “We have had a good drive together. We would like to thank MML Sport from UK for offering us good technical support and of course our local mechanic Mike Mwangi. The last two stage were good but again it was really tight with Ian. Kabirichia we took it kind of easy but attacked Meru For-est and we are happy to bring the car back in one piece,” said Gugu.

DUNCAN RULES KAJIADO TOUR Duncan teaming up with by Kavit Dave

for the first time in a Liquid Telecom Mitsubi-shi Lancer Evolution 10 emerged the winner of KCB Kajiado Rally which culminated in at the Athi River Quarry super special. This went down as Duncan’s first victory of he sea-son barely six months after he won last year’s season-closing Guru Nanak Rally in his Nissan Patrol pickup.

But Duncan had to contend with playing second fiddle to Chatthe who consolidated his lead on the KNRC log.

After three rounds, Chatthe led the KNRC log with 76.5 points ahead of Duncan on 56.5points. Rajbir, son of legendary two times Kenya Champion Sarbi Rai, was the biggest mover on KNRC standings from 9th to third position with 39 points.

Eric Bengi won 2WD in 8th overall position while Murage Wa Waigwa claimed the KNRC S Class honours in 9th overall position.

Podium finishers Duncan, Rajbir and Chatthe were gifted by withdrawals of top drivers including Tapio, Alastair Cavenagh,

the Tundos -Tash, Frank and Carl, Jonathan Somen, Quentin Mitchell, Baldev Chager and the Rais-Tejveer and Onkar who withdrew after Friday’s reconnais-sance citing impassable waterlogged roads. Organ-isers KMSC resorted to alternative newer routes and extended the event’s programme by a day which didn’t augur well with some drivers. The leaderboard in Kajiado exchanged hands thrice, but only just in the initial stages. Rajbir Rai opened a 15 seconds lead after CS1 Isinya stage but this was short-lived when Duncan took over the lead on CS2 and clung onto to it through to CS3. Raaji Bharij was ahead of the pack in the next two stages on CS4 and CS5 before Duncan bounced back on CS6 to recap-ture lead through to the very end.

JASSI BEST IN TAVETAARC leader and 2015 Safari Rally winner

Chatthe chalked up his second win of the season as at halfway stage on Rukinga Ranch in Taita Taveta county. The win saw Chatthe consolidate his lead on the KNRC with four more rallies left. Chatthe rallied from the tenth position on the first stage at Voi Stadium super special to pull through with 33seconds advantage off defending champion Baldev Chager. Leonardo Varese won the 2WD class in Voi after his race adversaries Eric Bengi, Alex Lairang’I and Sammy Nyorri fell by the way-side. Voi, however fast it may have been turned out to be a rally of attrition and a real scare

for crews.

TAPIO WINS AGAINJust as gremlins appeared to take toll on the

man to beat,the Flying Finn took a convincing victory in Eldoret 2015 after leading from start to finish.

He actually vanquished Kenyan youngster Rajbir Rai by a 2minutes 55seconds margin to make up for months of misfortune while for-mer Ugandan champion Jas Mangat sealed the poium dash incidentally 3:52 minutes behind the winner.

“I mean the whole day we had some issues with our engine which was not running with full power. So at the begining I was a bit wor-ried-but getting to the finish with a good re-sult after some scares is always a good feeling. The roads are slightly rougher than what we have in Europe and Group Ns are not good on this types of roads,” said Tapio who was navi-gated by Pasi Torma in an R4 Subaru. Tapio opened a 14 second cushion after the first run of the 40km Kispsaos-Kimwarer stage but the lead over Rajbir was reduced to a mere 2 second when Tapio punctured on Flourspar

>>>

Raaji Bharij/Jasneil Gataure-Mitsubishi Evo 10

Jansher Sandu

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“Congratulations on your 100th Issue”

stage. “We drove only 2kms after we picked up a front left puncture on the initial run of Flourspar luckyly we didn’t lose so much time,” added Tapio.

Rajbir admitted getting the hang of the Ford Fiesta R5 which made way into Kenya roads in earlier in the year.

“We are getting better and better by event so we will see if we can keep the pace. We have three events left so let’s see how it goes,” said Rajbir. Tapio won five out of six stages in Eldoret with Rajbir winning the initial run at Flourspar. Quentin Mitchell finished fourth while KNRC leader Japreet Chatthe was fifth. Carl Tundo finished 6th followed by Manvir Baryan and defending champion Baldev Cha-ger who finished 8th. Chager had his run frus-trated by two punctures on the Flourspar stage

while Tundo lost the intercooler going into the second loop. Eric Bengi won the 2WD Class in 19th overall position while Farhaaz Khan won the Divsion 1 class in 13th. Jansher Sandhu won divison three in 11th overall position with Dennis Mwenda winning Division 2.

TAPIO LIGHTS UP MASAKUTapio registered his third win of the sea-

son in Machakos to leapfrog to second place on the log. But Kisumu’s Chatthe closed in on a maiden KNRC diadem considering that he only needs a top 8 finish. Tapio racked up his third win of the season after beating Flash and Boldy to the podium dash. Boldy was quite aggressive in Machakos though but lost second place to Tundo by a mere 9 seconds after spin-nig off in the last stage.

Tundo drove Tejveer Rai’s EVOX, his first ever experience on the make. Its been an excit-ing season thus far, but the truth of matter is Tapio continues calling the shots and stretches Kenyan big guns to their limits.

Regardless of what Tapio does in the re-maining two rallies, all Chatthe has to do is finish in the top-8 of the Nakuru Rally to take the crown.

Failing ro do so Chatthe will need to go to Guru Nanak Rally to clinch it on home-stretch. Chatthe needs 4.5points to seal the title. Eighth place in a KNRC event awards 6 points but ninth will give him 4 points which not be enough to secure his much awaited title success.

Chatthe maintains the lead of the cham-pionship with 128.5 pts. Tapio’s win saw him jump from sixth to second on the KNRC log with 83 points. Chager drops to third on 81.

Eric Bengi navigated by Tony Gikuhi in a Toyota RunX clinched a rare double in win-ning the 2WD and KNRC Division 2 classes in Machakos.

“We are very happy today (Saturday) to win both the 2WD and Division 2 categories. To be very honest, the Division 2 success has come as a pleasant surprise to us. As a bonus, we have also won the 2WD stage prize as well as the best Club performer cash prize. It is a very hilarious moment. We thank the almighty and all who have made it possible, the organisers as well as our support team and the amazing cheering squad-it hasn’t sunk in yet!! Bengi said.

Quentin Mitchell-Skoda S2000

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Anwar sidi bulletin 100th issue