Tundo flashes to Guru Nanak win

Carl “Flash” Tundo and Tim Jessop are the 2009 KCB Kenya National Rally Drivers Champions after winning the 30th edition of the Guru Nanak Rally driving a Dalbit-sponsored Mitsubishi Lancer on Sunday.

What looked like another clear win for Lee Rose turned nasty when the sump guard of his Mitsubishi Lancer snapped just a few kilometers from the end of the last competitive stage. He finished in the third place.

“I can beat everybody but just can’t beat the bad luck. It has happened on many occasions while I am way ahead of the rest of the group. It is very disappointing,’’ said Rose.

For Tundo, it was another year of celebration, having led the championship from start to finish by winning all the events he managed to finish. He won five of the seven rounds, only failing in his home round of the Nakuru and Nanyuki leg.

Party time

“I am excited. It has been tough but really good for us. Now it is party time in the last round in Mombasa where we can enjoy the event without pressure,’’ said Jessop, Tundo’s navigator.

Duncan proved his might by winning his second consecutive rally of the season but was dropped to second place due to the penalty he incurs for driving a non-homologated Nissan Patrol, sponsored by National Oil.

Stages described by many as tough and dry claimed several casualties, including Charles Hinga’s Toyota Levine which was destroyed after he lost control at the end of a high speed roll. The crew were unhurt.

Though failing in his attempt to retain the Guru Nanak Rally title, Baldev Chager was smiling after finishing his first rally in the last three attempts.

The OiLibya-sponsored Subaru Impreza was placed fifth overall. The relegation and promotion battle in various divisions also produced considerable interest behind the main KNRC series.

Down to the wire

Alfir Khan, the fastest Division Two driver, has a chance of moving up after coming home sixth overall.

Meanwhile, the National Formula Two Rally Championship will go down to the wire following Leonardo Varese’s victory in the Guru Nanak Rally while driving his familiar Volkswagen Golf GTi. Jasmeet Channa, who needed to score points in the penultimate round of the KCB series to maintain his lead in the table, failed to do so after his VW Golf stopped with fuel starvation before the start of the first competitive stage of the day.

Provisional Results: 1.Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop (Mitsubishi Lancer (1 hr 40.28 mins; 2. Ian Duncan/Amar Slatch (Nissan Patrol) 1:41:30; 3.Lee Rose/Piers Daykin (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1:42:26; 4.Azar Anwar/Julius Ngigi (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1:44:19; 5.Baldev Chager/Raju Sehmi (Subaru Impreza) 1:46:55; 6.Alfir Khan/Mohamed Kana (Subaru Impreza) 1:50:39; 7.Asad Anwar/Kashif Sheikh (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1:57:22; 8.Susheel Shah/Andy Nagi (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1:57:28; 9.Said Hamad/Victor Okundi (Subaru Impreza) 2:03:25; 10.Ben Muchemi/Bob Kaugi (Subaru Impreza) 2;05:36; 11.Manik Choda/Jasmeer Channa (Subaru Impreza) 2:06:07; 12.Kirit Rajput/Ravi Soni (Subaru Impreza) 2:09:17; 13.Asad Khan/Salim Khan (Subaru Impreza) 2:15:44; 14.Anwar Pandya/George Mwangi (Subaru Impreza) 2:36:45; 15.Olivier Costa/Andrew Dog (Subaru Impreza) 2:25:05