Rally school launched for young drivers

A few weeks ago McCrae Kimathi, 15, wanted the telephone number of Nation motoring correspondent Abdul Sidi to discuss “very serious business”.

Before long, the idea of helping thousands of aspiring drivers move onto the fast lane came to fruition. Kimathi was one of the six students at the inaugural workshop for newcomers to motorsports held three weeks ago at San Valencia Restaurant in Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.

Kimathi, who is named after former Safari Rally and world rally champion, the late Colins McRae, had his big day at Jamhuri Park last weekend when he navigated Formula Two national title contestant Charles Hinga in a Toyota Levin.

Last Sunday, the San Valencia KRDA (Kenya Rally Drivers Association) Rally School was officially launched at the Valencia Gardens on Riara Road, opposite the Nakumatt Junction, with Kimathi taking his first step to walking in his father Phineas Kimathi’s footsteps as a successful rally driver.

The school has since attracted 100 learners and counting. In fact, some fast learners will try out their skills at this weekend’s opening round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championships series in Eldoret.

At the helm of the driving school is Sidi, a navigator who has sat beside some of the best drivers in Kenya. And he is doing it for free to help young drivers avoid the path he took when he plunged into the sport blindly. Sidi has teamed up with Phineas Kimathi, through the San Valencia Group, to provide support that includes basic needs of the students.

Valencia Gardens Hotel will also organise receptions at two graduation ceremonies while the practicals will be held at the Jamhuri Park racing circuit. The young ones have been told that all they need is concentration and a sharp eye for detail.

An excited Shamer Yusuf told the organisers after last weekend’s lesson: “You are making history and I’m sure many have benefited in your free training and your giving the sport a fresh approach!”

Sidi, George Mwangi, Azar Anwar and Phineas Kimathi took the students through the intricate business of pace note writing in a one-kilometre section which they memorised in detail. Anwar and Hinga volunteered their rally cars as they were co-driven by the students.

The first batch of trainees, in the meantime, moved into the serious act of car preparation, repairs and maintenance under the supervision of Anwar, a former national and Safari Rally champion.

“Navigators do most of the dirty work and I am happy with the enthusiasm these students have taken as they worked on my rally car the whole morning with a high degree of efficiency and proficiency,” said Anwar. “They will take the sport to the next level, and we are ready to help.”

The school, run under the aegis of KRDA, will become a permanent feature in the sport with the full blessing and backing of the Kenya Motor Sports Limited, according to the body’s general manager, Newton Njiru, who said he was bitten by the rally bug 12 years ago during the Eldoret Rally after Sidi encouraged him to take up the sport. His first event in 1998 saw him navigate Patrick Njiru to victory in a Subaru Impreza.

Do crazy things

Rally drivers do crazy things, but under the supervision of the navigator, who is actually the general manager of the car, said Phineas Kimathi, the last African to finish the World Championship Safari Rally.

In the current short stages format, the navigator calculates the amount of fuel needed and does some mundane functions of flashing the lights or hooting using leg buttons on the floor of the car. Besides, he feeds the notes on a gadget called Helda on the side door to calculate exact distance between stages while also calling for corners, hills and dangerous spots like holes.

Prices of rally cars are crazy, and Phineas Kimathi advises beginners to start small with standard cars to learn the tricks of the trade. And when he returns from retirement, he will chose a San Valencia alumnus to navigate him.