Drivers go on recce on Friday ahead of KCB Nakuru Rally

Quentin Mitchell, navigated by Thomas, power their Skoda Fabia at the Fluorspar-Nyaru escarpment during the KCB Eldoret Rally on July 4. The KCB Nakuru Rally is set for September 5. PHOTO | ANWAR SIDI |

What you need to know:

  • The event starts on Saturday at 7am from the KBC branch in Nakuru.
  • Ian Duncan, the former Safari Rally winner and multiple holder of the KNRC titles, will be first off the ramp.

Drivers embark on the official reconnaissance of the penultimate round of the 2015 KCB Kenya National Rally Championship in Nakuru on Friday morning.

“We would like the drivers to be on site early enough to visit all the stages. They also need to be fit to walk the entire length of the spectator stage to take their pace notes,” said Lyn Tundo, the chairlady of the Rift Valley Motor and Sports Club.

The event starts on Saturday at 7am from the KBC branch in Nakuru. Crews will cover a total of eight competitive stages, which includes the 50km-section of Mugurin to Molosirwe.

This stage will be done twice.

Ian Duncan, the former Safari Rally winner and multiple holder of the KNRC titles, will be first off the ramp.

While several drivers go into the competition under immense pressure as title seeking contenders, Gugu Panesar finds himself as the new Kenya National navigators’ champion after his closest rival, Ravi Soni, was sidelined for the rest of the season with damaged vertebrae.

Soni has now been replaced by Rahu Sehmi to navigate Baldev Chager.

CAR MORE STABLE

Panesar’s driver, Jaspreet Chatthe needs a top-eight finish to become the first ever driver to win both the KNRC and ARC titles in the same year after clinching the Continental title last weekend.

Quentin Mitchell is confident of doing well in the rally after sorting out minor hitches with the power steering and intermittent front differential controller of his Skoda S2000 with the help of the experts from the Skoda Motorsport.

Skoda have been very helpful recently and after a test the car feels much more stable now. Nakuru is typically a low altitude rally and this should help our normally aspirated S2000.