Rajbir optimistic as Nanyuki Rally beckons

Rajbir Rai is keen on maintaining a good run in the next round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship in Nanyuki on Thursday.

Speaking from Jinja in Uganda, the 24-year-old Mitsubishi Lancer EVOX driver was optimistic about his chances of victory in the KCB Nanyuki Rally.

“I am under no pressure despite my first career victory in the Nakuru Rally. I just hope to keep improving and driving my own rally. I still don’t have a lot of experience so the main thing is to keep getting more knowledge by staying put,’’ said Rai.

Second-placed Rai trails current national champion Baldev Chager with 30 points in the KNRC standings with four rounds of the series remaining. There are a total of 360 points to score from the last four events.

Drivers’ safety

Drivers have been assured of safe and fast stages in Nanyuki after inspection of the route by Raju Chagger, a senior member of the Rallies Commission.

Raju, a member of the Rallies Commission of the Kenya Motor Sports Federation and official representative for the Nanyuki Sports Group, said plans for the two-day event are complete.

“On my pre-event inspection, I was happy with the format in place. Having stages in restricted areas has only strengthened what the rallies commission is trying to do. Bimal Patel and his team have done a fantastic job with the preparations,” he told journalists Thursday.

As part of the safety measures, Rallies Commission and KRDA have joined hands to make sure, that at list one member from each of the two factions is able to visit the stages before the route plan for any rally is made official.

The fifth round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship will kick off on next Friday (26 June) at 3pm with the first of the three Spectator Stages at  Wturaco (8kms) followed by Kisima (8km) and Batian (3km) respectively before heading back for the overnight rest halt at the Nanyuki Sportsman Arms Hotel.

Second day will commence at 8am before heading for the stages among them, Loldaiga Hills, one of the most familiar venues of the event organized by the Nanyuki Sports Group under the leader ship of Bimal Patel.

Almost the entire rally will be run on three different closed farms. In total, Wturaco will be repeated three times, Kisima twice, Batian once and Loldaiga twice respectively.

Chagger added: ‘’Only Batian View is will be open to spectators.

All other closed to the public. Stages are extremely smooth, with plenty of blind corners and nice long straights.

Loldaiga secion is being graded and should be extremely good stage. Rally is extremely compact for spectators and drivers to enjoy.’’

Among the big incentives is the cash prize to be offered by the organizers to the fastest drivers in each of the five categories of the competition. Each of the quickest drivers is guaranteed Sh25000 as cash prize.