Waldegard clings onto overnight lead

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Travis Pastrana of the USA twists and turns his Porsche on the way through the scenic Oldonyo Sambu Competitive Section Four in Tanzania on the second day of the Kenya Airways East African Classic Safari Rally on November 21, 2011.

The 1979 world rally champion Bjorn Waldegard maintained his lead into Day Two of the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic as rains played havoc on the Tanzanian side of the 4,100-kilometre route on Monday.

The Swede has fought back challengers by posting the fastest stage time through the 37.7km sixth competitive stage, his first stage win since the rally started on Sunday in Mombasa.

After a very wet ending to Day One run in Amboseli on Sunday, Waldegard was yet again the star attraction at Mount Meru Hotel’s overnight halt in Arusha as defending champion Ian Duncan fought viciously to make up time.

It was a bitter pill for Duncan to swallow on Sunday, after the reigning Kenya rally champion got lost for about a minute in the second section and was fighting relentlessly to recover.

Duncan wasn’t the overnight leader on Sunday as we inadvertently indicated on Monday.

But Waldegard, who won the Safari Classic for the first time in 2007, had to contend with relentless pressure from Belgian Gegoire De Mevius whom he beat him by a mere three seconds on the day’s leader board.

Earlier, Gregoire led when cars crossed over into Tanzania at CS4 (Kamwanga).

Duncan, who won the opening stage yesterday, trails Waldegard by a 1.48 seconds.

But the legendary Kenyan driver has indeed been the quickest driver so far setting three fastest stage times out of the possible five.

Due to heavy rains on Sunday night, the 142km CS5 stage running from Monduli to Mto wa Mbu was cancelled due to flooding.

This was meant to be the longest stage of this year’s edition of the Safari Classic.