Rai outpaces Chager in Nakuru

Baldev Chager, navigated by Ravi Soni, in a Mitsubishi Evo10 blows up dust at Gicheha farm in Rongai during the Top Fry Nakuru Rally on February 17, 2018. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYORO |

What you need to know:

  • Only 16.4 seconds separate winner from runner up in opening round of national championship

Onkar Rai won the Top Fry Nakuru Rally in dramatic fashion on Saturrday after a very close battle with Baldev Chager.

An incident in one of the stages almost cost Rai the victory. The Kabras-sponsored driver survived to successfully defend his title by pushing Chager to the second place by 16.4 seconds at the end of the six competitive stages of round one of the Kenya National Rally Championship.

"I would have really blamed myself for losing valuable seconds in one stage after I made a stupid driving mistake,” said Rai, the Kabras Team driver.

He added: “I hit a bank, which damaged one of the wheels that compelled me to limp for few kilometres  before the end of the stage. But I am lucky it didn’t cost me the win.’’

Chager, a former Safari Rally winner was quickest in a majority of the competitive stages to finish second in the Rift Valley Motor Sports Club event.

Reigning Kenya champion, Ian Duncan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10) was placed third overall while, Manvir Baryan (Skoda Fabia), the defending African Champion followed Duncan in the fourth position.

Drivers praised the organisers for laying out a faultless circuit with electronically transmitted stage notes and other important documents.

Karan Patel and James Mwangi finished in the ninth position after starting first in the rally driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10.

"The best part about the route is that it was marked properly with arrows at all junctions and major turns. That made the need for a road book almost unnecessary. I don’t think I looked at the road book more than two times during the whole recce on competitive stages," said Soni, Chager’s navigator.

Karan Patel and James Mwangi finished in ninth position after starting first in the rally driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10.

Imran Khan, whose role will change from driver to navigator in the Nakuru Classic Rally in April, was placed 13th with Ken Masoni in a Subaru Impreza.

Khan will navigate Rob Lick in the Classic Rally in a Porsche 911.

Tuta Mionki guided her driver Eric Bengi to the12th position in a Subaru Impreza, while the Toyota RunX of Sammy Nyorri and Mwangi Kioni was placed 14th overall.

RESULTS

1. Baldev Chager/Ravi Soni (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:30:26.7; 2. Onkar Rai/Gareth Dawe (Skoda Fabia) 01:30:35.3; 3. Ian Duncan/Anthony Nielsen (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:32:34.7; 4. Manvir Baryan/Drew Sturrock (Skoda Fabia) 01:33:31.6; 5. Carl Tundo/Tim /Jessop (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:35:27.6;

6. Tejveer Rai/Zahir Shah (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:36:31.7; 7. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:40:36.9; 8. Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:41:00.1; 9. Karan Patel/James Mwangi (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:41:57; 10. Ammar Haq/Victor Okundi (Mitsubishi Evolution10) 01:48:49.3