Chana aims to extend KNRC lead in Eldoret

Series leader Jasmeet Chana will be looking to maintain his control in the fifth round of the Kenya National Rally Championship headed to the “County of Champions” on Saturday.

 Chana navigated by his elder brother Ravi Chana will compete in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X marque in a series which has so far been to Machakos, Naivasha and Nakuru and Voi.

Chana currently tops the KNRC log by  114 against McRae Kimathi’s 60 after four events.

 “We have run a pre-event test and it’s been a mad rush to keep the Evolution in good nick for Eldoret. As we kick-start the second half of the season, we’re definitely not letting the championship slip from our grasp as was the case last year,” said Chana.

Asked about his strategy for the Western Kenya Motor Club (WKMC) round, Chana quipped: “There is always the feeling of attacking and putting everything in.”

Eldoret’s gravel roads are technical and energy-sapping given the high altitude nature of the region which is synonymous with the old-type Safari and the event previously known as the Raymond Rally.

After finishing second in last year’s championship behind Karan Patel, Chana got his mitts on his maiden KNRC winner’s trophy in Nakuru before taking second spot in the WRC Safari KNRC category.

Kenya’s JWRC /WRC3 contender Hamza Anwar returns to the local championship after claiming a career-best podium in Junior WRC in Estonia.

Hamza has entered a Mitsubishi Lancer and will be navigated by Adnan Din from Mombasa. 

Also in the Eldoret mix is reigning champion Karan Patel who returns to the bucket seat of his old Mitsubishi Lancer.

Karan has been running a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 in international and local events and it will be interesting to see how he cruises in his EvoX.

Fourth off the ramp is Issa Amwar in an Evolution 10 followed by home driver Ghalib Haji in a similar car.

McRae Kimathi and Jeremiah Wahome will both pilot their state-of-the-art M-Sport Ford Fiestas which feature in Rally 3 category in the FIA Rally Pyramid.

Old boy Ian Duncan, outright winner of the 1994 WRC Safari Rally, has enlisted a Nissan 280 Z classic and will have his pace notes called by Jaspal Matharu.

Also listed in the Classic category alongside Duncan is Sam Karangatha in a Datsun 180 B.

The Specially Prepared Vehicle (SPV) category has attracted two entrants in Jose Sardinha (Pajero Mitsubishi) and Navdeep Sadhu in Subaru Leone.

Youngster Sameer Nanji has entered the event’s only Two Wheel Drive, a VW Golf Mk2 he’ll drive alongside Vinay Shah.

This year’s Eldoret Rally is an all-high-altitude rally. The event will be flagged off outside Rupa Mall in Uasin Gishu County on Saturday, August 5 before tackling repeat stages in Kaptagat, Bugar, Salabin.

 The repeat run of the 17.4 Km Bugar stage (SS6) will serve as the Power Stage where the top three fastest drivers will be awarded bonus championship points. 

The event’s Service Park will be centered on Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet County better known as the “County of Champions”.

KNRC STANDINGS AFTER WRC KNRC SAFARI

1 Jasmeet Chana          114

2 McRae Kimathi          60

3 Nikhil Sacania            44

4 Carl Tundo                 39

 5 Kush Patel                  34

 5= Karan Patel                34

 7 Amman Shah               33

 8 Jeremiah Wahome    30  

 9 Hamza Anwar           26

10 Izhar Mirza               23