BIG CARS ON PARADE: Cars from Europe excite fans ahead of weekend’s KCB Kisumu Rally

The Proton Neo Satria S2000 that that Carl "Flash" Tundo will drive in Kisumu Rally. [PHOTO:COURTESY]

Superior cars acquired from Europe are expected to treat spectators to some scintillating displays when the season-opening KCB Kisumu Rally 2015 gets underway on Saturday.

The Rally returns to Chemelil and Chemase regions for the third year running.

The Rally, which will start outside KCB Kisumu Branch and finish at Chemase weigh-bridge, will feature a total of six stages, three of which will be repeated twice.

The Equator Motor Club organised event will have the service park at the Chemase weigh-bridge while the spectator stage will be  situated at the grounds behind the weigh-bridge in Chemase.

Manvir Baryan of MRT racing who registered a maiden podium finish in last year's Safari Rally, is upgrading from Subaru N16 to a Ford Fiesta R5, hoping to take his career to the next level.

The second Ford Fiesta R5 has been acquired by Kenya's fastest rising driver Rajbir Rai who won two rallies in Eldama Ravine and Kisumu last year and the prestigious Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 2014. Rajbir is son of legendary two times champion Sarbi Rai.

In relation to motorsport governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Group R refers to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition.

The Group R regulations were created in 2012 as a replacement for Group A and Group N cars, and took effect from 2013. Group R consists of six classes, designated R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and RGT.

The influx of state of the art machinery is compelling some drivers to an all out attack approach in Kisumu this weekend.

"We are going for a maximum attack this year considering the fact that there are very quick cars around now. We have a much better understanding of our Evo9 car. The new R5s and Super 2000s have their own advantages and so do the Evos and Subarus. Let's hope for a mixture of roads, otherwise I believe the R5s will sweep the ground with us all when it's smooth," said Jasmeet.

Meanwhile, several other cars are changing hands in the KNRC.
Alex Lairang'i, who made his debut in Kaimbu last year in a VW Golf Mk2, has acquired Dennis Mwenda's 2WD championship winning Toyota Sprinter GT which was incidentally his bridal car.

Farhaaz Khan is upgrading from the ex-Phineas Kimathi Subaru N10 to the Evolution 9 which is an ex Jassi Chatthe.

Karan "KP" Patel has a new Evolution X. Like Lairang'i, Karan made his debut in an ex-Baldev Chager Subaru GC8 and flabbergasted all and sundry by winning both the KNRC Division 3 and S Class championships in his first year of completion.

Jansher Sandhu, son of rally organiser and club-man champion Kulwinder "Sweetie" Sandhu has acquired Ian Duncan's Evolution 9 and will be navigated by his dad's former navigator Rommy Bhamra.
The 2012 2WD champion Nadeem Kana has acquired the KNRC Division 2 championship winning Subaru GC8.

At the same time, the second round of KNRC-the 63rd Safari Rally-in April will see more state of the art machines grace the Kenyan competitive stages.

The 2014 SOYA disability award winner Nikhil Sachania is set to bring in a Fiat Grande Punto S2000. This will become the fourth super 2000 machine in the KNRC. The other three s2000s were launched last season.