Drivers race against time to fine tune cars ahead of weekend rally

By FEVERPITCH REPORTER

Veteran driver Frank Tundo hopes to consolidate his KNRC Division Two lead when he revs off the ramp at the KCB Kisumu Rally on Saturday.

Tundo Senior has 275 points in the lead and will be navigated by his daughter Tash Di Cangio in a Mitsubishi Evolution 9. He will also be fighting to eclipse his son, Carl “Flash” Tundo, driving a similar car. Tundo Junior is the defending KNRC Champion.

Frank, a veteran Safari Rally driver in his 60s, will be taking on Manvir Baryan and Onkar Singh Rai who will be unveiling their new Mitsubishi Lancer EVOX, which is being prepared by current KNRC leader Baldev Chager.

Rai is optimistic his car will pass the reliability test to propel him to victory in Kisumu. Experts have confirmed that the Mitsubishi EVOX has almost the same features as the EVO9.

“I hope this car will be able to propel me to the next level. At the moment, I just want to get used to it and then take it from there as I will probably be driving a Porsche 911 for practice in the KQ East African Safari Classic.

“I am itching to get back in the car again. I haven’t had the chance to drive it yet as we just got it a week ago and it is with Simon (Sharpe) at the moment getting mapped,” said Rai.

Baryan and Rai haven’t had a good season and are at pains to get their groove back. Rai has destroyed two rally cars this season. His Subaru N16 went up in flames and he also rolled in a Subaru N12 during the Safari Rally.

Baryan, who missed Nyeri and Nakuru and didn’t finish the Round One event in Kajiado, is keen to get to the finishing podium.

“I’m on full attack mode as I have missed two rallies this season. I need to try and get as many points as possible in the remaining rounds if there is to be any chance of still winning the division,” said Baryan.

Ranking event

The event will count towards KNRC’s Division One comprising the top 10 fastest drivers based on their seeding from the preceding year.

KNRC Division Two has the next 10 fastest drivers while Division three features all other drivers entered in the KNRC.

Other classes are the Two-wheel-drive group, the Classic Car Cup and Group supplementary and SPV championships.

The Division Three title race is set to unlock a fierce battle pitting fast-rising star Rajbir Rai and series leader Jasmeet Chana. 

Chana has driven fiercely this season in what has been a plot to ascend to the sumit of the series.  

Rajbir, on the other hand, has driven his Mitsubishi EVOX, not only clinching the fastest stage times but also coming through Nakuru and Safari Rallies in impressive top 10 positions.

“Standards are set and only the sky is the limit,” said Chana, who is working round the clock to fix his car.