Arrow Rally Team driver Aakif Virani will be off the ramp first in the final leg of the 2021 Kenya National Rally Championships (KNRC) series in Ilbisil, Kajiado County today.
Driving a Skoda Fabia, Virani’s pace notes will be called out by Azhar Bhatti in the newly set up rough terrains after the incessant rains pounding the country forced the organisers to change the route from Stoni Athi.
“The rally will now start from Ilbisil while documentation and scrutineering of the cars will be done at the Sikh Union Club,” Clerk of the Course, Onkar Kalsi, said.
“The rains forced us to change the route though everything else is okay,” Kalsi said.
The drivers will assemble at the Service Park in Ilbisil at 9am before they embark on conquering stage one (SS1) five minutes later.
Dubbed Bisil 1, the SS1 is a treacherous 60km stretch which is expected to separate boys from men among the 20 participants.
“The Bisil 1 stage will be a real test of speed and endurance,” Kalsi said.
Stage two (SS2), dubbed Kudu 1, is a 16.86km zone which the speedsters will cover from 10:36am onwards.
The competitors will then regroup at the Service Park where they will repeat the same stages in the afternoon.
Set to make their debuts in the KNRC event are autocross aces Rajveer Thethy and Sameer Nanji.
Making a return to the circuit is five-time KNRC 2WD champion Leonardo Varese.
“Guru Nanak is one of my favourite events on the KNRC calendar. It is my nostalgic hunting ground.
“However, we have won the 2WD there just once,” said Varese.
Varese, who emerged champion in 2WD in 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2017, will team up with his long-standing friend and schoolmate at Brookhouse, Kigo Kareithi.
KNRC defending champion Baldev Chager of Kabras Sugar Racing and current leader Carl Tundo of Top Fry will fight for the series overall title.
Continental champion Tundo has already put up his beautiful EvoX machine on sale after acquiring a VW Polo R5 that helped him to conquer Africa this season.
Jasmeet Chana has also put up his Mitsubishi EvoX machine that won him the Group N gong in 2020 and 2021 for sale.
