By ERICK OCHIENG’
Five times former Kenyan National Rally champion, Ian Duncan, has been seeded first in the proposed starting order of November’s 2011 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally.
Duncan, who currently leads the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship 2011 with two events left, is the 2009 edition winner of the Safari Classic in a Ford Mustang.
But this time round, Duncan will be driving a powerful three-litre engine Ford Capri navigated by his regular KNRC co-driver, Amaar Slatch. |
Ian Duncan and Amaar Slatch in a Ford Mustang during a past event. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD] |
The 1970 model Ford Capri, which is being prepared at his Karen workshop, is similar car to the Ford Capri entered by Bill Parkinson during Kenya’s national motor racing programme of the 1970s at the Nakuru and Embakasi race tracks.
Car number two is a Porsche 911 of Belgians Gerald Marcy and Stephane Prevot. Marcy has driven quite aggressively over the past three editions of the Safari Classics.
In 2005, he was leading only to dip below the leaderboard. In 2007, Marcy led the prestigious event but got lost due to a serious navigation error. In 2009, Marcy finished third.
Winner of Rallye du Maroc (Rally of Morocco) Gregoire de Mevius has been seeded third.
Duncan, who led the 2009 Safari Classic from start to finish in his Ford Mustang, is expected to be a top contender in this year’s event starting in Mombasa on November 19.
Remote landscapes
In 1994, Duncan won the Safari Rally in a Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD. He will join the 37 other crews who have entered so far on the Safari Classic, nicknamed the ‘World’s Greatest Classic Car Rally’.
The event will cover a marathon 4,300km (2,670 miles) and take the crews through the remote and beautiful landscapes in Kenya and Tanzania. With Duncan raring to go, the KQ Safari Classic Rally 2011 now has four possible top contenders itching for victory.
Gregoire De Mevius in a Porsche 911 prepared by Kronos Vintage, Gerard Marcy, also in a Porsche 911, Bjˆrn WaldegÂrd in a Tuthill Porsche and Duncan in a Ford Capri 3.0.
The 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic rally has been scheduled to run outside the international rally calendar so as to give an opportunity for international and local media coverage.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
Access Kenya will be providing Internet connectivity all around the rally route.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join