Super dash: Chager wins back-to-back KMSC Round in KCB Machakos Rally

By FEVERPITCH REPORTER

Baldev Chager during a past rally. [PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD]

Defending champion Baldev Singh Chager navigated by Ravi Soni in a Mitsubishi EVOX registered his maiden win of the season at the KCB Machakos Rally.

His victory in Machakos County gives Chager back-to-back win in the Kenya Motor Sports Club round of the KNRC, which he won in Kajiado last year.

Second overall was Rajbir Rai followed by Jasmeet Chana in third place. This was a career best for both Chana and Rajbir.

Chager, who won three rallies last year, had his campaign sewn-up when Carl Tundo and Ian Duncan retired in CS5 and CS1 respectively.

Tundo, who won last month’s Malindi Rally, retired with a blown turbo while Duncan cited traffic in the opening stage as his reason for withdrawal.

Tundo led the rally after the first stage before Chager assumed the lead in CS5 following Tundo’s turbo woes.

“I really had to keep an eye on the youngsters who were pushing really hard,” said Chager of the high-flying youngters like Rajbir and Jassi Chatthe, who have been driving quite aggressively of late.

The second round of the KCB KNRC took crews through some straight and flat-out sections around Machakos.

All stages were centred around Nairobi-Mombasa highway at Ulu, Konza, Kilome, Kapiti Plains and Salama.

Fans who turned out for the event were treated to exhilarating displays of high octane rallying.

ran 11 stages

Organisers KMSC ran a total of 11 stages with a competitive mileage totaling 173 kilometres. The most exciting stage was the ‘power stage’ which also ran as one of the two designated spectator stages besides the “Peolpe’s Park” in Machakos town.

Yesterday’s race saw some of the top contenders fall by the wayside.

Issa Amwari retired on the transport road section in Ulu en-route to Tumaini School service park when he hit a bump and damaged the EVO9’s sump-guard.

Car number 28 of Waita Nzioka and Laban Cliff in an ex Mucghemi EVO9 retired with gearbox problems.

Hardeep Rehsi had a good run in the morning session but had his run ended after getting a puncture.

Joe Muchiri (Subaru gc8) and Hussein Malik (EVO6) rolled after hitting a culvert on the same spot at the end of the 8.45km CS1 stage, which ran from Katumani to Kapiti Plains.

Chatthe kissed the event goodbye on transport after CS1 with engine failure.

Chatthe proceeds to Ivory Coast or the Rally Bandama which is the first round of the African Rally championship next weekend.

Imran Mogul and Adnan Din also retired with a broken left drive shaft while lying fifth.

The third round of the KNRC heads to Kiambu on April 26-27.