Baldez Chager wins high stakes Safari Rally

Baldev Singh Chager (left) with his co-driver Ravi Soni celebrates after winning the Top Fry Classic Safari Rally at Lake Bogoria SPA and Resort in Baringo County on April 3, 2018. [Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

It had looked like the sprightly Skoda Fabia, a Czech Republic product was on a mission to run 20 Mitsubishi Evo 10 entrants out of the challenging course in Naivasha in this year’s Safari Rally.

With two young drivers behind the Skoda wheel in Onkar Rai co-driven by Gareth Dawe and Manvir Baryan navigated by Drew Sturrock, the supermini appeared destined to break Mitsubishi Evo 10’s stranglehold on Safari Rally until misfortune struck in the second competitive section on the final day yesterday.

Onkar was first off the course when he was sent flying into the air before rolling in the second competitive stage of the race while in the second overall position.

Reigning African champion Baryan, who is yet to win the Safari Rally, was on course for a historic win before his beautiful Skoda Fabia stalled in the middle of the road.

And as they say, one man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity, Baldev Chager — simply known as Boldy — co-driven by Ravi Soni, glided to the podium in his Mitsubishi Evo 10.

No sooner was it done and dusted for the Kabras Team than reports came that Baryan’s nippy Skoda Fabia had choked in dust – putting paid to his Safari dream.

“The temperature gauge was reading 130 degrees. Our car sucked in lots of dusts until the radiator was blocked,” Baryan offered after arriving at the final control in third place.

Baryan, who wowed fans with his flat out attack was unhappy with the last section. “That stage was pathetic and should not have been allowed. We lost over six minutes to clean it by then two cars had overtaken us. Not happy at all,” Baryan said.

For Chager and Soni, it was time to savour victory in one of the most competitive Safari Rally races in recent times.

“This was a tough, tough competition,” Chager said.

“It was a tense affair. It was a hard struggle, kind of competion I have never experienced before,” he said.

Asked whether it was because of heightened stakes given it was a WRC Candidate Event, Chager said:

“It is a taste of what is to come. All the rally drivers gave their all. The organisation was top notch, the support from Government and the fans was out of this world. I don’t see why we cannot get the WRC status back.

“Kenya is beautiful country, Safari is a challenging rally, so we have everything going for us which will be a plus to the WRC Series,” Chager said.

With the drama playing out in full throttle at the top, five-time winner Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo had to contend with second place finish.

Apart from Onkar Rai, Izhar Mirza and Kavir Dave also escaped serious injuries after their Mitsubishi Lancer rolled in the second stage of Day Three.

“We hit a couple of bumps at very high speeds before the car nose-dived and rolled. We were lucky there were no injuries but our luck in the Safari Rally seems not to improve,’’ said Rai.

Ian Duncan, the last Kenyan driver to win the Safari Rally when it was part of the World Rally Championship calendar, finished in the fourth place in Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10 co-driven by Anthoney Nielson.