Fasten your belt, Classic Safari Rally is about to zoom off

The nine-day competition will start in Mombasa before crossing over to Tanzania.

The Safaricom East African Safari Classic Rally starts today morning with a shake down at the Mombasa Cement track.

The event will give crews a chance to put final touches on their cars and also give some of the first time competitors a chance to get a feel of what to expect when real action begins.

Of importance to note will be how the terrain will be as well as the climatic conditions to expect.

Ideally, it will be an awesome day out for spectators to watch the first action of the nine-day action packed rally. 

Some of the top competitors include Stig Blomqvist, who will be co-driven by Jörgen Fornander in a Porsche 911 and Ian Duncan co-driven by Anthony Nielsen in a Rover Vitesse.

Stiff challenge is expected from veteran Carl Tundo, co-driven by Tim Jessop in a Triumph TR7 and Baldev Singh Chager, co-driven by Ravi Soni in a Porsche 911.

The event, which is being sponsored by Safaricom, Vivo Energy, Sarova Hotel and DT Dobie, will start in Mombasa.

The first four days of the competition will be held in Kenya, while the last four and a day’s rest, will be in Tanzania before returning to Kenya for the final leg.

The event has attracted 20 drivers and will cover 24 stages totaling 4,500 kilometers across Kenya and Tanzania.

Father and daughter Joe and Kate Hayes are among those enlisted for the event and will be making their debut in Classic rally. 

The two have been involved in motorsports events as a father/daughter for over a decade.

Based in Chicago, their shared passion for racing and rallying has taken the duo all over Europe and to events on Mexico’s famous Baja Peninsula.

“I read about the East Africa Classic Safari Rally and we were intrigued by the adventurous event. Tuthills have built us a terrific car and we can’t wait to experience the full excitement of East African rallying,’’ said Joe.

America’s Renée Brinkerhoff arrives in Kenya as a seasoned competitor. Her 1956 Porsche 356A rally car has so far raced on four continents as part of the Porsche 356 World Rally Tour.

For her first African rally, Brinkerhoff teams up with daughter Juliette as her navigator. Although Juliette is new to rallying, she is every bit as competitive as her mother.

The pair will give its all to power to the finish line, while also raising money and increasing awareness for their fight against child trafficking.

This year,s rally will revolve  around Voi, Arusha and Tanga.

Each da will consists of three competitive stages, and transport or liaison sections.

Total distance will be 4500kms of which 1500kms will be competitive distance covering 24 stages in both Kenya and Tanzania respectively.

On any given day of the rally, crews will be expected to cover between 390 – 500km (combined distance of stage and transport).

Classic rallying is all about endurance, and crews should get ready for mammoth stages of up to 160km long.

The event hitch ends on December 6 will see the longest stage cover 160kms and the shortest will be 60kms.

The East African Classic Safari Rally has been running every two years since 2003 and is open to two-wheel drive, naturally aspirated rally cars built before 1985.