Youngsters thrill at Jamhuri Park show

By Feverpitch Reporter

The Kenya National Autocross Championship season took off with few surprises but youngsters filled boots of veterans who missed the opening event.

Steve Anthony won the season opening event at the dusty Jamhuri Park track, thanks to a mechanical problem suffered by pacesetter Ashlin Bendin. He showed no sign of losing the battle before his machine experienced problems.

The daylong event attracted a large number of debutants although many veterans skipped it. Reigning champion Ian Duncan, Sandy Ghir, Teddy Ghir and last year’s runner-up, Anthony Nielsen, did not show up.

Bendin set the fastest time in the early morning practice, clocking seven seconds better than Anthony.

two heats

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Though he upheld the tempo into the next two heats, his bad run in the third heat gave Anthony a leeway to record the fastest time of the day — 4.49.05 minutes.

Anthony won the first meeting with cumulative 14.41.45 minutes and a slim 2.46 seconds from Bendin.

The latter was enthusiastic despite forfeiting the lead to Anthony with a third heat boogey time when he came round a corner and went off. He was then compelled to stop and fix his front tyre, which came off.

Bendin, a captain in Europe, has been on and off the track for the past three years and the Sunday run was his first and last this season. "I have had the opportunity to race in the past three years but had no time to concentrate due to work commitments.

next year

"I will leave on March 9 and will not return to the circuit until next year. I, however, plan to pick up from where I will have left when I come back," Bendin said.

He had a consolation in winning the under-24 class with Arthur ‘AK 47’ Kinyanjui and Ken Anunda taking second and third slots.

Kinyanjui made a comeback to the series but admitted he had quite a lot to do to shake off rust.

"We intend to take over from the older generation. I am impressed with the turn out of juniors and this is should make us work even harder," Kinyanjui said.

Rally navigator Keith Henrie and Kenya National Rally Championship driver Izhar Mirza made debuts.