Charles Thuku @PeopleSports11
Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) leader Baldev Singh Chager has commenced preparations for next month’s KCB Mombasa Rally slated for Kilifi County on the weekend of August 16-17.
The ‘Flying Singh’ has two wins under his belt and hopes to be well prepared and competitive as he resumes his title hunt against R4 Evolution 10s and R5 Skodas.
Nevertheless, the reigning Safari Rally champion still insists that Skoda Fabia R5 speedsters will be hard to beat throughout the season.
After chalking up double points on the WRC Candidate Safari Rally, Boldy, as his peers call him, is favourite to clinch the KNRC title this season.
“Preparations have been running at full throttle and we are hoping to defend Mombasa Rally and safeguard our championship lead,” said Chager.
He added: “I am approaching Mombasa Rally with a lot of caution despite all the confidence generated from my back-to-back wins. The strategy in Mombasa is like every other KNRC.”
“We go out to do the best we possibly can. For now, we are just going through the cars after Safari so they are mechanically fit.
R5s will better through and through, there’s no comparison with Evos. Carl Tundo and I were just lucky on Safari when Manvir’s Skoda R5 sucked in dust and Onkar Rai was out of the event,” Chager said.
Ten points separate leader Chager and second-placed Tundo with African champion Manvir Baryan a distant third with 48 points after skipping the season opener in Nakuru.
Chager, who has two wins under his belt, will be going for a hat-trick in Kilifi with Tundo gunning for his first victory of the 2019 KNRC season.
Skoda Fabia R5 speedster Rai won the season opener in his Nakuru backyard early this year while Chager emerged the victor in Kajiado and the WRC Candidate Safari.
Preparations for the Mombasa Rally are in top gear with Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) chairman Roy McKenzie saying cars will traverse stages around Mombasa Cement Limited farm in Vipingo and Bamba which has over the years been synonymous with MMC events.
“The route promises to be a good mix of everything from technical, flat out and twisty. It will definitely be a good challenge for both drivers and navigators,” added McKenzie.
KCB Bank Kenya in January committed Sh75 million towards motorsports for the next three years, making a comeback as title sponsor of the Kenya KNRC.
Every year, Sh20 million will be spent on staging of KNRC events with Sh5 million going to Kenya National Autocross Championship.
