Kimathi gears up for return to rally action
Edwin Otieno
Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Division One driver McRae Kimathi is looking to shake off the rust next week at the KCB Machakos Rally.
McRae, who finished third on the 2019 KNRC Division 2 log, will be entering his first event in almost a year in a San Valencia-sponsored Subaru Impreza N12.
The car is currently at the Tams Racing workshop in Nairobi and is being prepared for him by Adil Khan.
“I have been away for quite a while now and I am looking forward to the Machakos Rally.
Machakos Rally is where I made my debut in 2015 so I have lots of vivid memories of the event.
Last year was a difficult year as the championship was cancelled due to the outbreak of the pandemic. I am ready to dust off a few cobwebs on my comeback,” said McRae.
Machakos will count towards the second round of the KCB KNRC and will be run entirely on the expansive Lisa Farm.
‘”Preparations for Machakos are going well. We are almost finalising the car and will be testing it in due course. Been out for almost a year now.
Other drivers got the chance of racing in the season-opening event in Nakuru County. For me, I am excited to get back to the bucket seat of my N12,” he narrated.
McRae will be using the Kenya Motor Sport Club round next weekend to prepare for the ARC Equator Rally and indeed the WRC Safari Rally.
McRae will also be working to gradually confirm his car to FIA requirements as Safari race weekend nears.
“I will have to fit the FIA-approved fuel tank inside the boot before Safari to be eligible for entry.
It’s great that Equator Rally will be a dry run for Safari and will traverse part of the WRC routes like Kedong, Elementaita, and Sleeping Warrior,” he said.
In the meantime, McRae is keen on emulating his father, Phineas Kimathi, on the fabled Safari.
McRae went on: “I have many stories of Safari from dad but never got to see the likes of Patrick Njiru and others racing then.
So, yes, I am overly excited about Safari. My father finished three Safaris with his best result being 13th in 1994.
He also finished 18th in 1999 and 14th in 2000. So I am enthusiastic about family history on the iconic event.
To beat dad’s record will be very hard but I will try. But the 2019 candidate event gave me a clue of what to expect in a Safari and what it’s all about. I was glad to be back on the podium.”
McRae started racing in 2015. His best KNRC result was Meru Rally 2019 where he finished fifth overall.
