Rai assumes lead on Day Two of Classic rally

The East African Safari Classic Rally moves into Day Three action Saturday morning with Kenya’s Onkar Rai now leading the event in his Porsche 911.

Baldev Chager had won the previous five stages before his Porsche stopped abruptly in the section due to gearbox problem. 

He failed to meet the deadline to start SS6 as the car was being nursed by the mechanics.

The Day Three will start at 7am from the Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha before the crew tackle three competitive stages of the day. 

They will push their machines through Pantone/Samora (65.52kms), Manduli/Mto Wa Mbu (156.00kms) and Samora/Panone (64.52kms) before crews take a rest at the Mount Meru Hotel for the second consecutive night.

The crews have done 546kms in total over the last two days. The total distance is 3,390kms. Major event sponsors include Vivo Energy, Saravo Hotels, DT Dobie and Bidco Africa.

Each day, the rally consists of three competitive stages, and transport or liaison sections. 

Driving the Kabras Sugar Racing Porsche 911, Charger managed to complete the gruelling day with the best overall time of 2:30:18 while his Kabras Sugar Racing teammate Onkar Rai came in second with a time of 2:30:44.

Stig Blomqvist, the 2015 Classic rally champion navigated by compatriot Jorgen Fornander, sits third with a time of 2:37:48. The youngest entrant Osian Pryce navigated by Dale Furniss, who is taking part in the classic rally for the first time, had several issues in his opening day run but managed to beat the field and win the third stage. The crews will be 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).

The remaining programme: Day Three Arusha - Arusha  30/11/19, Day Four Arusha - Tanga 1/12/19, Day Five Rest Day at Tanga 2/12/19, Day Six Tanga - Tanga  3/12/19, Day Seven Tanga - Taita  4/12/19, Day Eight Taita - Whitesands  5/12/19, Day Nine Whitesands- Whitesands  6/12/19.-Special Correspondent