Rally drivers rev up for action
The long wait is over and it’s all systems go as drivers head to Naivasha for the second round of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).
Naivasha and indeed the KWS Training Institute have been a hive of activity for the last two days following the conclusion of pre-event scrutineering.
Today the focus shifts to the 5.4km Loldia Stage where Shakedown and qualifying will take place. The competition proper starts on Saturday with Leg one and concludes with Leg Two on Sunday.
Among Kenyan drivers scoring points in the ARC are Hamza Anwar, McRae Kimathi and Jeremy Wahome. Also scoring Continental points are a Zambian couple of Leroy Gomes and Urshlla Gomes.
Gomes said he will drive sensibly to carry more points after winning the opening event in Ivory Coast.
“We aim to finish this rally. It’s always a challenging rally, both for the drivers and navigator as well as the car. We would like to finish it and keep carrying ARC points.”
“Kenya has amazing drivers. This year is a little strange because a lot of the great names and drivers are missing from the event. Karan Patel, who is leading the Kenyan Championship, is an amazing driver who is a favourite to win this event. We would be honoured to just be on the podium,” Gomes said
FIA Really Star driver Jeremy Wahome is back in the saddle since last year’s Ramisi Rally where he crashed out of the event.
Jeremy’s navigator Victor Okundi said: “For now our strategy revolves around refamiliarizing with the car after the long break from the scene. We haven’t talked about the weather much as we have to first see how recce goes. Naivasha’s grip is always unpredictable in the wet. Forgiving cockpit temps though.”
“Secondly, this route is always technical and the most patient crew usually surprise the rest. Wet rallies have never been my favourites cause mud scares me stiff!”
Multiple Two Wheel Drive Champion Leo Varese will be a lone ranger in his category.
Here’s what Varese says about his Naivasha experience.
“That route is a tough one and a long one indeed. It’s all about endurance. We raced there a few times in 2019 when we got stuck in that tricky Kedong stage where the road is volcanic ash. The approach this time around is to go for a finish and nothing less – there’s no use pushing too hard up against the powerful Four-Wheel Drive machines and none is in my class,” commented Varese who will be piloting a Toyota Auris 2WD.
The African Rally Championship (the equivalent of AFCON in football) is the hallmark of motorsport racing on the African continent.
Held since 1981, under the auspices of Federational Internationale de la’Automobile (FIA), the ARC has epitomized the resilience and sheer grit of man and machine.
This year, the ARC will be held in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia.
