Ian Duncan will headline this year’s WRC Candidate Event Safari Rally as Head of Presidential Delivery Unit Nzioka Waita returns to the driving seat after sitting out for several years.
Duncan who missed last year’s event has entered a Mitsubishi Lancer EXO X navigated by Anthony Nielsen. The 1994 WRC Safari champion will be going for victory as the most experienced driver in the field of 43 drivers who have so far confirmed participation.
His presence spices up competition at the top as he takes on defending champion Carl Tundo in a similar make, Africa champion Manvir Baryan, fast rising Onkar Rai (Skoda Fabia) and Zambian ace Leroy Gomes (Ford Fiesta R5) among others.
Competitors will come from UK, Italy, Belgian Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 22163
Uganda has the highest number of entries at six. Bus loads of Ugandan fans have confirmed their visit to Kenya to cheer up the drivers.
Meanwhile Clerk of Course Gurvi Bhabra has confirmed that entry to Kedong and Soysambu ranches will be free and spectators will be granted all necessary amenities.
Chief safety officer Norris Ongalo said safety is key in Kenya’s road map back to the high profile FIA World Rally Championship and they expect to police the roads using volunteer marshals and members of the disciplined forces.
So important is safety of drivers and spectators that the FIA has sent the 1983 WRC Safari Rally champion Michelle Mouton as the safety delegate and she will drive through the entire route at the beginning of every competitive stage.
The Safari will be flagged outside the President Entrance of Kasarani Stadium on July 5 from 11:00 am. Cars will then head to the Super Special Stage on a head to head competition of two drivers in the 4.5km stage.
They will then head to Gatamaiyo Forest 12km stage via Thika Road through exit 14 into Kenyatta road.
The cars will come of the stage at Kinale Forest (Soko Mjinga) and use the main Nairobi/Nakuru highway up to Naivasha town before ending ending the day at Sopa Lodge for overnight say. Day two will start in Naivasha up to Soysambu where action will concentrate around Elmentaita.
On Sunday action returns to Kedong in Naivasha
The Safari Rally entrants
1 Paras Pandya – Ken- Falgun Bhojak – Ken Evo X N
2 Mahesh Halai –Ken- Ketan Halai – Ken- Subaru Impreza N N
3 Lloyd John – UK -Cavenagh Adrian – Ken- Ford Escort Classic
4 Somen Jonathan – Ken- Hechle Richard –Ken- Ford Escort Mk Ii Classic
5 Edward Maina -Edward Njoroge- Ken- Subaru Impreza N10 N
6 Jasmeet Chana – Ken Ravi Chana – Ken Ken Evo X N
7 Giancarlo Davite- Bel- Sylvia Vindevogel- Bur Bel/Bur Evo X R4
8 Karan Patel – Ken -James Mwangi – Ken- Evo X N
9 Daren Miranda – Ken- Fernandes Wayne – Ken- Toyota Sprinter 2wd
10 Walubi Kepher – UG Mugambwa Anthony UG- Evo X N
11 Ssebaguzi Ronald- Ssenyange Leon-Ug- Evo X N
12 Puee Sohanjeet- Ken Din Adnan – Ken- Subaru Impreza N10 N
13 Geoff Mayes – Ken- Suzanne Zwager – Ken -Landrover Spv
14 Rai Onkar – Ken- Dawe Gareth – Ken -Scoda Fabia Rc2-R5
15 Rai Tejvir – Ken -Tba Evo X Rc2-R3
16 Chager Baldev- Ken- Ravi Soni – Ken – Evo X Rc2-R4
17 Kahlon Lovejyot Singh – Ken Limbani Harshil – Ken- Subaru Impreza N10 S
18 Gomes Leroy – Zam Gomes Urshlla – Zam- Ford Fiesta R5
19 Sachania Nikhil – Ken Deep Patel – Ken -Evo X Spv
20 Carl Tundo – Ken -Tim Jessop – Ken- Evo X Rc2-R4
21 Sira Hardev – Ken -Tba -Ken- Ford Escort Classic
22 Nasser Yassin – UG Katumba Ali – UG Subaru Impreza RC 2
23 Aakif Virani – Ken -Azhar Bhatti – Ken- Subaru Impreza – Vab Spv
24 Mcrae Kimathi – Ken -Tba Ken- Subaru Impreza – N12 N
25 Minesh Rathod- Ken -Shameer Yusuf- Ken -Evo X N
26 Duncan Mubiru – UG- Musa Nsubuga – UG Evo X S
27 Eric Bengi- Ken- Tuta Mionki – Ken – Evo X N
28 Issa Amwari – Ken Job Njiru -Ken -Evo X Rc2-R4
29 Ammar Haq- Ken Victor Okundi- Ken -Evo X N
30 Christakis Fitidis – UG Veer Dadar – Tz UG/TZ- Evo X N
31 Godfrey Nsereko – UG- JB Musisi – Ug -Toyota Runx 2wd
32 Katete Abdul – UG- Mohammed Rahma –UG-Subaru Impreza Rc2-R4
33 Pieiro Canobbio – Itl Tba Itl Evo X N
34 Manvir Bayan – Ken Drew Sturrock – UK-Skoda Fabia R5 Rc2-R5
35 Moez Malik – Ken- Steven Njenga – Ken- Subaru Impreza Vab N
36 Hussein Malik – Ken- Tba Ken Evo X N
37 Ian Duncan – Ken Anthony Nielsen -Ken -Evo X N
38 Kirit Rajput – Ken -Kashif Sheikh –Ken- Bmw – 325i Classic
39 John Ng’ang’a – Ken- Tba Ken Subaru Impreza Gdb N
40 Waita Nzioka – Ken- Laban Cliff – Ken- Mitsubishi Evo 9 N
41 Mughal Adil – Ken Hamid Zaib – Ken- Subaru Impreza S
42 Kenn Kamau – Ken Tba Ken Subaru Impreza S
43 Izhar Mirza- Ken Kavit Dave – Ken Ken Mitsubishi Evo 10