The 63rd KCB Safari Rally 2015 has been launched and the will be flagged-off at the KICC grounds on Easter Friday with a host of drivers set to fight for bragging rights during the three day event that will criss-cross Nairobi, Machakos and Meru Counties.
Of interest to note is that this year’s edition of KCB Safari Rally has reverted back to its traditional Easter holidays date, rekindling the nostalgic memories of household names like Joginder Singh, Shekhar Mehta and Vic Preston Jnr. Who heightened the pulse-rate of countless fans countrywide during their heydays. There’s a fabulous fight in prospect in the newly introduced Premier Class with Finland ace and Kisumu Rally winner Tapio Laukkanen ready to rumble against Kenya’s racing legends Baldev Chager, Ian Duncan and Carl Tundo.
Speaking during the official launch of this year’s KCB Safari Rally at a Nairobi Hotel, KCB Director of Logistics Mr. James Asiko said that KCB Group is proud to sponsor this year’s championships.
“As KCB Group, we leverage on the various sports disciplines in order to grow our portfolio. We find fulfillment when we see new talent being nurtured across the country while at the same time engage our customers and rally enthusiasts who always look out for something to enjoy especially when we go out to the grassroots level to thrill them”, he quipped.
The 2015 KCB Safari Rally will see defending KNRC champion Baldev Chager fight to beat all the odds while Carl “Flash” Tundo will be pushing his Proton Neo Satria S2000 to equal Shekhar Mehta’s unprecedented five wins.
Shekhar Mehta who won his five events when Safari counted towards the World Rally Championship (WRC) will be giving Flash, who won four Safaris when it counted towards the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) a run for his money. This year the Safari will not be a round the ARC but a normal KNRC spectacle designed to restore the memories of Easter weekends.
Tapio Laukkanen, the winner of the KCB Kisumu Rally two weeks ago, will drive a Subaru Impreza GVB13 under the MRT Racing banner. The GVB13 is an R4 car which appears to have restored hopes of Subaru lovers at a time when the Japanese make was perceived to play second fiddle to the Evolutions.
Former Pirelli star driver Raaji Bharij and his team-mates, Alex Lairang’I and Athman bros, are the three drivers Delights Rally Team hope to use in making their impression felt in KNRC and will be among a host of other drivers.