Chager takes early lead on East African Mini Classic

NAROBI, Kenya, Nov 4 – Kenyan Champion Baldev Chager has opened an early lead over compatriot Ian Duncan on the first stage of the East African Mini Classic Rally which revved off at The Waterfront Karen on Thursday.

Driving a Kabras Sugar Racing Porsche 911, Chager cleared the 44.82km CS1 Corner Baridi section in 00:23:23.6 beating Duncan to second as South African Geoff Bell ran third fastest in a Datsun 240Z.

Multiple former Kenya navigators’ champion Pier Daykin ran fourth fastest in a time of 25.23.7minutes. Daykin, who has called the pace notes for South Africa based Lee Rose, was 2.00.1minutes slower than Chager.

The cars will overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge in Amboseli and will tackle three stages. Over 30 cars were flagged off at The Waterfront Karen to embark on the 1000km grueling journey through some of the most nostalgic Safari routes of the old.

Event Director Tash Tundo said: “The Mini Classic is a teaser to the main EA Safari Classic in February.

Cars will be rallying for a 1000km in three days, starting here this morning and heading down to Amboseli. We have three sections today and three service stations as well today. We have the rally raid cars running behind the classic cars which is a first in our country. 

Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) Chairman Phineas Kimathi was among those who flagged off the cars today at The Waterfront.  

-CS1 Corner Baridi-

1 Baldev Chager/Ravi Soni CL3 PORSCHE 911 KABRAS SUGAR RACING    00:23:23.6

2  Ian Duncan/ Antony Nielsen

CL4 ROVER V8  MINTI MOTORSPORT  00:23:31.0

3 Geoff Bell/Tim Challen

CL3 DATSUN 240Z  DANSPORT   00:23:42.2

4  Piers Daykin/Marcus Rayner

CL3 DATSUN 280Z ROCCA RALLY TEAM   00:25:23.7 

5  Raaji Bharij/Gavin Laurence 

CL2 FORD ESCORT MK1  RAAJI RALLYING   00:25:25.4

6 Jonathan Somen/Richard Hechle

CL2 FORD ESCORT MK2   SCUDERI DAGORETTI   00:26:41.6

7 Rommy Bamrah/Harvey Jutley

CL3 DATSUN 240Z   PAN AFRICAN RACING   00:27:36.5

8 Aslam Khan/Arshad Khan

CL3 PORSCHE 911 ALS MOTORSPORTS   00:27:51.9

9  Ben Woodhams/Kavit Dave CL4 FORD CAPRI  KNIGHTFRANK   00:27:55.5

10 Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughal   CL2 FORD ESCORT MK1  ALS MOTORSPORTS   00:28:35.2

11  Glen Edmunds/Jiri Kotek CL1 SKODA   CLASSIC SKODA  00:28:40.3

12  Iain Dobson/Dougie Rundgren CL1 SKODA 130 LR/B   CLASSIC SKODA   00:29:07.9

13  Joey Ghose/Imran Khan CL2 NISSAN VIOLET GT   MINTI MOTORSPORT   00:29:16.3

14  Eric Bengi /Gatimu Mindo CL2 DATSUN 180B  EAST AFRICAN CLASSIC RALLY   00:30.24.7

15  Bob Sehmi/ Kyle Luca sCL2 FORD ESCORT MK2  PAC MOTORSPORTS   00:30:36.2

16  Nish Lakhani /Teeku PatelCL2 DATSUN   TERRA SAFI ECO SOLUTIONS    00:33:13.0

17  Maxine Wahome/Safina Khan  CL2 NISSAN 160J    MINTI MOTORSPORT  00:35:34.8

18  Hamza Anwar/Adnan Din  CL1 TOYOTA LEVIN  AFRICAN ECO SAFARIS  00:38:05.5

19  Karan Sehmi /Raju Sehmi CL2 FORD ESCORT MK2    PAC MOTORSPORTS   00:38:13.6

 20  Shabaz Anwar/ Azar Anwar CL4 BMW 535   AAM ACADEMY  00:40:03.7

21  Asad Anwar/Rob Warmisham  CL1 TOYOTA LEVIN   AFRICAN ECO SAFARIS   00:40:13.0