Today the Laikipia plains erupt into a festival of speed, daredevilry, horse power and incredible torque in the first day of the Top Fry Safari Rally.
The event features pre-1984 marques, such as the two 3.5 litre Triumph TR7s behind whose wheels are big-time farmer Carl Tundo and his father Frank Tundo.
Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club, the organisers of the rally, embarked on their first Rift Valley 1000 Classic Rally Sponsored by Top Fry.
The idea behind the event, according to the Top Fry Safari rally website, was to create an affordable, compact Classic Rally which would encourage all owners of Classic Cars in the region to take part.
This event took place in three days of December and was a huge success with the majority of entries coming from Kenya, but also a welcome few from the UK and South Africa.
Based on Lake Bogoria, the rally was run over three counties through some of the most remote and scenic parts of the Kenyan Rift Valley.
Sections ranged from 100kms of fast flowing technical gravel to 50kms of tight twisty tarmac which was part of a marathon 180km stage.
Throughout the event, the cars climbed from 3000ft to 9000ft above sea level and back.
Daredevil crowd puller Ian Duncan will certainly give everybody a run for their money. The two-time East African Classic Rally winner (2009 and 2013) and Kenya National Rally Champion (2017) will be driving a Ford Mustang and not the Capri that couldn't survive the East African classic last year.
It was in the Mustang that Duncan conquered the East African event.
Below, the men and their machines but this is not the starting order.
|
Entry |
Make |
Power |
|
Team |
•Nationality• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dinesh Sachania / Feisal Khan |
Datsun 180B |
1800cc |
|
Samani Rally Team |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jasneil Ghataure / Falgun Bhojak |
VW Golf Mk2 |
1800cc |
|
Quest Motorsport |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malcolm Destro |
Datsun 260z |
2800cc |
|
Malcolm Destro |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francis Tuthill |
VW Beetle |
1600cc |
|
Tuthill |
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Lloyd / Andrian Cavenagh |
Ford Escort Mk1 |
2000cc |
|
PAC Motorsport |
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mitraj Lochab / Armadip Virdi |
VW Beetle |
1600cc |
|
Lochab Rally Team |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marzio Kravos / Renzo Bernadi |
Ferrari 308 GT4 |
2926cc |
|
Kravos Marzio |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ian Duncan / Amaar Slatch |
Ford Capri |
3000cc |
|
Ian Duncan Rally Team |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joey Ghose / Sinder Sudle |
Ford Escort RS |
2000cc |
|
Freestone R. S |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Gough / Nick Starkey |
Peugeot 504 |
|
|
Timoto Sport |
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baldev Chager / Ravi Soni |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
Kabras Sugar Racing |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Onkar Rai / Des Page-Morris |
Porcshe 911 |
3000cc |
|
Kabras Sugar Racing |
Kenya |
|
Tejveer Rai / Zahir Shah |
Porcshe 911 |
3000cc |
|
Kabras Sugar Racing |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nish Lakhani / Teeku Patel |
Datun SSS |
1800cc |
|
Safari World Africa |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quentin Savage / Adam Bowen |
Datsun 180B |
1800cc |
|
Savage Rally Team |
Kenya/Ireland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Geo Bell / Tim Challen |
Datsun 240Z |
2800cc |
|
Magnum Cream Liqueur |
Kenya |
|
Alastair Cavenagh / Gavin Laurence |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
Vipingo Ridge |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Raj Jutley / Etienne Malherbe |
Nissan Datsun |
1600cc |
|
Jutley |
Kenya/SA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ramesh Vishram / Shameer Yusuf |
Ford Escort Mk2 |
2000cc |
|
Cementers |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nick Mason / Crispin Sasson |
Datsun 240Z |
2800cc |
|
Masson Sasson Racing |
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew Siddall / Gary Mcelhinney |
Datsun 240Z |
2785cc |
|
Dansport |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Tundo / Kavit Dave |
Triumph TR7 |
3500cc |
|
Top Fry Racing |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carl Tundo / Tim Jessop |
Triumph TR7 |
3500cc |
|
Top Fry Racing |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lola Volaque / Edward Verlaque |
VW Golf Mk1 |
1600cc |
|
Lola Volaque |
South Africa |
|
Megan Verlaque / Andrew Doig |
VW Golf Mk1 |
1600cc |
|
Megan Verlaque |
South Africa |
|
Rommy Bamrah / Harvey Jutley |
Datsun 240Z |
2800cc |
|
Gemina Insuarance |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jayant Shah / Ravi Chana |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
Jayant Shah |
Tanzania |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rob Hellier / Douglas Rundgren |
Datsun 160J |
1600cc |
|
Top Fry Racing |
Kenya |
|
Rob Linck / Imran Khan |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
ALS Team |
Kenya |
|
Akash Dodhia / Altaf Ganatra |
Ford Escort Mk1 |
2000cc |
|
Team JCB |
Kenya |
|
Raaji Bharij / Rajay Sehmi |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
Raaji Bharij |
Kenya |
|
Jonathan Savage / Kieran Day |
Datsun 260Z |
2800cc |
|
Savage Rally Team |
Kenya |
|
Kailesh Chauhan / Tariq Malik |
Ford Escort RS |
1800cc |
|
Kailesh Chauhan |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rajesh Maini / Devan Bhundia |
Ford Escort Mk1 |
2000cc |
|
Rajesh Maini |
Kenya |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aslam Khan / Arshad Khan |
Porsche 911 |
3000cc |
|
ALS Team |
Kenya |
