Tundo and Jessop hold tighter grip on Kenya national rally lead

[ PHOTO : COURTESY ]

After strengthening their lead in the Kenya National Rally Championship by winning the recent Athi rally, Carl 'Flash' Tundo will take the Menengai sponsored Top Fry Mitsubishi Evolution X to the Coast with an objective of holding a tighter grip on it.

Tundo will try to move further ahead in the points table by achieving a top position in the Mombasa Motor Club's round of the championship. The championship will kick-off on August 1, commencing in the Mombasa Cement compound at Vipingo and ending in Bamba during the afternoon.

Championship leaders Tundo and Jessop will come under severe pressure from Baldev Chager and Ravi Soni in their Kabras racing Mitsubishi Evolution X and the Skoda Fabia of their team mate Onkar Rai.

The latter is currently placed third in the Championship table. Another contender for victory in the Mombasa event is Manvir Baryan who also drives a Skoda Fabia.

The Mombasa Motor Club is hoping for 20 competitors from upcountry to challenge ten Coast rally drivers in the forthcoming event.

The start is scheduled for 6:30 a.m and the rally opens with a closed ten kilometre section which will give tear away thrills for spectators at the Mombasa Cement compound.

Competitors will then head for Bamba for more closed sections on private land in Taru. The service park at Bamba will also be the venue for the afternoon prize giving which will give plenty of time for spectators and competitors to return to Mombasa in daylight.

The first half of the Kenya National Rally Championship has given Eric Bengi and his navigator Tuta Mionki in their Menengai Cream Subaru Impreza an enviable series of successes.  Eric and Tuta occupy fifth place in the KNRC championship and lead the division one category. Eric is 42 points ahead of the current runner-up Jasmeet Chana in the driver's division one title and Tuta is at the top of the table for navigators.