Jasmeet first off the ramp as 14 drivers compete in Machakos

Series leader Jasmeet Chana will be first off the ramp when the eighth and penultimate round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) gets underway at Lisa Ranch on Saturday 5 November.

In a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10, Jasmeet is out to stretch his lead as he chases a maiden KNRC overall title.

Navigated by his brother Ravi Chana, Jasmeet heads to Machakos with a 20-point advantage over title hopeful and Africa Rally Championship (ARC) runner up Karan Patel.

Jasmeet preparing for tough clash with Karan at Machakos KNRC leg

Karan is seeded second in the Rallye Sports Club (RSC) organized round and returns to the series with his Ford Fiesta Rally2 machine.

Karan's Fiesta has won four out of six rounds on the continental arena,including the closing round of the ARC last month in Zambia.

He had resorted to his old Evolution 10 in the national series to preserve his Fiesta but anticipates blistering pace in Machakos County this weekend in his Rally2 machine which is the former R5 in the newly introduced FIA Rally Pyramid.

Newly crowned ARC Junior Champion Hamza Anwar is seeded third ahead of Eric Bengi (EVOX), Steve Mwangi (Subaru), Kush Patel (Karan’s younger sibling in a Subaru Hatchback) and Maxine Wahome.

So near yet so far for Karan in ARC title race

Nikhil Sachania in a hand-controlled ( as he is physically challenged) Evolution 10 will take off in eighth position followed by youngster Rajveer Thethy, Amman Shah, and Edward Maina.

 Also in the mix is classic driver Shakeel Khan in a Ford Escort and two wheel drive contestants Leo Varese and Daren Miranda.

The rally will revolve around the expansive Lisa Ranch in covering a total distance of 152km.

Three repeated stages-Phill (30.27km), Mickey (28.22km) and Phinny (14.95km)-will make up a cumulative competitive total of 146.16km and a liaison distance of 3.54km.

START LIST

1(# 6) Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)

2 (#3) Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)

3 (#12)   Hamza Anwar/Riyaz Ismail (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)

4 (#7) Eric Bengi/Absalom Aswani (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)

5 (#23) Steve Mwangi /Dennis Mwenda (Subaru Impreza)

6 (#22) Kush Patel /Mudasar Chaudry (Subaru Impreza NAT- S)

7 (#20) Maxine Wahome/Murage Waigwa (Subaru Impreza)

8 (#19) Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (Mitsubishi Evolution 10)

9 (#35 ) Rajveer Thethy/Wayne Fernandes (Subaru Impreza)

10 (#49)Amman Shah/Rahil Shah (Subaru Impreza)

11 (#32)Edward Maina/Anthony Gichohi (Subaru Impreza)

12 (#34) Shakeel Khan/Assad Mughal (Ford Escort NAT-Classic)

13 (44) Leo Varese/Kigondu Kareithi (Toyota Auris NAT-2WD)

14 (#29) Daren Miranda/Vinya Varsani (Subaru Impreza NAT-2WD)

KNRC STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 7 -MMC BAMBA RALLY 

DRIVERS

1 Jasmeet Chana "Iceman" 187

2 Karan K Patel 167

3 Leonardo Varese 75

4 Maxine Wahome 74

5 Kush Patel 73

6 Carl "Flash" Tundo 59

7 Steve Mwangi 49

8 Jeremiah Wahome 41

9 Ghalib Hajee 40

10 Raaji Bharij. 33

10=Zameer Verjee 33