KNRC champion Baldev chasing Voi points in super car

Reigning Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) champion Baldev Singh Chager has finally gotten the opportunity to savour a super car during Saturday 7 August 2021 Voi Rally where he will pilot Onkar Rai's VW Polo R5.

Baldev has not had much seat time in the VW Polo R5 but says the experienced so far has shown that the car is a different breed compared to his championship-winning Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. 

"It is a different style of driving and I must adapt to it as soon as I can. It is very responsive and the potential is great. I do feel positive and look forward to the countdown to the start of section one (SS1) in Voi," he said.

With season leader Onkar giving the Voi event a wide berth and his sibling Tejveer unable to compete due to the injury he sustained during the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, Baldev who won the season- opening Nakuru Rally in February will now be the lone ranger for Kabras Sugar Racing.

"I am extremely humbled that the Rai family, especially Onkar and Tejveer have given me this massive opportunity to participate in the Voi Rally in Onkar's winning machine from the recent Safari Rally. I appreciate this unbelievable and most generous gesture and look forward to some competitive stage miles in this car. We will keep the Kabras, Menengai oil and Aquamist flags flying," the Flying Singh as he is popularly known added. 

However, Chager noted that he does feel low that his Kabras 'brothers' and teammates (Onkar and Tejveer) will not be there participating.

"We constantly keep Tejveer in our prayers for a speedy recovery. He has always been so supportive of the team's motorsport activities and a real pillar keeping the team together. It is a strange feeling to go down as a one car team as we have had almost 10 years of non-stop rallying together. We have had lots of fun and rallying has made us come together like family."       

He hopes to defend the KNRC title in style this season in the Polo R5. The R5 contraption is one step below the World Rally Championship car, and a preserve of WRC2 and WRC3 competitors.

"For now my sponsors have agreed to let us do the Voi event and hopefully with a good result we can potentially carry on with the same machine for the rest of the season," he added.

Onkar tops the KNRC log with 73 points ahead of Carl "Flash" Tundo (56) and Baldev (54). Tundo returns to Voi with an Evolution X after driving the Minti Motorsport VW Polo R5 which he powered to victory in the ARC Equator Rally and ARC Rally Tanzania. He also finished ninth on WRC Safari and third in WRC3 behind the wheel of the Minti Polo.

Other KNRC Premier Class drivers headed for the Sikh Union organised event are Karan Patel (Ford Fiesta R5), Jasmeet Chana and Eric Bengi.

The defending champion reveals that he has some experience from the past Voi based events adding that the roads are generally very nice. 

"The roads are wide ,sandy and fun to drive. But all depends on what we'll see on recce and then make a plan accordingly. So we look forward to the recce on Friday to see what the route has in store for us" he said.

Saturday’s event will count towards the fourth leg of the KNRC after the season’s opening Nakuru Rally, ARC Equator Rally and WRC Safari. Battle royale looms in Division 1 where joint leaders Paras Pandya and Nikhil Sachania will go for each other’s jugular. McRae Kimathi and Dilraj Chatthe are a distant third on 30 points apiece.

Group N action will involve leader Jasmeet (78 points), Paras (47 points), Evans Kavisi (34 points) and Hamza Anwar (30 points).

Legendary Ian Duncan tops the Specially Prepared Vehicles (SPV) class with 30 points ahead of Nikhil on 44. Duncan has nevertheless entered a Minti Motorsports Nissan 240. RS in the classic car category.

The rally will start and end at Voi Wildlife Lodge.

The repeat run of Izera Ranch stage (5.45km) will be the event's Power Stage where the top three fastest drivers will earn bonus points in the championship.

ENTRY LIST

1 (#3 Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop ( EVO 10-Top Fry)

2 (#1) Baldev Chager/Ravi Soni (VW Polo R5-Kabras Sugar Racing)

3 (#8) Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Ford Fiesta -R5 Filmico Racing)

4 (#7) Eric Bengi/Peter Mutuma (EVO 10 - Menengai Cream Racing)

5 (#9) Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (EVO 10 -Jaguar Petroleum)

6 (#10) Issa Amwari/Dennis Mwenda (EVO10-KCB Bank Rally Team)

7 (#23) Aakif Virani/Azhar Bhatti (Skoda Fabia R5- Arrow Rally Team)

8 (# 5) Ian Duncan /Tej Sehmi (Nissan 240 RS- Minti Motorsport)

9 (#57) Hamza Anwar/TBA (EVO10 - Hamza Racing)

10 (#59) Dilraj Chatthe/Gurdeep Panesar (EVO 10- Team Kibos)

11 (#20) Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (EVO 10 Filmico Racing)

12 (#15) Paras Pandya/Falgun Bhojak (EVO 10 - Synergy Gases)

13 (#55) Piero Canobbio/TBA (EVO 10 - Kilifi Complex)

14 (#26) Hussein Malik Steven Njenga (EVO 10- BETIKA )

15 (#200) Hassan Alwi-UG/Riyaz Ismail (Subaru- IUEA)

16 (#34) Daren Miranda Amman Neekunj ( Subaru - Team GOA)

17 (#63) Rehan Shah Harshil Limbani (Subaru Impreza – BETIKA)

18 (#22) Edward Maina Anthony Gichohi (Subaru -Emka Racing Team)

19 (#66) Andrew Muiruri Edward Njoroge (Subaru Impreza – BETIKA)

20 (#58) Maxine Wahome/Linet Ayuko (Subaru Impreza- Maxine Rally Team)

21 (#63) Shakeel Khan Assad Mughal (Ford Escort- ALS Motorsports )

22 (#62) Gerald Wairuri/ Henry Nyoike (Subaru -BETIKA )

23 (#61) John Fernandes/Rattos Nique (Subaru -Team GOA)

 KNRC STANDINGS AFTER WRC SAFARI RALLY 

1. Onkar Singh Rai 73

2. Carl Tundo 56

3. Baldev Singh Chager 54

4. Tejveer Singh Rai 49

5. Jasmeet Singh Chana 43

6. Eric Bengi 33

7. Karan Patel 25

8=Jas Mangat (UG) 21

8=Ian Duncan   21

10. Giancarlo Davite (RWA) 19