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L. MathekaNikhil Sachania ready for WRC Safari
Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 08.06.22. | 08:37
A motoring accident that left him on a wheelchair could not stop him from achieving his goals.
Nikhil Sachania his co-driver Deep Patel will form part of the Mitsubishi EvoX two-car KCB drivers' line up for the upcoming World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally set for June 23 to 26 in Nairobi and Naivasha.
Sachania, a beneficiary of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission grant, received a shot in the arm in his preparations for the Safari as he got sponsored by KCB Bank alongside the crew of Evans Kavisi and Absalom Aswani.
Its official, @wrcsafarirally entry list is out. The creme de la creme of @OfficialWRC drivers will be in the 254, where conditions are never favorable and unpredictable! June 23rd awaits!#WRC#wrcsafarirally #June23rd pic.twitter.com/G9gdqIe0Kw
— Safari Rally Kenya (@wrcsafarirally) May 28, 2022
The two crews form part of the 34 drivers who have been confirmed for the WRC event that will be running as part of the FIA series for the second year in a row since being reinstated to that status last year.
The Project Manager with Samani Construction Ltd is grateful to KCB's for enabling him return to the sport despite the challenges he has had to contend with.
“With the current economic status in the country, sponsorships are few and far between. I was not going to drive the full season in 2022, but with KCB on board, I am overly excited to be back in the saddle," offered the driver
The reason he works so hard in this noble man and machine game, Sachania says, is because he also wants to encourage more people with disabilities to achieve their full potential in whichever sporting disciplines they undertake.
The @wrcsafarirally Kasarani Super Special stage offers one of the greatest one vs one driver face offs in the entire @OfficialWRC calendar. This year its scheduled to go down the 23rd of June. Get your rally gear ready!#23daystogo#wrcsafarirally #June23rd pic.twitter.com/Wf4ykXgn5g
— Safari Rally Kenya (@wrcsafarirally) May 30, 2022
So how did his motor racing passion change his life? In September 2011, Nikhil was involved in an accident in Athi River where he was testing his new quad bike with Shazar Anwar and Zane Young trying to get ready for his would-be first National event.
He then hit a rock at high-speed and landed head first. The impact shattered his spine. His deeply ingrained racing convictions, however, brought him back to the bucket seat of a rally car time and time again.
“I have always loved motorsports, I can’t remember my first encounter but it would be from stories of my dad's rallying days in the 1980's.Well, during my rehabilitation (after the accident), there were two or three people that were driving in our team so it never really slipped my mind.
As soon as I had enough strength, I jumped into the first car I could get. My father and my uncle (Kiran Patel) gave me the kind of advice or guidance I needed, so I always knew whom to turn too.
The first three months were the hardest, since I had also broken my left hand. Getting around was very difficult and frustrating. But once I got back, everything was back to normal," narrates Sachania.
His first race car, a Mitsubishi Challenger 3ltr V6, was acquired locally and built by his first Co-driver Charan Singh.
"All my cars are hand controlled. The operation is a simple push and pull lever mechanism- pull to accelerate and push to brake," he explains
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1. Kenya Motorsport Personality of the year 2014.
2. SOYA sport personality of the year 2014/2015
3. KNRC SPV Champion 2014
4. KNRC SPV Champion 2018
5. KNRC Division 3 Champion 2018
