Tundo claims season-opening Guru Nanak Rally in Stoni Athi

By , February 10, 2020

Immediate former champion Carl “Flash” Tundo has taken an early lead on the Kenya National Rally Championship log following an emphatic victory in the season-opening KCB Guru Nanak Rally which culminated at Stoni Athi Resort yesterday.

Navigated by Tim Jessop in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10, Tundo beat defending champion Baldev Chager by a massive 3.15.4 minutes to rack up his third career Guru Nanak Rally title.

Tundo had his campaign effectively sewn up when Chager suffered puncture gremlins in the second loop of the grassy course.

Chager led the rally by four seconds from Tundo going into the latter stages but settled for second overall when he hit a rock and stopped to fix a puncture.

Onkar Rai, in a VW Polo R5, wrapped up the podium dash, beating ‘old boy’ Ian Duncan to fourth. Duncan drove his ‘monster’ SPV Nissan Pickup navigated by Tej Sehmi.

Rai earned an extra three points on the championship log after winning the power stage at SGR section where he beat Chager in stage to second and Tundo to third.

Out of the 25 drivers who took part in the event, only 14 managed the demanding terrain.

Among the casualties were Kiran Patel, Eric Bengi, Izar Mirza, Moez Malik, Ramesh Vishram, Albert Kigen and Geoff Mayes.

“It’s quite a good feeling starting the season on a high. The route was challenging and we all had lots of issues with the long grass which sucked into radiators and culminated into overheating problems.

Guru Nanak is one round in the championship that everyone would want to win. Going forward, we hope to keep it clean, of course with good preparations,” said Tundo.

Chager was also happy with second place, saying: “I can’t complain.  Finishing second is such a great feeling. We stopped to change a puncture in one of the stages and lost lots of time.

Before that, we were leading by four seconds from Tundo, so it was going to be a fun day out but unfortunately, that’s rallying, it’s not over until it’s over.” 

Third-placed Onkar was left to rue the grassy surface, saying organisers should have graded the roads. 

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