The Auto Cross Championship revved off on Sunday at the iconic Kasarani Super Special Stage, exemplifying its evolution into a breeding ground for emerging rally talent.

With 31 enthusiastic entrants, including at least five newcomers, the championship reflects the soaring interest in motorsport within Kenya.

Event Organiser Onkar Kalsi, a driving force behind the Auto Cross Championship, expressed his excitement about the increasing participation, stating: “There are a lot of youngsters fighting tooth and nail through the year to win the championships and its’s no different but the good thing is we have a lot of new entries this year which is so pleasant to see.”

Kalsi added: “The Auto Cross is the grassroots level of motorsports in Kenya, that is why it produces a very good feeder program to the Kenya Rally National Championship and then the World Rally Championship.”

The impact of the WRC Safari Rally on Auto Cross is evident in the very location where the championship unfolds – the Kasarani Super Special Stage. Kalsi elaborated on this connection saying: “ If we didn’t have the WRC Safari Rally we wouldn’t have this track where we are today which we are running the Auto Cross on.” Drivers, both seasoned and new, took to the challenging Kasarani track with enthusiasm and determination. Aman Ganatra, the triumphant driver who clinched the first position in the 2WD Non-Turbo category with a clocking time of 5:09.00 and secured the second position in the 4WD Turbo category, shares his aspirations.

“My immediate goal is to win the 2WD category, but I also see this as a valuable opportunity to gain experience in the competitive 4WD category,” Ganatra stated.

Cheche Ababu, who secured the third position in the Junior 2WD Non-Turbo category with a time of 6:04.78, emphasized the strategic importance of Auto Cross.

“This sport is really a fun sport. I’d like to continue with it and hopefully one day get into the WRC competition,” Ababu said.

The Auto Cross Championship not only serves as a platform for emerging talent but also acts as a crucial practice ground for seasoned rally drivers. The championship is more than a standalone event; it is an integral part of the preparation journey for those gearing up to take on the international stage at the WRC Safari Rally.

The Kasarani SSS stage was the venue for the season-opening National Autocross Championship, where hundreds of fans were treated to some exhilarating displays of circuit racing artistry. The Nairobi-based twin-track has traditionally served as the opener of WRC Safari Rally Kenya, better known as Kasarani Super Special Stage (SSS). This is where world rally teams and local drivers compete in a scintillating two-car showdown.

But over the weekend, the racetrack revved off the busy 2024 Kenya Motorsports season in a sneak peek of what to expect on the eagerly awaited Easter Safari weekend. After a long layoff occasioned by the long offseason break, it was time for local drivers to return to the groove. The National Autocross Championship is a feeder series for young budding drivers hoping to break into Kenya’s premier series, the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Onkar Kalsi, the event Clerk of the Course, said: “We had 31 entries for the weekend Autocross, which is quite a big number for an autocross.” “Autocross is a grassroots level of motorsport in Kenya and produces drivers for KNRC and those who manage to make it to World Rally Championship events like the Safari. The good thing is that we have many new entries this year, which is good to see.