Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo attested to his prowess of long stages when he cleared the ground with all his opponents on the KCB Nanyuki Rally In Laikipia County.

Unlike in Mombasa where the Skoda Fabia R5 of Manvir Baryan dictated the pace, the R4 Evolution 10s of Tundo and Chager were a cut above the rest. Manvir was beaten in all the six stages in the Loldaiga Hills, Ndovu and Batian View where Chager and Tundo took three sections apiece.

“Loldaigas has over the years been my favourite stage and I am happy we posted better times than the Skoda. Maybe Manvir wasn’t on form but it looks as if the Evolutions are stronger on long stages. I am still in the hunt for the championship although Mombasa has made it more difficult,” said Tundo.

This year’s edition of Nanyuki Rally features three stages, which were repeated twice.  Manvir was left to rue a one-minute penalty when he checked into the first service 59 seconds earlier.

Untouchable Tundo

Tundo drove like a man possessed in the first loop and led the rally by a 50 seconds margin from Chager.

The five-time Safari Rally winner beat Chager by a three-second margin in the early morning CS1  Loldaiga Hills 31km stage. On the initial run of the long 50km Ndovu stage, Tundo eclipsed Chager by 32 seconds but going into the designated 2.3km  at Batian View Chager took a second off Tundo. 

Chager took the repeat run of Loldaiga and cut Tundo’s lead to 31 seconds. But Tundo bounced back to win the repeat run of the long Ndovu stage.

Chager was happy with his performance in Nanyuki and indeed consolidating the lead at the start of the second half of the series. 

“I am very happy to finish second. Flash (Tundo) drove like a man possessed. The 50 km stage was too technical. Our main focus now is the championship and we are hoping to continue in the same spirit and fashion,” said Chager.

Manvir’s navigator Drew Sturrock said they struggled quite a bit on the long slippery stages.

“We had an issue in the morning run. The conditions were pretty slippery but got better in the second loop,” said Sturrock.

The early morning slippery conditions in the Loldaigas were no doubt a real test of man against machine. As part of the safety plan, organisers restricted all spectators to the 2.3km Batian View stage which was the designated viewing point.

The KCB Guru Nanak Rally which is the sixth round of the KNRC series heads to Athi River on October 16.