The indefatigable trio of Baldev Chager, Karan Patel and Carl “Flash” Tundo are among the Premier Class drivers gearing up for the fifth round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) slated for Sunday, August 29.

On the same breath, Eric Bengi, Jasmeet Singh Chana and Issa Amwari shall also resume their hunt for championship points in the Kenya Motor Sports Club-organised round as members of the Premier Class.

Also in the groove is paraplegic driver Nikhil Sachania who makes a celebrated return to the KCB Machakos Rally behind the wheel of a hand-controlled Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionX.

Nikhil will renew his rivalry with Mombasa based Paras Pandya in what should be one of the fiercest Mitsubishi Evolution X tussles in search of Division One points.

Paras will steer a Group N Evolution X while the never-say-die Nikhil hopes to ruffle feathers in a similar contraption which is a group N spec “with the only addition of the hand controls and the SST transmission”.

Nikhil’s initial car was a 3-litre V6 Mitsubishi Challenger which was acquired locally and built by his first co-driver Charan Singh.

He would later upgrade to a Fiat Grande Punto S2000 before moving to a rung higher with his SPV Championship-winning EvolutionX.

“I must say that all my cars are hand controlled. The operation is a simple ‘push and pull’ lever mechanism.

I mean, pull to accelerate and push to brake. I’m really looking forward to Machakos Rally. It has been a while since we had a rally closer to Nairobi.

The car is more or less ready. The last rally in Voi was a pretty clean run, so to me, the car is ready for the next one.

We are leading the Division (One) and shall extend it in Machakos God willing,” said NIkhil.

In the meantime, Tarmac racer Andrew Muiruri will be tackling his third gravel event while steering an ex-McRae Kimathi Subaru Impreza N12.

Muiruri made his debut at the WRC Safari where his Subaru ended up on its roof but nonetheless savoured his maiden finish on Voi Rally earlier in the month.