Nakuru Rally is set to exhibit the most exciting title fight of the year as the 2017 Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) rounds out this weekend in Nakuru.
This year’s competition was down played due to the cancellation of two events (Nanyuki and Kajiado Rally). The contending crews must now carry the weight into the season finale.
Six crews could fight for this year’s title, but only four crews will go neck to neck this weekend before the champion is announced.
Ian Duncan, Carl Tundo, Baldev Charger and Karan Patel all have chances to the title with 25 points to fight for.
Duncan currently leads the KNRC leaderboard with 87points; two points more than second placed Tundo. He is farther eight points and 18 points ahead of Charger and Patel respectively.
Although the four crews may not have competed to the fullest, let’s go through how they have fared through the previous five rounds.
Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch – Mitsubishi Evo X
Although he is leading the standings, Duncan has not had the best of the championship fight. His performance has mainly based on consistence having not registered any DNF (did not finish) in the five rounds.
The 56-year-old registered a second position has his best finish this year. He finish second in Mombasa and Safari Rally before mechanical problems pushed him to a ninth position in Eldoret Rally.
He later finished in fourth position in both the Fly540 Rally and Guru Nanak.
Duncan’s chances for a seventh KNRC title will only come after winning in Nakuru this weekend.
Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop – Mitsubishi Evo X
Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo has had a fair performance this year. He has played his pace only within the top five position with one DNF in Fly540 Rally.
Tundo started the season with a third finish in Mombasa and Safari Rally. A fourth position in Eldoret, a DNF and later an impressive win in Guru Nanak Rally.
Tundo must win Nakuru Rally to secure his maiden KNRC title.
Baldev Charger/Ravi Soni – Mitsubishi Evo X
Just like Ian Duncan, Baldev Charger’s competition is more circled on consistence .
His best finish is second position in Fly540 and Guru Nanak Rally. A third position in Eldoret Rally plus a sixth and eighth finish in Mombasa and Safari respectively.
Charger will count on the a win this weekend as well as to hope for his counterparts to finish about top three positions.
Karan Patel/James Mwange – Mitsubishi Evo X
Karan Patel has had the best of his rally career in KNRC this year. His pace has greatly improved this year keeping within the top ten in the five rounds.
A third podium finish in Fly540 Rally, fourth finish in Mombasa, fifth in Safari Rally then sixth and seventh positions respectively. That is a summary of Patel’s performance this year.
With 18 points behind leader Duncan, Patel will have to strike higher to win this weekend to stand a chance in case of bad results for the other three crews.
Meanwhile, Multiple Rally Team crews of Manvir Baryan and Tapio Laukkanen will miss the event despite falling within the title contention. The two crews have both won two events this season.
Manvir Baryan is in France awaiting to be officially crowned the Africa Rally Champion while Laukkanen did not enter the event.