Peerless Vohra Bags Nanyuki Rally, Reclaims KNRC Series Lead

_{Winner Nanyuki rally Samman Vohra celebratess his second win of the season after he led. from start to finish. PHOTO/ KMSF}

NANYUKI, Kenya- The 2024 Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) leader Samman Vohra clocked 1: 49.35.5 to win the third leg of the series held in Nanyuki at the weekend.

Vohra led from start to finish in Nanyuki, bagging all the six contested stages that were on offer.

This was the second victory of the season that the Skoda Fabia ace was bagging after triumphing in the opening leg in Eldoret early in the year.

The son of the former Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) Chairman, the late JS Vohra, was unlucky in the WRC Safari Rally held in Naivasha in March which also doubled as the second leg of the KNRC series. He was forced to retire in the Safari after he rolled in the opening Kasarani Super Special Stage.

Back in Nanyuki, KNRC defending champion Jasmeet Chana clocked 1:54.02.0 to finish second behind Vohra. This was Chana’s first outing behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5.

The reigning champion stated this after the grueling showpiece: “Nanyuki was good. We managed P2 despite some teething problems with our new Fiesta. In one of the stages, our radiator was clogged up with grass, so the engine was running hot, but after that we were okay. We are getting used to the new car.”

Legendary Ian Duncan, winner of the 1994 WRC Safari Rally, completed the podium in Nanyuki. He also bagged the Classic Car category at the wheel of his Datsun 280Z.

Aakif Virani, winner of the 2021 Nanyuki Rally, suffered adversity when his Skoda Fabia R5 went up in flames on CS4, during the repeat run of Mlima Hema speed test. Both Virani and his navigator escaped unscathed.

_{Aakif Virani’s Skoda Fabia going up in flames in the fourth stage of the Nanyuki Rally. PHOTO/ KMSF}

The catastrophe saw a section of the drivers allocated new timings by the organisers to align the competition in accordance to the KMSF rules and regulations as stipulated in Article 44 and 44.1.

The drivers were Duncan, Shakeel Khan, Joey Ghose, Lisa Christoffersen and youngster Neel Gohil.

“Having considered that cars No. 7, 20, 25, 55 and 99 were shown a red flag, following the fire incident, and having considered that times and split times set before the stopping of the stage, a time of 21:57.9 was allocated to the rest of the drivers,” Clerk of the Course Bimal Patel stated.

Following the weekend results, Vohra now reclaims the KNRC lead from Carl Tundo who did not enter the Nanyuki leg. He now leads the series on 66points followed by Chana on 53 as Duncan comes third on 41.

Nanyuki Rally is one of the longest running KNRC events. It joined the elite KNRC series in 1998, incidentally the same year former President Moi’s son, the late Jonathan Toroitich, aka JT, emerged the Victor.

The 2024 KNRC Nanyuki Rally results

1.Samman Vohra-Alfir Khan (Skoda Fabia RC5) 01h49m35.5s

2. Jasmeet Chana- Ravi Chana (Ford Fiesta RC5) 01h54.02.0s

3 Ian Duncun- Kavit Dave (Datsun 280Z Classic) 01h58.41.7s

4. Joey Ghose – Ryan Champion (Porsche 911 Classic) 02h16m17.5s

5. Neel Gohil- Wayne Fernandes (Subaru Impreza) 02h23m45.5s

6 Shakeel Khan- Assad Mughal (Ford Escort) 2h24m54.4s

7. Lisa Christoffersen -Lynn Lury (Subaru Impreza) 2h29m03.1s

The 2024 KNRC Standings after third leg in Nanyuki

1. Samman Vohra 66

2. Jasmeet Chana 53

3. Ian Duncan 41