Rajiv counts positives from KCB Nakuru rally

KAMPALA-  Rajiv Ruparelia had predicted tough competition at the KCB Nakuru rally. And so it proved to be for the fast rising driver who came home 12th in the gruelling event that was the first event of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC).

“It was a tough yet important experience in Nakuru over the weekend. Now he head back to Uganda to prepare for the start of rally in Uganda and how sport will pan out during this Covid-19 period,” he noted after the race.

Driving a VW Polo, Rajiv and co-driver Enock Olinga, overcame electrical issues in the first morning stage that made the car underpowered.

They also rolled their car in the seventh and final stage having fought back to recover time in stage four by making fourth quickest time of the stage.

The pair consequently finished 12th overall out of the 19 crews in the 160.7km race.

The rally was won by Kabras Sugar Racing’s Baldev Chagger co-driven by Ravi Soni in the Mitsubishi Evo-X in a time of 1:49:31.

The pair won all the seven competitive stages to finish ahead of sibling teammates Tejvir Rai and Onkar Rai who finished second and third respectively.

“The importance here is let’s gauge what we need to come back and do. It’s just to see the international scene. To give us a sense of feeling of what we need to do, to give us the sense of the spirit out there,” Rajiv further noted.

He is expected to take part in the Masaka rally when the Uganda National Rally Championship resumes next month.

KCB NAKURU RALLY
RESULTS
1 Baldev Charger (Mitsubishi Evo X R4)     1:49:31.6
2. Tejveer Rai (VW Polo GTI R5)         1:51:20.5
3. Onkar Rai (VW Polo GTI R5)         1:52:41.9
4. Ian Duncan (Nissan Patrol)         1:55:56.7
5. Eric Bengi (Mitsubishi Evo X)         2:07:27.4
6. Paras Pandya (Mitsubishi Evo. X)     2:14:49.8
7. Nikhil Sachania (Mitsubishi Evo X)     2:22:20.8
12. Rajiv Ruparelia (VW Polo Proto)     2:50:38.4
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