Leader Jasmeet Chana aka Iceman wishes to end the 2023 Kenya National Rally Championship on a high at this next month’s seventh round in Il-Bisil, Kajiado County.
All that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X ace driver needs to get his mitts on the coveted title on the weekend of October 7-8, during the Kenya Motor Sport Club (KMSC) round is to finish fifth, where — at the very least — 17 points will hand him an unassailable lead with two events to spare.
Iceman lost the coveted KNRC title to Karan Patel on homestretch last year and is one of the few drivers in Kenya to have won virtually all the lower tier championships including Division Three, Division One, Two Wheel Drive (2WD), Group S and Group N, which he currently holds.
The elite KNRC overall title is, nevertheless, what has been missing from his bucket list but the Nairobi-based auto technician hopes to ruffle feathers in Il-Bisil with his trusted Japanese marque.
Chana went into last year’s season-ender at the expansive Mwatate’s Teita Sisal Estate with a nine-point advantage over Patel only for the title to slip through his grasps at the eleventh hour, much to his chagrin.
He has vivid memories for his club event where he chalked up his maiden career podium in 2014 during the Machakos Rally, incidentally on his very first year teaming up with his elder sibling Ravinder Chana.
“KMSC Rally is going to be an exciting run for us because of the technical nature of Bisil stages. But it will be important to seal the deal in Bisil in order to end the 2023 season on a high. The KNRC overall title is the only thing remaining on our wish list ,” said Iceman.
Chana goes into the seventh leg with 171 points, a massive 84-point advantage over youngster Jeremiah Wahome in second after six rounds.
Chana and Wahome have two wins each whilst Carl Tundo and Patel have one each.
If Iceman finishes fifth in the next leg, he will have sealed the title with 188 points — which neither Wahome (whose achievable maximum is 186) or third-placed McRae Kimathi can surpass.
Iceman has already attained the 50 per cent threshold for championship eligibility and awaits major celebrations next month if all goes well.
And after many years with the Evolution X contraption, this may be to be Iceman’s best outing in his already colourful motorsport career.
“I hope that we can find a good feeling on the roads and finish the season and our partnership with my brother Ravi on a high,” he said.
Scrutineering will be at KMSC Clubhouse in South C on October 7 followed by action on October 8, Clerk for the Course John Kamau, has revealed.
Kamau announced that the route in Bisil is almost as it was last year. After Bisil, drivers will tackle the iconic Guru Nanak Rally in Kiambu on November 4-5 and the new Kenya Racing Team round on December 2-3 at Stoni Athi.
KNRC STANDINGS
1 Jasmeet Chana 171
2 Jeremiah Wahome 87
3 McRae Kimathi 79
4 Kush Patel 66
5 Nikhil Sachania 44
5= Izhar Mirza 44
7 Carl Tundo 39
8 Karan Patel 34
9 Amman Shah 33
10 Hamza Anwar 26
