Ford Fiesta R5 driver Karan Patel has taken an early lead in the KCB Voi Rally which got underway this morning. Navigated by Tauseef Khan, Karan checked into Service A at Voi Wildlife Lodge with a decent 49 seconds cussion over Carl “Flash” Tundo while defending champion Baldev Chager came in third. The event which counts towards the fourth round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) was flagged off by Taita Taveta Governor Granton Graham Samboja at the Lodge. Voi Wildlife Lodge is synonymous with motor rallying in the country having served as one of the nightstops for the East African Safari Classic Rally over the past one and a half decades. Rally cars pulled in at the Lodge for Service A midmorning after tackling a four-stage loop around Taifa Taveta County. The KCB Voi Rally 2021 is revisiting some of the iconic stages around the Taita Hills, Kasigau and Maungu.
Running through a Sisal Estate and Ranches , the loop provide a different challenge for competitors with varied terrain taking in smooth fast roads, rocky outcrops, the deep , red dust baths of Tsavo and the short blasts through parched bushland that may well prove very testing for heated tyres. The start and finish is at the Voi Wildlife Lodge and visit the Izera Ranch, 23 km south of Voi off the main Mombasa highway where a 5.2 km spectator stage was the center of attraction. The second run of Izera is the official power stage where the top three fastest cars will score KNRC bonus points. Title sponsors KCB Bank were represented By Jane Isiaho, the Group Regional Business Manager, Coast Region. Isiaho remarked: “KCB Group is proud to be associated with the national rally championship for the last 18 years.We have injected 1.2 billion towards this sport creating an ideal climate for the sport to thrive over the years. KCB Bank has also extended support on other sports. KCB has invested KShs.820 million in supporting the Bank’s sports teams.”