With most of the race categories already sealed, the battle between 2WD Turbo leader Qahir Rahim and Azaad Manji is sure to treat spectators to some exhilarating displays in the last two rounds of the National Autocross Championship this weekend.
Fourteen points separate leader Qahir from his closest challenger Azaad Maji and it will be interesting to see how their rivalry pans out at Kasarani’s WRC Safari SSS Racetrack.
The 10th and last round of the Autocross season will be organized by Kenya Racing Team (KRT) on Saturday preceding Sunday’s belated sixth round which will be hosted by Rallye Sports Club (RSC) on Sunday.
Qahir is keeping his fingers crossed but hopes to drive sensibility fast to try and indeed win his maiden title in the closing two rounds that will feature four heats of which the best of three formats will count on the final classification.
“The buggy is in good shape, thanks to all the effort put in by Coach (Shazz Ismail) who is meticulously fine-tuning it at his Parklands workshop well in time. I feel confident and motivated going into the decisive last two rounds -so let’s see how it goes,” Qahir noted.
Deepal Shah and 2021 Junior 2WD NT Champion Brandon Ng’ang’a have an outside chance but will be no pushovers on the weekend.
Neel Gohil only needs to participate in one of the two races of the weekend to lay his hands on his maiden career title in the 2WD N.on Turbo Junior Class. The Junior title is a two horse race between Neel (164) and Amman Ganatra (127).
Bambino Class leader Karamveer Singh Rooprai (167points) has seven wins from eight races and only lost to Billy Tundo in the recent ninth round at Twisty Corners Kiambu.
But Karamveer already has the title in the bag and his participation is a mere formality.
With Karamveer already the champion, the focus in Bambino Class (for kid riders) will be on who between Saad Shamil Farouq (83) and Eann Bengi (64) settles for the runner-up position.
Rajveer Thethy has already taken the Open Class championship and leads by an unassailable points tally of 142 ahead of John Kadivane (56).
Sameer Nanji and Eric Bengi have also sealed respective titles in 2WD Non-Turbo Car and 4WD Turbo classes but will be in Kasarani at the weekend to end the 2022 season in style.
Gurraj Singh already has the 2WD Non-Turbo Buggy Class in the bag with an unassailable cumulative points score of 171 as Manveer Ghalee (now on 117) cannot surpass the leaders’ margin.
The 2022 Kenya Nation Autocross Championship season has been to North Coast Vipingo track, Nakuru, Twisty Corners in Kiambu, Nairobi’s Jamhuri Park, and Batian View Nanyuki track among others.
ENTRIES SO FAR
*Saturday 3rd December -KRT Round 10
*Sunday 4th December -Belated RSC Round 6
*Pee Wee*
1. Eann Bengi
*Bambino*
1. Eann Bengi
*Jnr 2WD NT buggy*
1. Neel Gohil
2. Amaan Ganatra
3. Ibrahim Mughal
*2WD NT buggy*
1. Gurraj Singh
2. Rahul Patel
*2WD T buggy*
1. Nisha Pandya
2. Azaad Manji
3. Deepal Shah
4. Gurdeep Singh Bharij
*2WD NT Car*
1. Samir Nanji
2. Ahil Khan
*4WD car*
1. Gerald Maina Captain
2. Andrew Wanyoike
3. Eric Bengi
4. Tony Gikuhi
5. Ishmael Azeli
6. Rajveer Thethy
7. Charan Thethy
*Open class*
1. Mustwafa Murad
2. Eric Njogu
3. John Kadivani
4. Safina Khan
5. Shajad Khan*