Blast-off
Jul 12, 2002
Charles Muhangi’s Ekitaguriiro was one of 47 cars flagged off by Britain’s Prince Edward as the 50th Safari Rally began in earnest yesterday at the KICC in Nairobi.
By douglas Mazune and Reuben OlitaTop 30 of 47 starters:1.Gronholm Peugeot 206 2.Sainz Ford Focus 3.Panizzi Peugeot 206 4.McRae Ford Focus 5.Burns Peugeot 206 6.Solberg Subaru Impreza 7.Makinen Subaru Impreza 8.Rovanpera Peugeot 206 9.Loeb Citroën Xsara 10.Martin Ford Focus 11.A McRae Mitsubishi L12.Gardemeister Skoda O13.Eriksson Skoda Octavia14.Kankkunen Hyundai A 15.Schwarz Hyundai A 16.Delecour Mitsubishi L 17.Loix Hyundai Accent18.Radstrom Citroën Xsara 19.Kresta Skoda Octavia 20.Dor Subaru Impreza 21.Singh Proton Pert N 22.Arai Subaru Impreza 23.Fiorio Mitsubishi Evo 24.Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer 25.Marrini Mitsubishi L 26.Green Subaru Impreza 27.Sanji Subaru Impreza 28.Lloyd Mitsubishi Evo 4 29.Hellier Mitsubishi Lancer 30.Muhangi Subaru Impreza Charles Muhangi’s Ekitaguriiro was one of 47 cars flagged off by Britain’s Prince Edward as the 50th Safari Rally began in earnest yesterday at the KICC in Nairobi.Muhangi and navigator Frank Nekusa (car 107) were flagged off at 8.40am from where they went to watch World Rally Championship teams at the shakedown at Suswa Service Park.The majority of privateers did not take part in the warmup which does not count towards the three-day rally points.Muhangi seems to have been impressed by what he saw, and said trying to chase the WRCs would be in vain.“I will drive to finish the rally, I will not chase Richard Burns or Makinen,†he said. “I am ready. I have been doing a lot of exercises to keep every part of my body fit for this tough test.†World Rally Championship leader Marcus Gronholm will set off first today at Safari Park Hotel at 6.00am. The first car is expected back in Nairobi at 7.00pm while privateers including Muhangi will finish the first leg late in the night.Gronholm will have to overcome a personal jinx, his team Peugeot’s 24-year win hoodoo and poor driving conditions to win. The Finnish star has a 13-point lead over second placed Spain’s Carlos Sainz going into the start of the challenging eighth stage today.The 34-year-old failed to finish in both the 2000 and 2001 Safari Rallys.Ends