Duncan’s winning touch

IAN DUNCAN AFTER WINNING AUTO-X 4

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Defending Champion Ian Duncan avenged earlier North Coast humiliation by eclipsing erstwhile motorbike rival Steve Anthony during Sunday’s Autocross showdown at Jamhuri Park.

Duncan beat Anthony-a multiple Motocross Open Class Champion-by a mere 10 seconds as the eight-leg Kenya National Autocross Championship series entered halfway stage.

Fears that the Security Group-sponsored race would this time turn into a cliffhanger- as was the case at last month’s Coast tour- evaporated soon enough moments Duncan gathered up his familiar fast and furious antics. “It was a really great fun day,” Duncan quipped as he sort to rock the winning boat Steve has been sailing through. Duncan- despite skipping the opening round- has won two races and so is Nairobi based mechanical engineer Anthony.

Indeed, Duncan and Anthony appeared to have forgotten the rest of the field on Sunday to aptly engage in a somewhat private battle.

Early exchanges were noticeable in the early stages of the heats. Duncan was the quickest though in practice session beating Anthony by milliseconds. Come the first heat, Duncan was raring to go with the fastest heat run of 4.43.55minutes. But Anthony replied with the quickest run of 4.48.47minutes in the second heat. Steve who beat Duncan to the third round accolade in Nguu Tatu North Coast last month staunchly admitted that Duncan was charged up for the weekend. “The first heat was slippery; we then changed tyres for better traction in the second heat and had it within our grasps. We had a great day. Ian was very quick,” said Anthony who consolidated his series lead with 76 cumulative points. Duncan secured two bonus points for setting the Fastest Time of the Day- (heat 4) 14.39.43minutes.

LEE TRIUMPHANT

Asad Anwar in Action

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AFTER a two months lull, Nakuru wheat farmer and two-time Kenya champion Lee Rose showed signs of little rust when won the KCB Easy Pay Loans Rally at the Mogotio sisal farmlands on Saturday. It was gratifying for Rose after skipping the Thika round last month and
coming out extremely formidable on comeback.Forget about the controversial Lomolo river crossing that ended Rose’s
rally last year when his car got stuck. Jasmeet Chana (VW Golf), the 2007 Formula Two Champion, rediscovered his
winning ways to claim the 2WD Class with 54.01minutes beating Munir Khan (Toyota Levin) by 3.04minutes. There were a total of 4 finishers in the2WD out of the seven starters.Rose was usually fast and furious in the Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club
(RVMSC) event appeared to thwart series leader Carl ‘Flash’Tundo’s three round winning streak.

LEE ON HOME TURF

Julius Ngige, Azar Anwar, Kigondu Kareithi Leo Varese & Charles Hinga at Todays

KCB easy pay loans Rally press briefing 

TWO-time Kenya Rally Champion Lee Rose is back on his home turf after a two month’s lull. Rose who is the 2003 and 2004 Kenya National rally champion makes a comeback in the Saturday's KCB Easy Pay Loans Rally after skipping the rally in Thika last month. Rose, who is navigated by Piers Daykin in a Mitsubishi EVO 9, has had to take a break after losing his sponsorship with Triton Sports last year.

Being the fastest driver on the local rally scene today, Rose’s presence is likely to send shivers down the spines of leader Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo who has won every single event this year. Tundo will be incidentally the road sweeper and will be flagged off first by Sports Minister Professor Hellen Sambili outside KCB Nakuru Branch on Saturday at 7.30 am.

Defending champion Baldev Chager who is seeded fifth said Rose’s return would be exciting. But one prediction for sure is it will be very competitive as many drivers want to rock the winning boat that Tundo is sailing at the moment. “We hope to see Lee at the event to add more spice as always. Tundo is on home soil and riding his luck which seems to be on his side this year. If both are in the event it will be fantastic and the race will be fierce with a few seconds being swopped every stage,” Chager said.

  ALI  Mirza hopes to uphold his series lead in the Cummins Karting Championship series which takes off in Solai racetrack, Nakuru on Sunday, June 14.  Mizra of Team Ali’s Magic renews his KF3 class rivalry with Champion and Team Magic's Dilip Dinesh whom he upset to stay on top of the Car & General –sponsored series last month.

Mirza and his cousin Ali Aslam (60cc) are riding on the crest of the waves, thanks to renewed inspiration that now puts them on top of things.

 The duo now hope to pick up from where their parents left and surely take Team Ali's Magic act to the next level- what with speed, grace and fervor. In the 60cc Aslam will fight it out with Tush mavji of Team Magic, Nicola Adriaensens and Jeremy Wahome-sposnored by Linksoft.