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Karan now part of the big boys' list in Africa
Kenyan rally driver Karan Patel (left) and navigator Tauseef Khan celebrate after winning the ASAS Rally of Tanzania in Iringa on November 12, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Patel finished three points ahead of Mangat to close the season as 2023 ARC Champion
- The most successful driver in the championship's history is Zambian driver Satwant Singh with eight championships
Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan have finally joined the elite group of Kenyan drivers who have won the African Rally Championship crown.
The crew finished second behind Jas Mangat of Uganda in Tanzania's final round of the 2023 African Rally Championship event.
Patel needed a top three position in the final event regardless of what Mangat did to challenge for the prestigious title.
Patel finished three points ahead of Mangat to close the season as 2023 ARC Champion. Patel scored a total of 144 points while Mangat finished in second place with 141 points.
Patel is among the last five Kenyan crews to have won the ARC crown. They are Jamil Khan/Arshad Khan, Jassy Chatthe/Dave Sihoka, Marvin Baryan/Drew Sturrock, Don Smith/Bob Kaugi and Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop.
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African Rally Championship (ARC) is an international automobile rally championship run under the auspices of the FIA.
The championship was first held in 1981 and won by Shekhar Mehta.
The most successful driver in the championship's history is Zambian driver Satwant Singh with eight championships.
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Doctors Raj Jutley and David Karuri will be in-charge of the Medical Team for Kenya's round of the 2024 World Rally Championship.
The Safari Rally will be held during the Easter period.
Part of next year’s Safari Rally route will be run in reverse order of start and finish during Friday and Saturday stages.
The Kasarani Super Special Stage will remain the same.
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Shekhar Mehta and Carl Tundo have been the most successful Safari Rally winners with five outright victories each.
Mehta won first in 1973 before consecutive victories 1979 to 1982. This was done while the event was still a World Rally Championship event.
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The 2023 Overall KNRC standings after the Guru Nanak Rally:
Overall Drivers: 1. Jasmeet Chana 229 points: 2. McRae Kimathi 126, 3. Jeremiah Wahome 121.
Overall Navigator’s: 1. Ravi Chana 229, 2. Mwangi Kioni126, 30.Victor Okundi 121.
Rally 2 Drivers: Samman Vohra 84, 2. Karan Patel 30, 3. Carl Tundo 30.
Rally 2 Navigators: 1. Alfir Khan 84, Tauseef Khan 30, 3. Tim Jessop 30.
Rally 3 Drivers: 1. Kimathi McRea 168, 2. Jeremiah Wahome 138.
F2 Drivers: 1. Daren Miranda 90, 2. Sam Karangatha 30, 3. Rio Smith 24.
F2 Navigators: 1. Linet Ayuko 90, 2. Edward Nduku 30, 3. Riyaz Ismail 24.
Group B13 Drivers: 1. Jasmeet Chana 240, 2. Rejveer Thethty 24, 3. Anthony Nielsen 24.
Classic Drivers1: Ian Duncan 60, 2. Asad Anwar 30, 3. Shaheel Khan 30.
Classic Navigators: 1. Jaspal Matharu 60, Devan Bhundia 30, 3. Shameer Yusuf 30.
Group N Drivers: Nikhil Sachani 84, 2. Aman Shah 45, 3. Asad Anwar 30.
Group N Navigators: 1. Deep Patel 84, 2. Rahil Shah 45, 3. Shameer Yusuf 30.
Group S Drivers: 1. Kush Patel 60, Josiah Kariuki 30, 3. Natasha Tundo 24.
Group S Navigators: 1. Mudasar Chaudry 60, 2. John Ngugi 30, 3. Chantal Young 24.
Group SPV Drivers: 1. Jose Sardinha 80, 2. Navdeep Sandhu 24.
Group SPV Navigators: 1. Shameer Yusuf 60, 2. Asad Mughal 30, 3. Mohamed Khuram 30.
Rally Raid Drivers: 1. Chinu Matharu 30.
Rally Raid Navigator: 1. Raju Chaggar 30.
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Why Group 'B' Class was banned
A crash that involved a leading FI star driver Marc Surer at the wheels of RS200 Ford that killed his navigator, led FIA to ban all Group B cars. The Audi Team withdrew immediately.
