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Motocross goes regional as rally raid and cross country races attract good drivers, spectators
Neel Gohil negotiates a bend in his two-wheel drive N/T buggy during the first round of the Kenya National Autocross Championships at Rift Valley Motorsport Club in Bahati, Nakuru on January 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Motocross went regional, rally raid and cross country races attracted good drivers and riders, while the 4x4 shoot-outs were so popular that youngsters in vehicles borrowed from parents could challenge seasoned grown-ups
- Kenya finished fourth in the FIM Motorcross Africa Nations Championship at the Victoria Raceway Park in Garuga, Uganda, in August
- Vipingo in Kilifi hosted the only motorcross outing in the Coastal region last October for the young and old
While the Kenya National Rally Championship was the most visible monthly competition of the 2022 motorsport season, there was action galore in other disciplines despite little or no structured public information.
Motocross went regional, rally raid and cross country races attracted good drivers and riders, while the 4x4 shoot-outs were so popular that youngsters in vehicles borrowed from parents could challenge seasoned grown-ups.
Autocross was the ultimate hybrid forum for top drivers to mix it up with circuit racers.
This discipline once again proved to be the breeding ground of future rally drivers.
Neel Gohil won the Junior Two Wheel Drive Non-Turbo title at the final national championship at the WRC Kasarani SSS race track ahead of Amman Ganatra in December.
Other champions for the 2022 season were Eric Bengi (Four Wheel Drive Turbo), Rajveer Thethy (Open Class), Gurraj Singh (Two Wheel Drive Non-Turbo Buggy) and Sameer Nanji (Two Wheel Drive Non-Turbo Car).
The Rally Raid Championship was another past-time in remote locations. The Prototype Class of 2022 was won by Ross Field and Quentin Savage.
Zane Young and Chantal Louise Young along with Shanty Singh were the best in the buggy class.
Geoff Mayes and Riyaz Ismail and the crew of Suzanne Zwager and Lionel Sphinx Pereira won the modified category class in their Land Rover.
Elsewhere, Kenya finished fourth in the FIM Motorcross Africa Nations Championship at the Victoria Raceway Park in Garuga, Uganda, in August.
South Africa successfully defended their African title with 654 points ahead of Zimbabwe who were just one point behind.
Uganda collected 578 points and Kenya 346 points.
Botswana and Zambia were the other nations that competed in the two-day event.
The only Kenyan entered in the MX1 category, Rolf Kihara, finished fourth behind South Africa’s Jayden Proctor, Zambia’s Scott Keygate and Uganda’s Alestair Arthur.
In the end, Kihara’s performance earned Kenya 39 points. Uganda’s Gift Ssebuguzi, in the MX Lites, was the only African champion from East Africa at the championship.
This was an improvement for Team Kenya at the event having finished fifth in Zimbabwe three years ago.
Kenya captain Alex Kandie led the side from the front by collecting the most points and finishing on the podium in his MX 125cc category.
He garnered 45 points and was only beaten by Breece Romans of South Africa.
Vipingo in Kilifi hosted the only motocross outing in the Coastal region last October for the young and old.
It attracted over 70 competitors and about 1,000 spectators.
