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To imagine the event is finally happening after financial worries is evidence of strong will by rally enthusiasts.
Motorsports attention fully shifts to Voi where the shakedown for Equator Rally is set to go down this afternoon.
The event that has attracted more than 20 drivers revved off with scrutiny of cars at Voi Wildlife Lodge this morning..
In the scrutineering, the team mechanics put their race contraptions through a rigorous process while drivers were out on survey to familiarize themselves with the technicalities of the route course.
After that, rally teams received car stickers, road books, safety plans and road maps in readiness for the 421.08 km route course before being flagged off to head to Teita Estate in Mwatate at 2.00 pm for the qualifying stage.
The qualifying stage will be followed by shakedown, which will determine the Start Order on Saturday for the Africa Rally Championship cars depending on timing.
Day One (Leg 2) on Saturday will be 143.88km, while Competitive will be 159.66km through the sections of Charcoal, Karani and Kamtonga, which will be repeated twice in the day.
On Saturday (Leg 2), the cars will restart at 7 am from Charcoal, and they will cover 71.95km, where the competitive distance will be 45.59kms bringing together ten special stages.
All drivers are optimistic about winning the rally bankrolled by the Kenya government. Drivers like Yasin Nasser, who will be cruising Ford Fiesta R2, believe that he is ready for the challenging rally.
“We are ready to go. It is our first time driving in Voi, so we shall take them as they come.
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Nasser, alongside Jas Mangat and Gurjit Dhanji, are the only non-Kenyan drivers who have entered the second round of the 2023 African Rally Championship.
Karen Patel, the 2022 Motorsport Personality of the Year, who is also the current National Rally champion, is among the leading drivers in his Ford Fiesta.
Aakhif Virani and Baldev Chager return to action after missing last year’s event, and they will be driving Skoda Fabia and a Subaru N12, respectively.
The full entry list:
1. Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Ford Fiesta),
2. Akhif Virani/Azar Bhakti (Skoda Fabia),
3. Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Subaru Impreza N12),
4. Raaji Bharij/TBA (Ford Escort MK2),
5. Izhar Mirza/Kavit Dave (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX),
6. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution10),
7. Piero Cannobio/TBA (Hyundai 120),
8. Yassin Nasser/Joseph Kamya (Ford Fiesta),
9. Hamza Anwar/Adnan Din (Ford Fiesta);
10. McRea Kimathi/Shameer Yusuf (Ford Fiesta),
11. Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX),
12. Nzoika Waita/Tuta Mionki (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX),
13. Jeremaih Wahome/Victor Okundi (Ford Fiesta),
14. Rio Smith/Riyaz Ismail (Ford Fiesta),
15. Kush Patel/Mudasar Chaudry (Subaru Impreza),
16. Ian Duncan/Jaspal Matharu (TBA),
17. Gurjit Dhabi/Manmeet Birdi (Subaru),
18. Jas Mangat/Joseph Kamya (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX),
19. Asad Anwar/TBA (TBA),
20. Anthony Nielsen/William Bass (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX).
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