Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally

[Z-point]

The Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally is going on. You forgot?

And we are leading!!!!! We, means Datsun 240Z…… :bunny:

Here is an update and see the pictures, as if time stood still. Man this is exiting!!! This site is complete with routemaps, day results, etc.

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PORSCHE OUTPACE THE ESCORTS IN LEG THREE

“Great, we’ve loved it today but the tyres have had some work!"

Chris Angel/Mike Bowen – EAK/EAK – Datsun 1600SS

The historic Porsche 911s have excelled in the third leg of the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally and in contrast to the four Escorts and lack of German machinery at the top of the leaderboard yesterday, Porsche cars are now in second and fifth, with a pair of Escorts in fourth and sixth. Rob Collinge (Datsun) and co-driver Anton Levitan (multiple Datsun EAS navigator) have however powered back into the lead, the all-Kenyan crew holding a 24 minute and 4 second lead over Frederic Dor.

http://www.eastafricansafarirally.com/drumbeat/

[Victor Laury]

from the web site Kenyans Rob Collinge and Anton Levitan started the day in second position over 10 minutes adrift, but fastest time in sections 8 and 10 have elevated the Datsun 240Z crew back into the lead. It’s been the best day so far, a very clean run, said Rob. The car it’s strawberries and cream!

Sounds like they are having fun!

[Victor Laury]

The 240Z is fighting once again to earn the prize!

[Z-point]

As for now, one lousy picture. I hope that in the next few days the leader will come more in the picture.

[Z-point]

The Kenyan crew of Rob Collinge and Anton Levitan (Datsun) have extended their lead in the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally at the end of Leg 4 and now have just over 25 minutes in hand to second place Frederic Dor (Porsche). The day has however been filled with drama for some of the crews and the weary convoy arrived in Kampala with many a tale to tell.

[Z-point]

Tanzanian born Imtiaz Dewji and his Ugandan wife Zeini will be taking on the challenge of a lifetime when they take the start of the 2003 Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally. The pair, who will be contesting the event in a 1972 Datsun 240Z, have never competed in a rally previously and Zeini is also a late substitute after Imtiaz’s original co-driver broke his leg.

Based on the original idea of the 1953 Coronation Safari, the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally returns in 2003 as the greatest classic car rally in the world. The event, scheduled to run from 10-19 December, covers a mammoth 5,000 kilometres and will take the crews through some of the remotest and most rugged landscapes in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The 2003 Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally marks the 50th anniversary of the original Coronation Safari, a unique event run by enthusiasts to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. In 1960 the event was renamed the East African Safari Rally, running annually until 1972, and, in keeping with the sense of history, only cars originally produced before 31 December 1971 are eligible to compete in the 2003 event.

Born and brought up in East Africa, Imtiaz and Zeini have been avid followers of the East African Safari Rally for years, and their choice of vehicle for this arduous event is born from the admiration they have for Shekhar Mehta, winner of the rally in Datsun machinery no fewer than five times. Now, as residents in the UK, the Dewji’s 240Z has been totally re-built by Datsun specialists, Z Farm of Thirst, in Yorkshire, and the pair are all set for the adventure of a lifetime.

“This is our first rally of any kind and it couldn’t be a more gruelling event,” commented Imtiaz. “Initially we were just going to go as spectators, but our opinion very soon changed! We have had to overcome many challenges though, one being that my original co-driver broke his leg and secondly that my wife has had to step in at the last minute. But it is great to see the rally unite the East African countries again and the greatest challenge still awaits us. Our aim is to savour each moment and, as importantly, finish.”

[Bambikiller240]

Great Thread! Please continue to keep us updated.

[Z-point]

Lofty Drews will be making a nostalgic comeback when he contests the Kenya Airways sponsored East African Safari Rally for the 27th time, this year back alongside three-time Kenya National Rally Champion Jayant Shah, in a Datsun 180B.

Drews now lives in Toowoomba, Australia and describes himself as a gentleman farmer with cows, horses, pigs and chickens. He was born in Tanga and is looking forward to spending the last night of the rally there, having not visited for over 25 years. Lofty grew up in Lushoto where his dad had a garage; this is halfway through the Usambara Mountains section and Lofty should enjoy a fleeting glance of his old home area.

Lofty Drews has had an unmatched rallying career, having won the Safari with Shekhar Mehta (1973) and finished second on five occasions with Sandro Munari (1975) and Rauno Aaltonen (1977, 1980, 1981 and 1984). He has also done Safaris with Tony Fall and Brian Culcheth, and won the Himalayan Rally twice, once with Shekhar Mehta and once with Jayant Shah. He also competed in Argentina’s round of the World Rally Championship with Jayant Shah and the RAC Rally with Shekhar Mehta in a Datsun 240Z.

Lofty was the East African Hillclimb Champion in 1973, the Kenya Autocross Champion and has in more recent times been three times Australian Formula 2 Rally Champion, all with the talented Steve Winwood. He has not however rallied since his huge accident in Melbourne in 2001, from which he has had two years of back problems which have just recently been cured.

Lofty and his son David, who will join him as his service crew in the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally, have prepared the Datsun 180B at “Manyatta Farm” in Toowoomba, Australia.

Driver Jayant Shah is a Tanzanian businessman based in Arusha. He has claimed the Kenya National Championship title three times, won the Himalayan Rally four times as well as the Tanzanian championship title. He has also finished fourth in Rally Argentina and has contested the Acropolis Rally twice. He has only ever driven Nissan machinery, including the 1200, 1600SSS, 160J, PA10, 240RS and 200SX. A competitor for 25 years, he has had countless outings with Lofty Drews and last competed in 1991.

[Z-point]

40. Imtiaz Dewji/Uwe Kuurtzen Berger – GB/GB – Datsun 240Z

A broken rear axle meant the crew did not contest the competitive sections, but has joined the convoy at the Masai Mara this evening.

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Leader board after Leg 5

1. Rob Collinge Datsun 240Z 9hr 25min 15sec

2. Frederic Dor Porsche 911 9hr 49min 12sec

3. Stuart Rolt Porsche 911 10hr 15min 57sec

4. Iain Freestone Ford México 10hr 33min 49sec

5. Andrew Barnes Ford Escort 10hr 42min 21sec

6. Wolfgang Pfeiffer Porsche 911 10hr 51min 47sec

7. Bruce Field Porsche 911 10hr 55min 14sec

8. John Lloyd Ford Escort 10hr 56min 49sec

9. Josef Pointinger Ford Escort 11hr 10min 35sec

10. Ray Bellm Ford Escort 11hr 14min 45sec

[Z-point]

Rob Collinge, driver of the Car No.1, seen outside his Datsun 240Z shortly after completing pre-rally inspection at Whitesands

Hotel, Bamburi. Collinge and his co-driver Anton Levitan were first to be flagged off at Mombasa Tusk for the historical East African Safari Rally sponsored by Kenya Airways.

[Z-point]

DOR HITS PROBLEMS BUT MAINTAINS SECOND IN KENYA

The all-Kenyan crew of Rob Collinge and Anton Levitan continue to lead the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally, the Datsun 240Z drivers extending their advantage to 34 minutes and 45 seconds. Frederic Dor hit problems, but the French businessman, co-driven by Didier Breton, nursed his Porsche 911 through the day to maintain second position. Stuart Rolt and Richard Tuthill remain third in the second of two Tuthill-prepared 911s in the top three.

After the rest day in the Masai Mara yesterday, where crews enjoyed balloon safaris, game drives and witnessed hippopotamus and crocodile basking in the river alongside the Simba Lodge, the action got underway once again early this morning. The route covered two competitive sections and took the crews northeast from the Mara up to Nakuru, before heading southeast to Nairobi for the overnight halt at the Safari Park Hotel. The opening section covered 71.20 competitive kilometres from Seyabei to Tipis and lived up to its reputation as the roughest and toughest section of the event. The road section then took the drivers down the Mau Escarpment and into the Delamere Estate, where Lord and Lady Delamere hosted brunch and the second section. President of the FIA Rallies Commission and five times Safari Rally winner, Shekhar Mehta, and his wife, former World Championship co-driver Yvonne Mehta, manned the time control on the Delamere Estate, the Safari legends relishing the atmosphere of days gone by. The run from Mbweha to Mbaruk covered 71.17 competitive kilometres, starting off on fast and flat grassy tracks before heading into tricky navigation around the vast farm estate.

Rob Collinge and Anton Levitan once again set the pace, the Kenyans extending their lead after winning both sections in their Datsun 240Z. While Dor managed to keep on their heels in the opening section, dropping just over a minute to the Kenyans, Collinge gained more than four minutes when Dor hit problems in the second section.

“We had a couple of punctures in the opening section and then missed our service on the road section,” commented Collinge. “It was very good for us though, excellent. The car was specifically set up for this stage and it paid dividends as it goes well on the rough. This could well be enough for us to win now, but nothing is guaranteed.”

Frenchman Frederic Dor and fellow countryman Didier Breton are still in fine form, but the Porsche 911 crew has been hampered all the way today. Despite a broken rear shock absorber in the opening section, they managed to set second fastest time, but then they suffered the same problem on the following road section and were forced to limp through CS18, dropping more than six and a half minutes.

“The first section was very rough and we broke a shock absorber, but the service crew changed it at the service afterwards,” commented Frederic. “Another one then broke on the road section before CS18 and that’s why we lost so much time and were only 14th on the section. It’s harder to drive slowly, but we were lucky and the important thing is that we are still here and managed to maintain our position.”

Stuart Rolt and Richard Tuthill have also held on to their third position, despite unease about unlucky position three! The Porsche 911 crew were fifth fastest in the opening section and fourth in the second and are now just over 30 minutes adrift of team-mate Dor.

“One kilometre from the start of CS17 a calliper broke and we stopped to fix it, driving like hell after that to only lose about a minute,” commented Stuart. “Navigation in the following section was very hard and it was difficult to see where to go. It was a real mix of fast sections and narrow rough stuff and we both had to work really hard; total concentration, but we’re glad to be here.”

The Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally continues to receive a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the local inhabitants along the 4,893 kilometre route, many of the elder generation recognising the Safari legends who are working as senior officials and volunteers. John Sakau Nkamate, a security official at the gates of the world-famous Masai Mara commented: “We love this rally so much; there are good cars and many good people.”

After the overnight halt in Nairobi, the Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally convoy heads south to Tanzania, via the Namanga border post. The leg starts at 06:00 hrs on Wednesday 17 December and takes in three competitive sections, two in Kenya and one in Tanzania before arriving in Arusha for the overnight halt. In total, the day takes in 177.80 competitive kilometres in a total distance of 633.86 kilometres.

Leaderboard after Day 7

Rob Collinge Datsun 240Z 11hr 14min 34sec

Frederic Dor Porsche 911 11hr 49min 19sec

Stuart Rolt Porsche 911 12hr 17min 53sec

Iain Freestone Ford México 12hr 40min 35sec

Andrew Barnes Ford Escort 12hr 46min 09sec

Bruce Field Porsche 911 12hr 53min 36sec

John Lloyd Ford Escort 13hr 08min 25sec

Wolfgang Pfeiffer Porsche 911 13hr 16min 58sec

Josef Pointinger Ford Escort 13hr 30min 03sec

Ray Bellm Ford Escort 13hr 45min 22sec

DRIVER QUOTES – DAY 7

2. Bruce Field/Jan Thoenes – EAK/EAK – Porsche 911

“I just laughed all the way through CS17; it was so outrageously rough that’s all you could do! I guess I really enjoyed it though, some perverse sort of enjoyment, and we caught three cars, which was good. The second section was too much like hard work; I’m dead! But Jan did a fantastic job with the navigation.”

3. Michele Mouton/Ana Goni – F/YV – Ford Escort

“We broke the suspension before the start of CS17 but repaired it in time and although it was a rough one, it was good and ok for us. There was then so much dust in the car in the second section; there’s a hole somewhere and neither Ana nor I could speak at the end because we got stuck behind Andrew (Barnes) in the section.”

6. Iain Freestone/Rod MacLean – GB/GB – Ford México

“Ok, the event showed us how tough it can be in CS17; we’ve done that now! We then caught someone in the next section and had to slow right down, but otherwise everything’s ok. With the way the regulations work – allowing you to miss three days – at least we know we’re now classified as finishers.”

7. Ray Bellm/Pasquale Lanzante – GB/I – Ford Escort

“Section 17 was alright for us but we then got stuck in a ditch on the road section afterwards. Fortunately about 55 locals suddenly arrived and pushed us out!”

8. John Lloyd/Paul Amandini – GB/GB – Ford Escort

“First and reverse gears broke in CS17, but it was ok for the rest of the day. We got caught behind Wolfgang (Pfeiffer) in the second section, along with some other people, and it was impossible to get passed him. In the dust we then hit a rock and were lucky the suspension didn’t break. I can’t believe it though; I hit exactly the same rock two years ago and retired in the Mitsubishi!”

9. Wolfgang Pfeiffer/Peter Knoebel – D/D – Porsche 911

“I don’t have an English word for competitive section 17 (Seyabei – Tipis)!” The crew then hit problems in CS18, dropping more than 24 minutes for unconfirmed reasons. They have dropped from sixth to eighth today.

14. Richard Martin-Hurst/Tony Devantier – GB/NZ – Rover V8

“The first section was okay but we got stuck in someone’s dust and lost a bit of time. The second one was very tricky for navigation and we caught a Porsche with problems (Pfeiffer) and had to bump him a couple of times to get past. The car’s now tired…!”

19. Henri Guyonnet-Duperat/Claude Valion – F/F – Porsche 911

The crew had mechanical problems, missed the competitive sections and met the convoy in Nairobi this evening.

26. Balaraj Matharu/Timothy Mammen – EAK/EAK – Datsun 1600SSS

“CS17 was rough as hell, terrible, but we went slowly and nothing broke.”

27. Chris Angel/Mike Bowen – EAK/EAK – Datsun 1600SSS

“CS17 was fun, we really enjoyed it and it’s the right sort of conditions for this car; home territory! No problems at all but we really need more tyres; we have none left…”

35. Andrew Barnes/David Lewis – GB/GB – Ford Escort

“The road section after CS17 was worse than the section itself! We got caught behind Iain (Freestone) in the section for about 509 kilometres; I don’t think he could see us in all the dust. We had to back off and because the window winder has broken, the dust was choking in the car. We also damaged a wheel bearing, but everything’s ok. The second section was tough for David, but we didn’t make any mistakes and it was good fun.”

47. Richard Pugh/Liz Pugh – GB/GB – Volvo 122S

The crew did not contest the competitive sections and met the convoy in Nairobi this evening.