NATIONAL Rally Championship (NRC) leader Johnny Murengezi is one of 16 drivers to have registered for next weekend’s KCB Mountain Gorilla rally.Murengezi, who drives for Unit rally team took the championship by storm after winning this year’s Rallye du Huye.
NATIONAL Rally Championship (NRC) leader Johnny Murengezi is one of 16 drivers to have registered for next weekend’s KCB Mountain Gorilla rally.
Murengezi, who drives for Unit rally team took the championship by storm after winning this year’s Rallye du Huye.
Murengezi took advantage of a hefty penalty on national champion Davite Giancarlo at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza to claim second place behind guest driver Valery Bukera of Burundi. Murengezi was consequently declared champion by the organiser and clerk of the course Christian Gakwaya.
Defending national champion Davite Giancarlo (Subaru N11), former two-time national champion Rudy Cantanhede (Subaru N8) and the in-form Olivier Costa (Subaru N11) have also registered for the 805km event along with 2004 champion Tony Saegerman (Subaru GT). Costa finished in an impressive fourth spot on the 2009 ARC charts.
Others in contention include; the Rwandan pair of Christakis Fitidis (Subaru) and Elefter Mitraros (Subaru), Valery Bukera (Subaru) and Alain Dethise (Subaru) of Burundi, Kenya’s Bharij Raaji (Subaru), Hans Navraj (Mitsubishi) and Mohammed Essa (Subaru) of Zambia, Zimbabwe’s Chase Attwell (Subaru), Mathieu Adrianjafy of Madagascar (Subaru WRX) and the Ugandan duo of Alex Horsey (Mitsubishi Evo 8) and Peter Horsey (Mitsubishi Evo 9).
Following a big field of drivers, Rwanda Automobile Club president Dismas Kayibanda has predicted a thrilling race.
"With these entries, I can guarantee all rally fans a very competitive rally,” he said.
While the event counts as the second tier on the NRC charts, it is the third and final round on the inaugural KCB East African rally challenge.
The series’ first round was held in Kenya (KCB Safari rally) while the second was staged in Uganda (KCB Pearl of Africa rally).
KCB Rwanda stand out as the lead sponsors after splashing a hefty $50,000 (Rwf28 millions) in the event.
On top of the $50,000 cash package, KCB will also facilitate the screening of the rally on DSTV as well as what Mr. Toroitich referred to as "miscellaneous” expenses.
Other sponsors for the rally include Laico Umubano Kigali, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) under ORTPN, Aquamist, Sonatubes, Brussels Airlines, Kiboko travel tours, Volcano transport services, Imexco and COGEAR.
Ends