Top regional drivers for Mt. Gorilla rally

SEVERAL top rally drivers are expected to grace this year’s KCB Mt. Gorilla Rally slated for September 21, Rwanda Motor sport Federation has said.

Thursday, August 23, 2012
TOP SEED: Davite Giancarlo is second on the ARC standings with 37 points. The New Times/File.

SEVERAL top rally drivers are expected to grace this year’s KCB Mt. Gorilla Rally slated for September 21, Rwanda Motor sport Federation has said.The federation chairman, Christian Gakwaya, told Times Sport yesterday that the preparations for this year’s edition are in high gear."We have started preparations and we expect a huge number of drivers to spice up the event. As per now, we can confirm that Kenya will send six drivers while ten drivers will come from Uganda”."We hope to get more drivers confirming their availability by the first week of September,” added Gakwaya.Rwanda’s premier rally event, which is round seven on the 2012 FIA ARC calendar has been moved from the September 13 to 21.Jean Yves Ranarivelo of Madagascar beat Davite Giancarlo to win last year’s Mt. Gorilla Rally. Burundi’s Valery Bukera claimed the final podium slot.Davite who plans to compete in the Kobil Rally of Tanzania set for August 24 to 26 is ranked second on the African rally championship standings with 37 points, 52 points behind Zambia’s Mohammed Essa.Last year, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) renewed a Rwf 29.5m sponsorship package for the event. This year’s championship is expected to attract leading African rally drivers from South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe.