Africa-Press – Mozambique. Three stages and 185km of competitive driving stand in the way of Italian Eugenio Amos and the East African Safari Classic Rally title.
Amos, who has led the Classic Rally since Day Three, checked into the Voi Wildlife Lodge night stop with a six-minute advantage over Kenya’s Baldev Chager —the defending champion.
All the Italian needs to do to win his maiden Safari Classic rally title is keep his cool on Monday’s three-stage challenge. The cars will traverse the vast coast region including the Kenya-Tanzania boarder town of Lunga Lunga before embarking on the final journey to Ukunda, where the 4000km journey ends.
This year’s East African Safari Classic teams have had to contend with inclement weather, which has compelled organisers to cancel some stages.
Frenchman Patrice Pache in a BMA Vintage Porsche 911 was the fastest through the long repeat run of the 138.12km SS19 Taita 2 section where Chager ran fourth fastest and Eugenio sixth. Daykin and Duncan registered seventh and eighth fastest times.
Eugenio timed 20.44 minutes on the 32,03km SS20 Ngutini 2 section beating Piers Daykin, Chager and Ian Duncan to eighth, ninth and 10th in the stage.
Monday’s first stage (CS 22 – Teita to Mackinnon 2 86.31km) will be a reverse of CS2, beginning with some medium jumps over culverts and opening up to a big road with many blind brows. But still, expect high speeds, especially if the conditions are dry.
Thereafter, the penultimate CS 23 will run from Vigurungani to Lunga Lunga (the Kenya -Tanzania border town) — a 52.89km twisty road over jumps and blind brows which will continue for most of the stage, eventually changing to rocky and wash-aways due to rain damage.
Conditions on this penultimate stage will remain the same until Dzuhora town, twisty over jumps and rough in places.
The last and final stage will be the CS 24, running from Mrima to Ukunda and covering 46.52km. The stage will present twisty roads of many jumps and rocks in places. Clerk of Course, Renzo Bernardi, said: “Several junctions and small settlements are expected so crews will exercise caution. Conditions could remain the same till the finish,” said Renzo
Results After Ss20 Ngutini 2
1 Eugenio Amos Paolo Ceci (Porsche 911) 12:57:08.8
2 Baldev Chager Gareth Dawe (Porsche) 911 ) 13:03:34.6
3 Emile Breittmayer Alexis Thomas (Porsche 911 ) 13:15:04.2
4 Kris Rosenberger Nicola Bleicher (Porsche 911) 13:23:59.4
5 Bonamy Grimes 15 Martin Rowe (Porsche 911) 13:34:08.6
6 Ian Duncan Jaspal Matharu (Datsun 280Z) 14:04:58.1
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