So near yet so far for Karan in ARC title race

Kenya's Karan Patel lifted the Sarago Zambia International Rally title in Lusaka on Sunday 23 October but his quest for the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) gong went up the flames.

Ndola-based speedster Leroy Gomes who went to his home rally needing a finish to deny Patel the title managed to come home second yo seal the continental title.

Karan, who is also a contender for the 2022 Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) title, saw the coveted championship slip through his grasp despite winning four out of six rounds in Kenya (Equator), Rwanda (Mountain Gorilla), Tanzania and Zambia.

Rejoining the muddy Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally in May on "Super Rally" also saw Karan lose vital championship points as he wrapped up the Kampala based fixture in a disappointing 10th overall position.

However, victory in the 48th edition of Rallye Bandama in Côte d'Ivoire in February gave the husband and wife team of Leroy and Urshlla Gomes a head start in the six-leg competition whose last round in South Africa was called off due to financial constraints.

After Côte d'Ivoire, Gomes finished second in the subsequent five rounds in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia to seal his maiden career title on home soil.

He now brings to an end the seven-year dominance of the title by Kenyans after Jassi Chathe in 2015, Don Smith in 2016, Manvir Baryan's memorable hat trick between 2017-19, and most recently Carl "Flash" Tundo's peerless drive in 2021. 

In Lusaka, Karan drove like a man possessed, beating the new champion (Gomes) by a 0:01.02minutes margin as Junior WRC star McRae Kimathi sealed the podium tussle in his M-sport Poland prepared Ford Fiesta Rally3.

A podium finish in the sixth round of the continental series was enough for Kimathi junior to seal the ARC3 title much to his credit.

Hamza Anwar's fourth overall in Zambia also guarantees him the 2022 ARC Junior title which was won by McRae last year. 

US Grand Prix: Sainz vs Verstappen and Red Bull’s title charge – What To Watch For

The core contenders on the 2022 ARC front, who included Karan and the rally youngsters' quartet of Maxine Wahome, Jeremiah Wahome, McRae and Hamza - all skipped the season-opening Côte d'Ivoire round and only kick-started their spirited campaigns on ARC Equator Rally Kenya.

Bandama was for the umpteenth time the season opener for the FIA- regional series first held in the early 1980s.

Bandama was part of the World Rally Championship for drivers and manufacturers from 1978 to 1981, and part of the drivers' championship only in 1977 and from 1982 to 1992.

In 2006, Rallye Bandana was part of the African Rally Championship, but was dropped for the 2007 season due to reports by observers.

Zambia Rally results

1 (#50)  Karan K Patel KEN /Tauseef Khan KEN- Ford Fiesta Rally 2 2:22:21

2 (#1) Leroy Gomes ZAM/ Urshilla Gomes ZAM -Ford Fiesta Rally 2 2:23:23 

3 (#54) McRae Kimathi /KEN Mwangi Kioni KEN- Ford Fiesta Rally 3  2:33:24 0:11:03

4 (#51)Hamza Anwar KEN /Adnan Din KEN Ford Fiesta Rally 3  2:36:31 

5 (#53 Maxine Wahome KEN/ Murage Wa Waigwa  KEN -Ford Fiesta Rally 2:41:25

6 (#52) Jeremiah Wahome KEN /Victor Okundi KEN- Ford Fiesta Rally 3 ARC 2:45:41

FINAL ARC STANDINGS (TOP 10)

1. Leroy Gomes (ZAM) 150

2. Karan Pqtel (KEN) 135

3. Hamza Anwar (KEN) 74

4. Jeremiah Wahome (KEN) 70

5. McRae Kimathi 64

6. Jas Mangat (UGA) 49

7. Maxine Wahome (KEN) 45

8. Giancarlo Davite (RWA) 38

9. Yasin M Nasser (UG) 34

10. Jasmeet Chana (KEN) 21

ARC JUNIOR 

1. Hamza Anwar 111

2. McRae Kimathi 100

3. Jeremiah Wahome 97

4. Maxine Wahome 64

5. Rio Smith 17

ARC3

1. McRae Kimathi 105

2. Jeremiah Wahome 97

3. Hamza Anwar 84

4. Maxine Wahome 40