Jungle Racing team recount ARC experience, relish WRC Safari debut

Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) duo of driver John 'jungle' Nga'nga and his navigator Edward Ndukui are hoping to be right in the middle of the action against the big wigs when the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally runs on June 24 to 27. 

Despite the financial burden that comes with taking part in a WRC event, as they are expected to make changes to their Subaru Impreza to meet the WRC specifications, the duo say racing in a WRC event is a chance any driver cannot pass. 

Having taken part in last month's two-day Africa Rally Championship (ARC) Equator Rally which ran as a dry-run for the Safari, where they had a good first day but retired on the second day due to mechanical gremlins, the duo predict a tough event even for the best drivers in the world. 

"ARC Equator Rally was a unique experience for us. It started with a single-day single-pass recce. Our notes-making talent and experience was tested at this point. It is crazy making notes of a stage which will completely change when it rains. As a co-driver, this is when the Kenya Safari Rally feeling hit me," recounts navigator Ndukui. 

The crew cruised to a tenth place finish at the 14.67 first stage in Elementaita, in a rally that had 32 crews taking part. They dropped to the bottom of the list in the second stage, the 20.33km Soysambu stage, to 31st place owing to the retirement of Malik Hussein and Linet Ayuko at the first stage, after being penalised. 

They made better of the Sleeping Warrior 30.98km stage, going flat out to move up to 26th. On the second loop of Elementaita, the duo moved to 20th, then up two places at the Soysambu stage and back to the top ten, in ninth place at the final stage of the first day at Sleeping Warrior. They retired in the first stage of the second day, the Malewa stage. 

"On day one of the rally, we were out to draw blood. Coming at top 10 in the first stage, despite how muddy it was and our radiator mishaps, we were on for the fight; holding nothing back. Unfortunately this performance degraded over the course of the day with the radiator mishaps leading to power loss, and eventually a blown engine on day two," explain driver Ng'anga. 

"We are, however, grateful to the organizers for putting up such an awesome event, and gracing us with competition fuel from Jaguar Petroleum. We wish to see more of Jaguar Petroleum in the coming rally events and as Kenyan Rally grows back to its former glory. The Covid-19 situation was well handled, with regulated access throughout the event venues. As Kenya, we truly are ready for WRC Safari Rally," he continued while expressing gratitude to Jael Stones and Ernest Water for supporting the crew throughout the event. 

Meanwhile, Ndukui says the big teams from the WRC might be in for a big surprise owing to how the course for the Safari has been set up. 

"When the Safari was in the WRC, crews used to have special cars for the Kenyan event and if the WRC teams think anything has changed they might be in for a rude shock. The course is good, but it springs up surprises at the least expected stages. One detour from the road and you're knocked out of competition. As per my assessment of the WRC routes I have seen, Kenya remains the toughest Rally these drivers will experience. It will be interesting to see how they navigate the tricky stages, whether as a fellow competitor our a spectator. We sure hope to see more spectators in the coming rallies and proposes for easy ways for spectators and competitors to enjoy the action of the sport," he offered.