It's all systems go as the two-car Team Goa gears up for the penultimate KCB RSC Thika Rally scheduled to start and finish at Mount Kenya University on Sunday.
The Team, comprising of Daren Miranda (Subaru Impreza N10) and John Fernandes (Subaru Impreza GC3 2WD), has began putting final touches to their preparations well in time for the Rallye Sports Club (RSC) round of the KCB Kenya National Championship (KNRC).
Speaking during a pre-event interview, Miranda, who formed Team Goa earlier in the year along with Fernandes, noted that the KNRC offers them a great deal of technologically diverse challenge adding that their participation in Thika this weekend will demonstrate the team's preparation excellence and anticipation, and will also help to enhance their two- car Subaru experience for the season.
Daren, who has participated in KNRC events for a.duration spanning over a decade said: "So far we are doing some work on the steering as we have had a few issues in the past rallies, so we managed to change the steering rack and steering pump and now we are working on the pipes. We formed Team Goa at the beginning of the new season when some friends of mine approached me and wanted us to partner up and start rally together as a team." Daren is currently lying second on the KNRC Division Two log with only two events remaining.
"To stay competitive in the championship, we really have to make sure that the car is reliable so that we can finish the event in Thika and score some points towards our championship campaign for the next two events.
John Fernandes who joined rallying this season will be teaming up with Nique Rattos while Amman Shah will be navigating Daren.
Fernandes said: 'After every rally, we usually strip the car look at what needs to be done. So when we stripped down the car unfortunately our rear suspension had gone, so we did a rear suspension and put everything back together. Our participation in the Two Wheel Drive category has been satisfactory in our very first year with Rattos and we have actually managed to finish events, so I think that’s a great achievement so far and we plan to finish Thika and indeed the season in a good position. One of our ambitions in the next two seasons is taking part in the WRC."
Meanwhile, preparations for Thika are in top gear, according to Hellen Shiri of RSC. Shiri said reconnaissance will take place on Saturday November 20.
Scrutineering, sealing and marking of components is also scheduled for Saturday at the MISC Kasarani from 0900hrs to-1500hrs.
Final scrutineering will take place at the Mt. Kenya University on Sunday, immediately after final Parc Ferme, Shiri added.
The event will feature a competitive mileage of 142.18km which accounts to 69% of the mileage percentage and a liaison distance of 60.5km and a total distance of 203km.
DRAFT ITINERARY (1ST CAR)- SUNDAY 21ST NOVEMBER
- 08:00: Start MKU Pavilion
- 08:18: SS1-Bufallo 1 (31.13km)
- 09:16: SS2-Ananas 1 (21.92km)
- 09:54: SS3-Pavillion 1 (3.52km)
- 10:02: HOLDING IN-MKU
- 10.17: Service A In SERVICE A-MKU (30mins)
- 10:47: Service A Out-REFUEL
- 11:05: SS4-Ndula 1 (25.48km)
- 11:48: SS5 -Bufalo 2 (31.13Km)
- 12:36: SS6 Pavilion 2 (3.52km)
- 12.44: SERVICE B IN SERVICE B-MKU (30mins)
- 13:14-Service B out/HOLDING IN
- 13.29: HOLDING OUT
- 13.42: Ndula 2 -Power Stage (25.48km) SERVICE D -MKU (10mins)
- 14.27: Service out /Parc Ferme In
