Nikhil Sachania eyes Kenya National Rally Championship glory
After a successful Safari Rally trip, KCB racing team driver Nikhil Sachania has his sights set on the forthcoming Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) scheduled for Nanyuki.
The champion, the sole paraplegic driver on the 2023 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha, managed to place third in the KNRC category and twentieth overall.
This year’s podium finish for Sachania, who was navigated by his friend Deep Patel, was an improvement over his previous performance in the legendary motorsport competition, which was viewed by 70 million people worldwide.
Speaking after the prize-giving ceremony at Naivasha’s Service Park, Sachania said: “I am very proud of this fete after what has been a grueling rally, the toughest in the WRC calendar. The car is not in good condition, we want to take it back to the garage and fix it before we participate in the upcoming leg of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) in Nanyuki.”
Read also: WRC Safari Rally 2023 is off to a great start
He was among the three sponsored drivers by KCB and his teammates Karan Patel and Evans Kavisi both developed mechanical issues. The duo who drove Ford Fiesta and Mitsubishi Evo X respectively developed glitches with their cars that barred them from finishing the race.
“We always relish the Safari Rally considering the excitement and joy it brings to millions of people around the globe. I am glad we managed to finish despite the challenges we encountered in sleeping warrior and the first stages of the race here in Naivasha. We need to however improve and hopefully even change our car soon,” noted Deep Patel, Sachania’s Navigator.
Local Organizing Committee Chairman and legendary driver Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo is the other driver who put Kenya on the map with his prowess that led him to a podium finish in the WRC2 category.
