Rally school launched for young drivers

A few weeks ago McCrae Kimathi, 15, wanted the telephone number of Nation motoring correspondent Abdul Sidi to discuss “very serious business”.

Before long, the idea of helping thousands of aspiring drivers move onto the fast lane came to fruition. Kimathi was one of the six students at the inaugural workshop for newcomers to motorsports held three weeks ago at San Valencia Restaurant in Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.

Kimathi, who is named after former Safari Rally and world rally champion, the late Colins McRae, had his big day at Jamhuri Park last weekend when he navigated Formula Two national title contestant Charles Hinga in a Toyota Levin.

Last Sunday, the San Valencia KRDA (Kenya Rally Drivers Association) Rally School was officially launched at the Valencia Gardens on Riara Road, opposite the Nakumatt Junction, with Kimathi taking his first step to walking in his father Phineas Kimathi’s footsteps as a successful rally driver.

The school has since attracted 100 learners and counting. In fact, some fast learners will try out their skills at this weekend’s opening round of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championships series in Eldoret.

At the helm of the driving school is Sidi, a navigator who has sat beside some of the best drivers in Kenya. And he is doing it for free to help young drivers avoid the path he took when he plunged into the sport blindly. Sidi has teamed up with Phineas Kimathi, through the San Valencia Group, to provide support that includes basic needs of the students.

Valencia Gardens Hotel will also organise receptions at two graduation ceremonies while the practicals will be held at the Jamhuri Park racing circuit. The young ones have been told that all they need is concentration and a sharp eye for detail.

An excited Shamer Yusuf told the organisers after last weekend’s lesson: “You are making history and I’m sure many have benefited in your free training and your giving the sport a fresh approach!”

Sidi, George Mwangi, Azar Anwar and Phineas Kimathi took the students through the intricate business of pace note writing in a one-kilometre section which they memorised in detail. Anwar and Hinga volunteered their rally cars as they were co-driven by the students.

The first batch of trainees, in the meantime, moved into the serious act of car preparation, repairs and maintenance under the supervision of Anwar, a former national and Safari Rally champion.

“Navigators do most of the dirty work and I am happy with the enthusiasm these students have taken as they worked on my rally car the whole morning with a high degree of efficiency and proficiency,” said Anwar. “They will take the sport to the next level, and we are ready to help.”

The school, run under the aegis of KRDA, will become a permanent feature in the sport with the full blessing and backing of the Kenya Motor Sports Limited, according to the body’s general manager, Newton Njiru, who said he was bitten by the rally bug 12 years ago during the Eldoret Rally after Sidi encouraged him to take up the sport. His first event in 1998 saw him navigate Patrick Njiru to victory in a Subaru Impreza.

Do crazy things

Rally drivers do crazy things, but under the supervision of the navigator, who is actually the general manager of the car, said Phineas Kimathi, the last African to finish the World Championship Safari Rally.

In the current short stages format, the navigator calculates the amount of fuel needed and does some mundane functions of flashing the lights or hooting using leg buttons on the floor of the car. Besides, he feeds the notes on a gadget called Helda on the side door to calculate exact distance between stages while also calling for corners, hills and dangerous spots like hole

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Huge turnout as San Valencia Rally School is launched in city

An impressive group of 100 learners attended the launch of San Valencia KRDA Rally School at the Valencia Gardens in Lavington, Nairobi, on Sunday and were later taken through the motions of navigation by veteran drivers and navigators at the Jamhuri Park race track.

Started two weeks ago by former navigators’ national champion, Abdul Sidi, along with six aspiring co drivers, the second session at the San Valencia’s Anniversary Towers restaurant last month attracted 35 participants before the high turnout at Sunday’s launch session which was attended by drivers Phineas Kimathi, Azar Anwar, Asad Khan and George Mwangi who also imparted their wealth of experience to the students.

At Jamhuri Park, the students ‘navigated’ former national champion Anwar and F2 aspirant Charles Hinga in a one-kilometre, twisty section at rally speeds.

More than 20 volunteer drivers also took turns to be co-drivers of the students who were helped in making notes on the route by Sidi and George Mwangi.

Kimathi, the last African driver to finish the World Championship Safari Rally, said San Valencia was committed to helping sports grow in Kenya and, in particular, rallying which made him famous.

“We are happy to be associated with upcoming people because we believe health is important for young people,” said Kimathi who is a director of the San Valencia Group of Companies.

“School is boring as there are no incentives. But in this particular case, San Valencia will provide students with stationary, food and, in particular, Valencia Yogurt which is good for the brains besides hosting two graduation cocktail parties at Valencia Gardens,” Kimathi assured.

In 2006, San Valencia sponsored the Yoga brother - Willis and Ken - into the World Guinness Book of Records’ in ball juggling.

“When I return to rallying I will be looking for a graduate of this school to co-drive me,” added the former F2 champion.

Sidi said that he was happy to provide his services in retirement.

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Free rally school set for launch

The unveiling of the first rally navigating school in Kenya is set for Sunday at a Press luncheon hosted by the sponsors of the ground-breaking initiative in motorsports circles, San Valencia.

A brainchild of Abdul Sidi, one of the most accomplished national rally navigators in the country, the initiative has generated a huge interest among rally fans aspiring to become kings and queens of the Kenya National Rally Championship.

The establishment, which will fall under the Kenya Rally Drivers Association, got off the ground two weeks ago with an unprecedented response from rally enthusiasts, and is set to nurture the next generation of co-drivers in KNRC.

“I am overwhelmed but excited by the response from rally enthusiasts. It gives me a lot of encouragement to push further ahead with the programme. I will be a happy man if I can produce the next generation of co-drivers in the KNRC series,’’ said Sidi.

Free training

Sidi said the project is a historic venture meant to provide free training to those interested in joining the motorsports industry. Another effort by KRDA to promote the local sport, it is open to anyone from within or outside the KNRC.   

He commended his old friend and fellow rally driver, Phinehas Kimathi, for having volunteered to sponsor one of the most attractive ideas in local motorsports.

Never before in the history of a sport that started in 1953 has anyone come up with such an idea.Sidi is teaming up with Azar Anwar, the former Safari and National Rally champion, and George Mwangi, the only indigenous African navigator to have won the Safari Rally. 

Free tuition will be given every Saturday at the San Valencia Restaurant at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.

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