Six-time Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Two Wheel Drive champion Leonardo Varese cruised to a second straight victory in Vipingo in the Coast Rally Championship outing staged last weekend.
In the event organized by Mombasa Motor Club, Varese brilliantly steered his 2-wheel drive SportPesa Toyota Auris to victory despite the presence of 4-wheel drive turbo cars enlisted for the second round of the Coast series, a first in the championship.
Partnering with Kigondu Kareithi, Varese, a former KNRC Division Two and Three champion, showcased his prowess to claim a second victory in Vipingo that saw him finish first in the 2-wheel drive category as well as claiming the overall gong.
Speaking after the race, Varese expressed his delight in winning as he thanked leading online gaming firm SportPesa for their incredible support.
“For my co-driver and myself, winning two out of two events is truly not a mean achievement. Big up to our sponsors SportPesa who made it all happen.
The game plan from the word go was to avoid unnecessary risks and bring the car back in one piece. We managed to be clean and stay out of trouble,” Varese told KBC.
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Leonardo Varese eyes Coast championship
On the back of his win, Varese quickly shifted his focus to claiming the Coast Championship title after the morale-boosting performances in Vipingo.
“It would be nice to add the Coast Championship to my collection of trophies. After a good run at sea level, we will definitely go for the jugular to ensure we bring the title home,” said Varese.
To win the Two Wheel Drive category, Varese beat George Kiriazi to second place as Azfar Abdi and Prakash Jetain came in third and fourth respectively.
Azaad Manji and Shabaz Anwar (son of rally legend Azar Anwar) emerged the winners in the buggy and quad categories respectively.
Abdul Kadir emerged the winner in the 4WD category, followed by Nairobi-based duo of Ishmael Azeli and Issa Amwari.
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