Duncan retains lead as Kenyan rally heads back to Nairobi
Duncan retains lead as Kenyan rally heads back to Nairobi
NAIROBI (UPI): Ian Duncan of Kenya in a Toyota Celica works entry was leading the Safari Rally early yesterday as the 15 remaining entrants began the trek back to Nairobi on the final day of the event.
The cars are expected back in the Kenyan capital late Sunday after completing the 541 miles (865 km) journey.
Duncan had a combined time of 17 hours 44 minutes, ahead of Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Lancer in 18 hours 08 minutes, through control point 50 early Sunday on the rocky roads of the Rift Valley.
Frenchman Didier Auriol in a Toyota Celica was in third place in 18:52, but is far from happy with his performance in his first appearance in the Safari Rally.
"I am driving even slower than when I used to drive an ambulance," he said.
Another Kenyan, Patrick Njiru in a Subaru Impreza, stayed on course in the fourth position at time control 50, where he was clocked at 20:01.
If Duncan can hold onto first place, he would be the first local winner in 12 years, when Shekkar Mehta topped the podium in a Datsun Violet.
Pre-race favorite and four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen of Finland crashed out of the race on Friday and suffered mild concussion after running his Toyota Celica into a sand drift.
Toyota decided Saturday night decided that Auriol would begin the final stages ahead of the race leader "so that if anything similar to what happened to Kankkunen were to occur, it would happen to Auriol and not Duncan" who is the likely winner.
A total of 43 cars started the race, which is traditionally one of the most gruelling events on the World Rally Championship calendar.
Leading positions after third stage. 1. Ian Duncan/David Williamson, Kenya, Toyota, 13 hours, 0 minutes 2. Kenjiro Shinozuka, Japan/Pentti Kuukkala, Finland, Mitsubishi, 19 minutes behind 3. Didier Auriol/Bernard Occelli, France, Toyota, 1 hour, 3 minutes 4. Patrick Njiru/Abdalla Sidi, Kenya, Subaru, 1 hour, 39 minutes 5. Richard Burns/Robert Reid, Britain, Subaru, 2 hours, 7 minutes