East African Safari 2007!!! - U heard it here 1st!!

[datsfun]

Update from Stewart Wilkins Motorsport in Australia, he is very busy leading up to the EASR. He has three 180B shells he has to prepare for some Kenyan entrants (could be the 3 mentioned in the ealier post from Hatari)

Umm, the 3 already entered are from South Africa not Kenya . Must be the same ones though as I can not see a huge demand for the 180b's. Do you know if these are going to be L20b's or L18's? Or some kinda of combo

a new motor for the chap who purchased Rob Collinge's car, apparently they missed a gear during some practice and blew the motor.

Oh dear . That car deserved a better driver, IMHO off course

 

[hatari]

"Missed a gear and blew the Motor?!!!!!"

Oh dear ....... Hope nothing like that happens in the main event!!

Thanks for update Jeff!

On a different note .... Imitiaz Dewji has updated his site with some cracking pictures of the Zfarm prepared car in action in the 2005 event.

www.zteamracing.org

 

[zed660]

Datsfun,

Do you know if these are going to be L20b's or L18's? Or some kinda of combo

I understand the 180B's will be 1.8 to stay within the rules of the event.


Geoff

 

[hatari]

Rally of Tanzania

Rally of Tanzania - 9th - 11th Feb 2007.

This is one of the African Rally Championship Events. Events are organised to as near as WRC Events. So what is the relevance here you are asking?

Well remember Larry Horn?

Finished the event 10th overall!!!!!!!!! In a Datsun 260Z, competing with the Moderns - Impreza's , Mitsubishi Evos and the like!!

I picture of him in Action there!

Ladies and Gentlemen .... watch this space ..... the Best of Luck to him in the Classic Safari in Dec!!!

 

[Legendary5]

That's good research of you Hatari!! Well done, is he taking part in the other African rallys as well?

 

[hatari]

Larry Horn

That's good research of you Hatari!! Well done, is he taking part in the other African rallys as well?

Tanzania have their own National Championship and it is very competitive, I have no reason to think that he will not do these rallies.

However the ARC (African Rally Championship) is even more competitive and the 2nd round is in Kenya (9th - 11th March) - This used to be the "original" safari rally. This round attracts comptetitors from all over Africa and this year Europe and Asia as well. We just have to wait and see if Larry enters this event as well. Incidentally this event is the one the Fords (Stig and Bjorn) will be testing in.

 

[Nigel Brook]

Rally of Tanzania - 9th - 11th Feb 2007.

This is one of the African Rally Championship Events. Events are organised to as near as WRC Events. So what is the relevance here you are asking?

Well remember Larry Horn?

Finished the event 10th overall!!!!!!!!! In a Datsun 260Z, competing with the Moderns - Impreza's , Mitsubishi Evos and the like!!

I picture of him in Action there!

Ladies and Gentlemen .... watch this space ..... the Best of Luck to him in the Classic Safari in Dec!!!

And all with a car cobbeled together in Coalville!

 

[hatari]

And all with a car cobbeled together in Coalville!

.... And this "cobbler" makes some excellent Datsuns!!!

 

[zsafari]

Escorts v's Z. If you win the safari in an escort thats either because of reliability (favour) or because you can seriously drive..... because the z cruzes at210 kph down the straights and the escorts live at 180 max!. The escort is very quick and good in the corners but winning the Safari in the corners as I said is blooming hairy bananas. So if you have big nuts and don't mind living at 180 kms for 8 days of driving - have a go in an escort.

Look out for
Alex Hack - escort
Frederic dor - porsche
Juha Kankkunen - possibly in the z again. one of these guys could do well. Juha's Z was over prepared and under tested....also his navigator got very ill during the event, - might have better luck this time
Stefano Rocco z - will be too scared to crash it - he paid big coconuts to own it
graham alexander is another chappie to watch out for.
Also there was a capri last year - cant remember the guys name but its quick and reliable V8.
If any of you would like a couple of 05 pics up on the site let me know and I will put them up.

 

[hatari]

Escorts v's Z. If you win the safari in an escort thats either because of reliability (favour) or because you can seriously drive..... because the z cruzes at210 kph down the straights and the escorts live at 180 max!. The escort is very quick and good in the corners but winning the Safari in the corners as I said is blooming hairy bananas. So if you have big nuts and don't mind living at 180 kms for 8 days of driving - have a go in an escort.

180kph for 8 days on the roads in kenya?! U need seriously big nuts for that .... and a budget to repair your car at the end of everyday! I think sensible driving is more important on the East African Plains.

[/quote=zsafari]Look out for
Alex Hack - escort
Frederic dor - porsche[/quote]

Great drivers .... Dor with 2 years on the Classic Safari looks like a very possible candidate to win.

[/quote] Juha Kankkunen - possibly in the z again.[/quote]

Lets hope he returns!

[/quote]Stefano Rocco z - will be too scared to crash it - he paid big coconuts to own it [/quote]
If you see the previous post ....seems like he has already blown the engine whlist testing

[/quote]graham alexander is another chappie to watch out for.[/quote]
definate candidate for a top 5

[/quote]Also there was a capri last year - cant remember the guys name but its quick and reliable V8.[/quote]

Richard Martin-hurst and Tony Devintier - clocked some serious good times whilst they lasted in 2005

Then again it is the Safari and all the above could mean nothing!!!

[/quote]If any of you would like a couple of 05 pics up on the site let me know and I will put them up.[/quote]
We love pictures! Yes please .....

 

[hatari]

EASR 2007 Lands Major Sponsor

Kenya Airways Comes On board to Sponsor the East African Classic Safari Rally 2007...................

Kenya Airways will sponsor the third edition of the East African Classic Safari Rally to be staged in November.

The airline announced a package worth $150,000 (about Sh10.5million) during a function held at the Panari Hotel on Friday.

The deal will go towards supporting what is regarded as one of the toughest rallies in the world.

"Kenya Airways is happy to come back on board to support the East African Classic Safari Rally having been partners in the first event in 2003,’’ said the airline’s Chief Executive Titus Naikuni.
"Kenya’s image as one of the world’s leading countries in tourism and wildlife, will be boosted by the Kenya Airways move to support the rally.
"It will play a major role in the route plan of the nine-day event that will start and finish in Mombasa,’’ said Surinder Thatti, the event director.
He said: "The format of the rally would be four days of competition with rest halt in the famous Amboseli National Park in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.

"This will be followed by another four days of competition before the cars head for the finish on the sandy beaches north of Mombasa."
World famous Amboseli Game Reserve will host two days of the competition when the rally passes by the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro on its way to Tanzania.

Former Safari Rally winner and idol, Bjorn Waldegaard of Sweden is among the list of 29 cars that have already entered the rally.
The list of other star drivers includes former World Rally champion Swede
Stig Blomqvist and Venezuelan co-driver Anna Goni, who finished second in 2005. They will drive a Ford Escort Mark I.
Frederic Dor from Switzerland who finished third in 2005 has entered his Porsche 911 and will be serviced by Francis Tutthill.

Australian Graham Alexander in a Datsun 260Z, who finished fifth in the 2005 edition and Bjorn Waldergaard, who finished seventh have also confirmed their participation;

Early leader of the 2005 Classic Safari, Gerard Marcy and Alain Lopes of Belgium have swapped their car Ford Escort with a Porsche 911.

 

[datsfun]

Kenya Airways Comes On board to Sponsor the East African Classic Safari Rally 2007...................

Kenya Airways will sponsor the third edition of the East African Classic Safari Rally to be staged in November.

Do you think that means cheap tickets for rally fans .Lets pray so

 

[hatari]

Do you think that means cheap tickets for rally fans .Lets pray so

Anything to save a couple of Quid! But I still don't think you will get them at the rate you paid last year ...Even with the KQ sponsor ship!!

 

[hatari]

More Interest More Enteries More Details

More entries, more interest and more details

With nine months to go before the first car is flagged off on the start of the nine-day East African Safari Classic Rally, the entries are building up steadily. There are now twenty-eight confirmed entries (Current Entry List is 30 as at 1.3.2007, two further Porche 911's) and just over another twenty on the stand-by list which makes it look as if the maximum number of sixty crews might be exceeded leaving a few late entries disappointed.
Among the latest entries are Josef Pointinger from Austria in his well-known Ford Escort Mk1 while Albert Michiels arrival on the list brings the number of entries from Belgium up to a total three and his is the second Porsche 911 among them. Jayant Shah from Tanzania is once again joined by Lofty Drews, a Safari veteran and now resident in Australia, and this year they will be in the Datsun 260Z that Lofty prepared for the 2005 event but which arrived from Australia a day too late to take the start.
Although the details of the actual route are secret until the rally starts, the Safari organisers have released an outline of the rally with locations of the night halts. The innovation this year is that three of the night halts are used for two consecutive nights thus making service and baggage arrangements a lot less complicated. The Safari starts on Saturday, November 24th after two days of documentation, scrutineering and parties, with a ceremonial late afternoon start in downtown Mombasa in the shade of the crossed tusks on Moi Avenue. The following morning the rally proper starts from Rally HQ out at Diani Beach and runs through the day up to the first night halt in Nairobi, capital of Kenya.
The second day takes the crews to Naivasha down on the floor of the Great Rift Valley in a beautiful setting next to its own spectacular lake and squeezed between the Aberdare Mountains and the Mau Escarpment. The third leg is a loop out and back to Naivasha with all that the Kerio Valley and the Elgeyo Escarpment have to offer in the way of testing rally roads. The fourth day takes the rally south of Nairobi across the Kedong Valley and the Kapiti Plains with their fast but deceptive tracks deep into the Masai Amboseli Reserve and two nights in one of Amboseli's spectacular lodges. The fifth day is a "rest"day where those that have no work can explore the game park or soak up the sun. Those whose cars need attention may have to forego some of that but will be relieved to find that this year the organisers have removed the possibility to work all night on cars with problems. At the end of each leg, there will be four hours of servicing allowed before the cars go into a closed park while at Amboseli on the rest day, cars will only be released for a "normal working day" from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
When rallying starts again with the fifth leg, the route goes east towards the Chulu Hills and Tsavo West National Park with the night halt in the Taita Hills Lodge. The sixth day heads back west and into Tanzania to the area around Mount Kilimanjaro before taking a night halt in Arusha. Once again, there is a daytime loop out from Arusha west towards the fabled Lake Manyara and its lions that sleep in the trees, then up the Mbulu Escarpment and back to Arusha. The final and eighth day of competition includes sections from old Safari routes round the Pare Hills and the infamous Usumbara Mountains before crossing back into Kenya and the finish at Diani Beach on the afternoon of Monday, December 3rd. The cars and crews crossing the finish line will have covered 4,500 km (2,800 miles) of East African motoring plentifully interspersed with competitive sections but the prize giving party is still likely to go on until dawn with the Indian Ocean singing the victor's paean in the background.

 

[datsfun]

starts on Saturday, November 24th after two days of documentation, scrutineering and parties

, time to get the flights organised

, with a ceremonial late afternoon start in downtown Mombasa.... following morning the rally proper starts from Rally HQ out at Diani Beach ....second day takes the crews to Naivasha down on the floor of the Great Rift Valley ..The third leg is a loop out and back to Naivasha with all that the Kerio Valley and the Elgeyo Escarpment have to offer in the way of testing rally roads...he fourth day takes the rally south of Nairobi across the Kedong Valley ..... fifth day is a "rest"day .
... sixth day heads back west and into Tanzania to the area around Mount Kilimanjaro before taking a night halt in Arusha. ... finish at Diani Beach on the afternoon of Monday, December 3rd.

I am not sure that many cars will make it into TZ, after tacking the Rift valley. This is where they have got it wrong, IMHO.

But 10 days of rallying in Africa, who can complain

 

[hatari]

More Entries

The East African Safari Rally Entries increased to 32.

A wide array of Cars - Latest Entry is a Toyota Celica TA22. From Japan Driven by Yashiro Iwase

Yashiro has a good History of finishes 4th in 1993, 15th in 1991 in a Toyota ST185, 8th in 1985 a Ascona 400 and 6th in 1983 in a Datsun Violet 160J. Somone Please give this man a Datsun!!!!! Oh why oh why a Toyota? ...well at least it is Japanese!!!! Not quite sure about his car choice though, TA22 - never really rallied in Kenya

On another note Johnathan Savage won the 2wd catagory in the Just concluded KCB Safari Rally(a round of the African Rally Championship) I would watch him as well, he is fast, drives the Datsun really well and been driving in all the Local Events in Kenya. He is raking up the miles and hopefully another Zed in the TOP 10, may be Top 5.

Ford Historic Motorsport are already testing the Mark ones!!!

 

[hatari]

News Just in .......

Holly S#'@!!! Fords mean serious business ......


[SIZE=-1]Former world rallying champions Stig Blomqvist and Bjorn Waldegaard of Sweden are in the country to test their cars ahead of the Kenya Airways East African Classic Safari Rally to be staged in Kenya and Tanzania in November.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]The two drivers will test their cars in Ngong, Naivasha and Kajiado.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Blomqvist, who arrived in the country on Friday, watched the just-ended KCB Safari Rally at Lake Elementaita and Athi River last weekend.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Waldergard jetted in on Tuesday for the test drive.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]They performed engine and suspension tests on their 1,800cc Ford Escort Mark I restored by David Sutton Cars and Historic Motorsport Ltd in Britain. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]“It’s exciting to be back here again. I am here to achieve better results than it was in 2005. The car showed a great turn of speed in our first test in Ngong but we’ve still got to ascertain a number of things in regard to performance, tyres and suspension settings,” said Waldegaard.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]The car will be driven by Waldegaard, who finished seventh overall in the 2005 edition of the Classic Safari Rally. Blomqvist’s car is currently at David Sutton’s workshop in the UK. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]“Watching the KCB Safari Rally was a morale-booster to our test programme. We hope that the car will offer us the much needed reliability to survive the challenge in the East African terrain,” Blomqvist said.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Meanwhile, Waldegaard’s car will undergo modifications at Nairobi’s Mars Auto Garage in Industrial area. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]Pipi Renu, the Historic Motorsports local team co-ordinator, said Sutton, who is the team manager for the two drivers, would arrive in the country today and will be briefed on the test progress by six of the Historic Motor Sports mechanics who arrived last week.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]Renu said Blomqvist’s car would be shipped in later in the year, but will come in after undergoing similar strengthening as on Waldegaard’s car.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Surinder Thatthi, the Classic Rally event director, said the Swedish duo’s commitment was a boon to the rally as entries continue trickling in.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]The Classic Safari received two more entries yesterday, stretching the list to 32 vintage cars.[/SIZE]

 

[hatari]

MORE Z's in the Safari!!!



Two more entries to the 2007 East African Safari Rally.

John Rose and Mike Borrisow - (Kenya) Datsun 240Z

John Rose is a cracking driver. He has done many National rallies in Kenya and is an "old school" driver. From what I know the car was acquired from Tanzania and being prepared locally in Kenya. John Rose is a real hands on person and will probably emerge with a "real Safari Winner". Rallying runs in the family and his son "Lee Rose" competes in the Local Championship. John has competed in many safari's. If memory serves me right he has competed and won the 4x4 class in a "v8 Range Rover Discovery"- Which is prepared himself!!

Imtiaz Dewji and Hanif Moledina - (UK) Datsun 240Z

We all know Imi! Has competed the Classic Safari Twice and when he gets going he posts some seriously quick times. He just needs to stay away from the East Aftrican trees!!! Imi's car has been prepared by non other than the Z-farm and is with Duncan now awaiting a rebuild for this years event.

The entries have now gone up to 38!

Hardev Sira also returns in his 504 Peugeot, this time with a seriously powerful lump - a V6! Lets hope that this year no Antelopes cross his path!

Less than eight months left ........

 

[hatari]

50 Entries

Organisers have Issued the Following Bulletin:

Date: 10TH April 2007
Time: 9.30 am
To: All Competitors
From: Clerk of Course
The following Articles in the Supplementary Regulations have been changed (changes in bold)

ARTICLE:
7.3 Entries will be limited to a maximum of 60 50 cars.
If the entry is fully subscribed then the organisers may allow entry on a reserve list. The permission for these reserve cars to run may only be granted by the Stewards.
Reason: The organisers are facing availability problems for accommodation during the event.


ARTICLE:
12. Service Time Allowed
At the end of every day's competition there will be a maximum of four two (2) hours allowed for service and the penalties as in the regulations for late arrival into Parc Ferme will apply. There is no penalty for early check in into Parc Ferme.
Reason: To increase the rest time for the service crew for their safety. Also to reward those drivers who conserve their car during the competition.


Surinder Thatthi
Clerk of Course & Event Director

 

[hatari]

And Look at the Line up

And Guess What?!!!

50 Entries Already Received!!!!!!

Lets not get too excited. The organisers reserve the right to allow more entries. So if you wanted to make your own arrangement for Accomodation then, why would they refuse entry?

I make that 15 DATSUNS of all shapes and sizes. Of the 15, 11 are Z's!

Two New Entries for 240Z's

Harvinder Dhanjal and Harpal Sudle - 240Z

Harvinder is a Local "Young Gun", been involved in rallying since his came out of his Nappies! Not a winner but an enthusiatic driver. Now, his navigator I seem to know very well! Ex Kenyan. recently moved to UK - yours truely!

Rommy Bhamrah and Harvey Jutley - 240Z

Rommy has rallied in kenya for a long time, last year he was one of the "Route openers". Has done quite a few local events. Not sure where his car is from or who is building it. Sorry ... but don't know the Navigator.

GO the DATSUNS