East African Safari Classic - The World's Greatest Rally

PRESS RELEASE No. 2

The world's greatest classic rally continues

As entries continued to arrive over the Christmas holiday, it is evident that the 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic may see an important piece of rally history replayed.

It was thirty-five years ago that Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm finally broke the stranglehold of the local drivers and became the first crew from outside East Africa to win the Safari. Ever since the event's inception in 1953, the winners had always been drivers living in one of the three countries - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - that made up East Africa. In the ensuing thirty years, the score was eight victories to the locals and twenty-three to the visitors, a performance that brought the visitors to within four outright victories of the locals.

When the World Championship Safari Rally stopped with its last event in 2002, the KQ Safari Classic was born and the first event run under that name was held in 2003.

Thus the situation is that as far as the KQ Safari Classic is concerned, the score is two victories to the locals and one to the visitors with Bjorn Waldegard's win in 2007. Can we see a little bit of history being replayed? And will the visitors catch up one place in the overall number of wins?
To date entries have reached 30 in numbers with 22 overseas entrants and only 8 local Kenya and Tanzanian drivers. Leading the international onslaught is 2007 winner Bjorn and Mathias Waldegard in a Porsche 911 and local hopes are pinned on 1994 Safari Rally winner Ian Duncan and Amaar Slatch in their Ford Mustang.

Other notable entries are former rally leader Gerard Marcy, runner up Frederic Dor and a host of 14 new drivers to the Safari like Jean-Pierre Mondron (owner of Kronos Racing) Aziz Tejpar and two Renault Alpine A110's from Comas Racing in France.

For press enquiries, contact E-mail: info@eastafricansafarirally.com

East African Safari Classic Rally 2007
No.10, Metropolitan Estate
Chiromo Access Road (Off Riverside Drive)
P.O. Box 14910 - 00800
Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: +254-733-730556
Fax: +254-20-4440346
Email: info@eastafricansafarirally.com
Website: www.eastafricansafarirally.com

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PRESS RELEASE No. 2 The world's greatest classic rally continues As entries continued to arrive over the Christmas holiday, it is evident that the 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic may see an important piece of rally history replayed. It was thirty-five years ago that Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm finally broke the stranglehold of the local drivers and became the first crew from outside East Africa to win the Safari. Ever since the event's inception in 1953, the winners had always been drivers living in one of the three countries - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - that made up East Africa. In the ensuing thirty years, the score was eight victories to the locals and twenty-three to the visitors, a performance that brought the visitors to within four outright victories of the locals. When the World Championship Safari Rally stopped with its last event in 2002, the KQ Safari Classic was born and the first event run under that name was held in 2003. Thus the situation is that as far as the KQ Safari Classic is concerned, the score is two victories to the locals and one to the visitors with Bjorn Waldegard's win in 2007. Can we see a little bit of history being replayed? And will the visitors catch up one place in the overall number of wins? To date entries have reached 30 in numbers with 22 overseas entrants and only 8 local Kenya and Tanzanian drivers. Leading the international onslaught is 2007 winner Bjorn and Mathias Waldegard in a Porsche 911 and local hopes are pinned on 1994 Safari Rally winner Ian Duncan and Amaar Slatch in their Ford Mustang. Other notable entries are former rally leader Gerard Marcy, runner up Frederic Dor and a host of 14 new drivers to the Safari like Jean-Pierre Mondron (owner of Kronos Racing) Aziz Tejpar and two Renault Alpine A110's from Comas Racing in France. For press enquiries, contact E-mail: info@eastafricansafarirally.com East African Safari Classic Rally 2007 No.10, Metropolitan Estate Chiromo Access Road (Off Riverside Drive) P.O. Box 14910 - 00800 Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254-733-730556 Fax: +254-20-4440346 Email: info@eastafricansafarirally.com Website: www.eastafricansafarirally.com
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