By Frank Serugo in Lusaka.
Zambian crew of Leroy Gomes and wife Urshilla Gomes had a better planned strategy prior to going for the last two stages of the Sarago Zambia Internatial rally. Leroy in lighter conversation with Carl Tundo at service confessed to the latter that though he had closed in his time gap to just 11 seconds, he was going to take it easy in the last loops. This was after the Kenyan crew had picked a puncture in a very stage of Mountain Ext Rev2 that almost cost them a win. But this time around they decided not to change the right rear flattened tyre thinking Leroy was still in chase. The Kenyans were only shocked to the flying finish that day’s nemesis had painly dropped out of the rally. This development and indeed good news handed the foreign that had persisted earlier mechanical gremlins. All the top three slots, as other local boy Muna Singh Junior who had put out a great show, veered off the route into a tree in penultimate stage of the day. Tundo, South Africa’s Guy Botteril and Uganda’s Yasin Nasser, who was making his debut in Zambia, were the main podium celebrants, but, like they say, there will always be another day to battle. Victor’s celebrate their Zambia rally sucess. Nasser Co-driven by Ali Katumba in Subaru GBV racing outside East Africa for the first time, fought against all odds to a third overall position finish. “After breaking the gear lever we felt uncomfortable to push to the maximum and at this point, our strategy changed to fighting for a decent finish and earning some valuable points for Africa Championship,” said Yasin Nasser at the end of Zambian rally. Nasser posted bthe third best time of two hours 27.23 seconds, 12 minutes 20 seconds adrift winner Kenya’s Carl Tundo, who posted fastest time of two hours 15 minutes, three seconds. South Africa’s Guy Botteril in a Tptota Etios R4 came in second, four minutes 34 seconds off Tundo. Zambia’s Leroy Gomes, who had put up a spirited fight against the visitirs, lost it all in the last stage when his Fiesta R5 broke a drive shart. Kyle Latife and Mohammed KHassan were the only local drivers who managed to finish in top positions, fourth and fifth respectively. But with 18 starters on the gruesome flag off only seven drivers finshed the fastest but challenging event. Tundo now leads the 2020 Africa Cham[ionship with 90 points. Gay second with 73 and Ugandan Yasin Nasser third with 49 points. Rwanda and South Africa are the next stops for the Africa Rally Championsjip.■
