ARC Standings Manvir Baryan (KEN), 25 points Carlo Tundo (KEN), 25 points Gary Chayne (IVC), 25 points Piero Cannobio (KEN), 19 points Guy Botterill (SA), 18 points
The 2018 Africa Rally Championship (ARC) looks to be a fantastic year for fans of rally because it is now a three-way tie.
Last week, the reigning Champions Manvir Baryan dominated the York Rally after outpacing his South African adversaries during the third round of ARC series in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
The victory puts Manvir level on the leaderboard with Ivorian Gary Chaynes and fellow compatriot driver Carlo Tundo on 25 points.
A win in South Africa puts the crew in a better position to start thinking about defending the title handed to him after being victorious in the Mountain Gorilla Rally in Kigali.
Kenya’s Piero Cannobio would have raised his championship points after the York rally but got forced out of the race due to mechanical problems; he now remains in the second position with 19 points.
Dismas Kayibanda. former president of Rwanda Automobile Club, thinks this year’s continental championship will be an existing contest for rally fans. For the last three years, the ARC has had three different winners.
"York rally has been the most difficulty round of ARC series for regional drivers to win; actually I am impressed with Manvirs driving skills. He has a better chance to retain the title,” he said.
South Africa’s Guy Botterill, who finished third at home, is tied with Kenya’s Baldev Chager on 18 points.
However, it is reported that the Toyota Etios R2 driver will not be racing any further in the remaining rounds of the ARC series because of financial constraints.
The other three-way tie is the fourth position, where Ivorian Maxime Abondio, together with Uganda’s champions Jas Mangat and South Africa’s Mather Vacy Lyle, all have 15 points.
Having finished fourth and sixth position in South Africa for the first time, the Zambian brothers Leroy and Kleveen Gomes collected twelve and eight points respectively.
The next round of the ARC series heads to Zambia on the weekend of June 22-24.
editorial@newtimes.co.rw