Birdi outspeeds tough rivals to win Mkwawa Leaf Rally
MOROGORO: ASAS Team wheeler, Manvir Birdi, is now poised to reclaim the National Rally Championship (NRC) title after winning the Mkwawa Leaf Rally this evening in Morogoro.
Navigated by Zubair Piredina in Skoda Fabia, Birdi won the rally after narrowly beating his closest challenger, Ahmed Huwel by split of seconds in a closely fought encounter.
Going as ASAS Rally team, Birdi clocked 1 hour, 14 minutes and 51 seconds.
His victory comes barely a month after winning the Euro Cables Kisarawe Rall in mid-August this year.
Though he started second behind Huwel who led the first day’s showdown, performed well in the first five races that played a big part in his victory.
Second overall in the Toyota GR Yaris, Huwel and his navigator Rahim Suleiman spent 1 hour,16 minutes and 20 seconds.
Third overall position was grabbed by Kithin Marey who clocked 1 hour, 20 minutes and 37 seconds guided by vast experienced navigator, Awadh Bafadhil in Mitsubishi Evo X.
Navigated by experienced Zambian co-driver, Dave Sihoka, Arusha’s Gurpal Sandhu claimed the fourth position also in Mitsubishi Evo X. They clocked 1 hour, 21 minutes and 25 seconds.
Fifth overall was Waleed Nahdi and his navigator Ally Humoud in Subaru Impreza N11. They clocked 1 hour,22 minutes and 45 seconds ahead of the sixth-placed Harrinder Deere who was timed at 1 hour, 22 minutes and 59 seconds..
Others who managed to finish the rally, Tufail Amin and Kartik Valambhia.
ALSO READ: Huwel wins Mkwawa Leaf Rally’s Super Special Stage
The surprise package of the event was Kithin Marey who finished third in 04:28:2 under during the Super Special Stage and went to claim a similar position at the end of the event.
Twelve cars managed to finish the two opening stages held at TFS Mkundi Forest in Morogoro.
This event remained a fierce chase for the diadem between the defending champion, Ahmed Huwel and his top challenger, Manvir Birdi.
Organized by t Mount Uluguru Motorsports Club, this spectacular event drew 12 cars
