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Today was day seven of the 2019 East African Safari Classic Rally. The competitors crossed from Tanzania back into Kenya, completing three stages en route.
Seventeen cars started day seven and all seventeen completed the 54-km SS16 (Magazoni). Stig Blomqvist set the quickest time on the stage, some seventeen seconds ahead of Baldev Chager in the Kabras Racing 911. Below Zero Ice Driving instructor, Osian Pryce, was third in his Ford Escort, while Philip Kadoorie set the fourth fastest time, just half a minute off Blomqvist.
The time of Blomqvist and Jörgen Fornander took them to within eight seconds of rally leaders, Kris Rosenberger and Nicola Bleicher. Driving to preserve the car but keep the pressure up on those ahead, Stig set the second quickest time on SS17 – some 53 seconds behind another Kabras 911 – but almost two minutes quicker than the leaders. The canny Swede was now in front.
The battle continued in SS18, with the Martini car beating Stig’s blue Race4Health winner from 2015, closing the gap down to less than a minute. At the end of day seven, Stig is still out in front: this excellent tussle is set to continue over the remaining two days/six stages.
Richard’s video diary from day seven was recorded in the management car between stages and gives a tongue-in-cheek precis of what happens on event. Some serious decisions have been made in this car on previous events, but not too many this morning, as the top three cars are all from our stable. Subject to confirmation by the organisers, Stig’s Team Tidö Race4Health car will start day eight out in front.
