Dar Drivers Gear Up Ahead of Third Round Race

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Miguel Suleyman

27 April 2011

Fifteen drivers have begun a route reconnaissance exercise ahead of the AAT Rally planned for Sunday.

The 350km race, however, has thus far attracted over 90 per cent of the drivers from Dar es Salaam, the rally convenor, Satinder Birdi, disclosed yesterday.

The third round of the 2011 National Rally Championship (NRC), will take place at Bagamoyo with a view to marketing various tourist attractions available in the town. “Bagamoyo has plenty of tourist sites and the aim of this event to promote them… we hope that the route will draw hordes of onlookers,” said Nizar Jivan, the AAT president.

Jivan added: “We also plan to use the same routes for the African Rally Championship slated for September.”

For his part, Birdi said the organising team had already finalised the itinerary for the 350km race and the competition would be exciting.

He named one of the drivers lined up for the event as Randeep Birdi who won the first round of the NRC held in Dar es Salaam in February. Others are: Arif Haji, Mohamed Digala and Pandya Rally team duo Kirit and Dharam Pandya.

Birdi named other leading drivers who were already in Bagamoyo as: Frank and Kelvin Taylor. They duo will be representing Kilimanjaro Motor Club.The third round is likely to give Dar es Salaam drivers an opportunity to maintain their lead in the chase for this season’s glory.Randeep Birdi and Arusha’s Navraj Hans are in the driver’s seat with 80 points apiece followed by Arif Haji of Dar es Salaam with 60.

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