Rally crews and enthusiasts all around Kenya are gearing up for the opening leg of the Kenya National Rally Championships (KNRC) and with this, the KCB Group has officially renewed its sponsorship for the rally that is slated for Kajiado on the February 27th, 2016.
The long standing tradition of the KCB Bank Group footprint which sponsors major sporting events in the country has seen the bank put in millions of shillings in sponsorships over the years and this year is no different. The bank has renewed its sponsorship deal this year with a total of Kshs 45 million going into the rally. The funds will go towards facilitating the Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) as it stages the eight rally series for this year across selected counties in the Country.
Angela Mwirigi, KCB Marketing Director, said, “We are committed to continued investments in supporting sports in the country and beyond in our resolve to nurture and develop talent to compete at national and international realms.”
According to Kenya Motor Sports Club (KMSC) the organizer of the KCB Kajiado Rally, the scrutineering stage will be at the Shell petrol station along Waiyaki Way on Friday 26th February. The flag off will be at KCB Kajiado branch on 27th February and the prize giving will be at the AIC Primary School, Kajiado, in the evening. The first leg of KCB KNRC will be headed to the Plains and hills of Kajiado County in what will arguably be a sensational season starter.
KCB Group has always been at the forefront in supporting motor sports in the country. Their partnership in funding for these rallies has sparked interest in many people and has seen positive impact even in the Kenya motor sport map.
At a press briefing to launch the Voi rally in June 2015, KCB Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Charles Kimathi said, “As a banking group, we believe in nurturing talent and partnering with like-minded people and organizations to change the lives and experiences of the people we interact with. Business is no longer about making money but also impacting on citizens, households and businesses in a way that transforms them”.
This year’s rally is however expected to be a bit different and tough considering the route being taken is relatively new to the drivers. However one of the leading contenders in the list, the current African Rally Championships and KNRC champion Jaspreet Chatthe commonly known as ‘Jassi’, isn’t rattled by this. Jassi said that he has already converted his Mitsubishi Evo X from group N to an R4 since last season adding that his car is lighter and easy to handle. He is concentrating more on finishing and driving flat out this year as he admitted to taking a rather cautious approach last season.
This year the KCB Rally tracking has also introduced mobile technology by bringing in a mobile application that will make it easier for rally enthusiasts, friends and family to track and monitor their favorite rally drivers and navigators through the affordable and easy access of their mobile phones.
Below is the calendar of the 2016 KCB KNRC Rally which includes the various dates and venues that the rally is set to take place in:
2016 KCB KNRC CALENDAR
MONTH DATE VENUE
FEB 27TH KNRC1 KAJIADO
MAR 26 – 27 KNRC2 ( SAFARI RALLY) TBC
MAY 8TH KNRC3 KISUMU
JUNE 11TH KNRC4 NAKURU
JULY 23RD KNRC5 MOMBASA
AUG 20TH KNRC6 NANYUKI
OCT 8TH KNRC7 ELDORET
NOV 26TH KNRC8 GURU NANAK
