All eyes will be on Ndola a city in Zambia’s vast Copperbelt Province- on the weekend of July 26-28 as the 2024 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) resumes at the Zambia International Rally, round two of six.
Ndola is also home to former Africa Rally Champions Leroy and Urshilla Gomes who beat Kenya’s Karan Patel to the title in 2022. It is the third largest city in Zambia in terms of size and population.
Karan currently leads the ARC standings with an impressive 35 points, closely pursued by Uganda’s speed merchant Jas Magat with 31 points.
Kenya’s 2023 Junior WRC contender and reigning ARC Junior Champion Hamza Anwar (aka “Problem Child”) remains a formidable contender with 29 points.
Patel won the season-opening Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally (POAUR) earlier in May 2024 in Jinja. Over and above winning the Ugandan round outright, Karan also racked up additional championship points with setting the fastest time through the Power Stage.
The Power Stage (abbreviated as PS) is a special stage that usually runs as the final stage of a rally where the top five fastest drivers earn bonus championships points.
Power Stages are being introduced in the continental series for the first time this season.
Karan’s resounding triumph in Zambia last year, saw the former East African 85cc motocross champion maintain his unbeaten streak in last year’s ARC race prior to the season-closing Rally of Tanzania where he sealed the deal.
What made his victory in Zambia even more remarkable is the fact that during final practice run, Karan’s Ford Fiesta rolled over, threatening to derail his prospects.
Nevertheless, his technical team’s swift action saw the car restored to it’s prime, allowing Karan to qualify for the race.
Karan got his mitts on a maiden continental title last year in Tanzania where he settle second overall position behind Mangat, to seal the title.
