Patel, Young, Chana siblings to be feted at Saturday’s annual awards

• The annual KMSF Awards will be staged on Saturday at Kasarani
• The top personality of the year awards will be revealed in the ceremony
• Different winners from the season will also be feted

The 2022 Motorsport Personality-of-the-year 2022 will be announced on Saturday during the Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF) Annual Awards to be held at Kasarani Stadium.

The top personality award is usually discreet and, for starters, shall only be revealed on the gala night which will be graced by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.

As is usually the norm, the Personality will officially be incorporated into the Roll of Honor which features some of Kenya’s most decorated drivers from the 1960s to date.

The naming of the personality will be preceded by a segment which will fete all champions in their respective categories of motorsport.

Among those to be feted in the event will be the Young siblings-Zane and Chantal -who emerged the 2022 Kenya National Rally Raid Buggy Class drivers’ and navigators’ Champions.

Eric Bengi and his son Eann Bengi will also be bestowed with the National Autocross Championship 4-Wheel Drive Turbo and Pee Wee Class Championship honors respectively.

Patel brothers- Karan and Kush- will receive their double championship awards, whilst the Chana siblings- Jasmeet and Ravi -will receive their Group N titles.

FIA Awards

Hamza Anwar will officially receive his trophy as the 2022 Junior ARC Champion whilst McRae Kimathi and Rio Smith will also receive their silverware as the ARC-3 and ARC-4 champions respectively.

Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) Chairman Phineas Kimathi recently appointed a five-member committee tasked with the responsibility to determine the top personality for 2022.

The panel is chaired by Surinder Thatthi who is being assisted by Tuta Mionki, Faith Wathome, Ann Troughton and KMSF General Manager Mwaura Njuguna.

“The panel has shortlisted a few names and will come up with one winner who will be announced at the awards,” Mwaura noted.

Jasmeet Chana

Among the notable motor personalities who got their mitts on the fabled award include the likes of racing guru in the late Joginder Singh, who was colloquially known as Simba Wa Kenya in 1976 and Ann Taeith who became the first lady not only to win a KNRC but also emerge triumphant in 1984.

Others are lady navigator Tuta Mionki in 2018, Phineas Kimathi in 2019, Ian Duncan thrice in 1987, 2003 and 2010 and Patrick Njiru twice in 1990 and 1996.

The chronology of events is incomplete without mention of Baldev Chager aka Boldy who emerged the top personality of the 2007 and 2013 awards.

This year’s Awards are proudly sponsored by RedBull, Whitecap, Elite Sounds, Capital FM, Chairmania, Ferally, theMinistry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts, Ideal Sanitation, Rab Men, WRC Safari Rally Kenya and the Stadion Hotels.

Kenya Motor Sports Federation -Championship Winners 2022

KENYA NATIONAL 4X4 CHAMPIONSHIP

Beginners: Driver: Gitau Munene; Navigator: Wilson Munene; Intermediates: Driver: Prabjot Saimbi; Navigator: Antarjot Saimbi; Expert: Driver: Gurashish Singh; Navigator: Kunal Patel; Super Expert: Driver: Oliver Lauvaux; Navigator: John Herbert

KENYA NATIONAL KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Bambino Comer – Bixente Rio Wyles, Cadet-Shane Chandaria; Rotax Junior Max-Walt Alobo

KENYA NATIONAL TARMAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Best Drifting Showcase 2022 -Special Award: Lu Jin; Four Wheel Drive (4wd): Umang Soni

Two Wheel Drive (2wd): Musatafa Jaffer

KENYA NATIONAL AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Bambino: Karamveer Singh Rooprai; Pee Wee: Eann Bengi ; 2WD Non-Turbo Junior: Neel Gohil; 2WD Non-Turbo- Buggy: Gurraj Singh; 2WD Non-Turbo Car: Samir Nanji; 4WD Turbo: Eric Bengi, Open: Rajveer Thethy; 2WD Turbo: Qahir Rahim; Open-Rajveer Thethy

KENYA NATIONAL RALLY RAID CHAMPIONSHIP

Buggy Class Driver-   Zane Young; Buggy Class Navigator  – Chantal Young; Modified Class 2022 Driver: Geoff Mayes; Modified Class Navigator:  Riyaz Ismail;  Prototype -Navigator: :  Quentin Savage; Overall-Navigator:  Quentin Savage; Prototype -Driver:  Ross Field; Overall-Driver: Ross Field

KENYA NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Division 3 Driver: Leo Varese; Division 3 Co-Driver: Kigo Kareithi; Two Wheel Drive Driver: Leo Varese; Two Wheel Drive Co-Driver: Kigo Kareithi ; Division 2 Driver: Kush Patel; Group S -Driver: Kush Patel; Division 2-Co-Driver: Mudasar Chaudry; Group S -Co-Driver: Mudasar Chaudry; Group Nr4 -Driver: Jasmeet Chana; Group Nr4- Co-Driver: Ravi Chana; KNRC Overall Driver: Karan Patel; KNRC Overall-Co-Driver: Tauseef Khan;; Division 1- Driver: Karan Patel; Division 1 -Co-Driver: Tauseef Khan.