Newly crowned champions Neel Gohil and John Kadivane have a burning desire to venture into the elite Kenya National Rally Championship series where they will savor an opportunity to drive in the iconic Safari Rally.
This follows penultimate round wins which culminated in championship title victories for both after the dust settled on the Rallye Sports Club (RSC) leg of Kenya National Autocross Championship hosted at Kasarani’s WRC “Triple S” racetrack.
Fifteen year-old Neel savored an unprecedented double and became the first Kenyan junior to win two senior autocross championship categories in the Two Wheel Drive Non Turbo -Car and Two Wheel Non Turbo- Buggy classes.
Kadivane, on the other hand, sealed the Open Class title in blistering fashion after winning the ninth round incidentally on his second season in circuit racing.
Other champions after the penultimate RSC leg were Azaad Manji (Two Wheel Drive Turbo), Eric Bengi (4WD Turbo) and youngster Karamveer Singh Rooprai (Junior 2WD Non Turbo).
Second Generation Drivers–
Neel and Kadivane are both second generation drivers who aspire to follow in the footsteps of their dads who competed in the KNRC.
From their early days, the duo were seized with a burning desire to pilot race cars, and to ruffle feathers in the sport their dads once ventured into with vim and vigor.
Neel is the son of retired driver Sushil Gohil while Kadivane’s dad is the late Ben Muchemi aka “Baba Ciru” whose name was synonyms with motor rallying a few years back.
Neel will soon embark on his third title attempt in the season in the 2WD category of the 2023 RX Championship which he currently leads with 5 points and needs podium finish to seal the deal.
Should his title aspiration comes to fruition in the RX series, Neel will have already sealed a treble of senior titles which no other teenage driver has ever achieved.
Talented Neel is already planning a grand entry into the motorsport scene next year, in a Subaru N10 that’s currently under construction locally by the skilled hands of Charan Thethy from Pro Motorsports.
After Sundays race, the two promising drivers spoke of their aspirations to keep the family fire burning at breakneck speed!
Neel remarked: “I’m so thankful to my team, sponsors Shell, Taisho Parts, and Going Outdoor and I thank God for the double title victory. I don’t have words to explain it. We won the buggy title at the last race and this weekend we managed to win the car championship.”
“Its been a successful year with ups and dows as usual but I ended up winning both championships. There was some doubt in my mind at first as were competing against tough drivers in both categories, but I was able to defeat my opponents.”
Umoja Racing driver Kadivane, on the other hand, hopes to try his hand at motor rallying in which his dad was a household name back in the day.
He hopes to join the Kenya National Rally Championship next year.
“Its been an interesting year starting out with a different car first of all and then making a few modifications. This year we have had more entrants. But last year the competition was a bit stiffer,” explained Kadivane.
He went on: “Everyone has a certain Goliath they would love to conquer and for me Kasarani SSS is the Goliath. In December 2022 during KRT Autocross leg in Kasarani I rolled just after the finish, but won my class in the event that day. I love the relationship I have had with my car as we are always in synch. I’m happy I managed to scope the championship and conquer SSS racetrack.”
