2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally – Day 8 updates with Steve Perez

Day 8 - Lake Naivasha to Lake Naivasha - 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally

Kick Energy Rally driver Steve Perez is continuing his good progress on the 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally today and after the day's loop around Lake Baringo in the northernmost point of the ten day event, the Chesterfield driver has reported very few problems with only the need to change a driveshaft on the historic-specification Datsun 260Z.

Today's first stage towards Rumuruti was 149km (92.5 miles) long and then Perez and Swedish co driver Staffan Parmander tackled the 65km (40.4 miles) second stage before rounding the day off with a miserly 36km (22.5 miles) stage as the crew headed back towards Nairobi.

The total competitive stage mileage today meant that Perez did the equivalent of three and a half typical BTRDA events or another comparison is half a WRC event before lunchtime, and in addition, travelled over 400km (248 miles) on linking road sections.

"We've had probably our best day yet and had very few problems. The sheer physicalities of driving for so fast and for so long is surreal and I know I've driven over 650km today! The pressure on Staffan is immense too and he's doing very well although he does occasionally drift off into Swedish when we're on the road sections. I keep telling him it's me and not Kenneth Eriksson he's sat in with but I have learned a few Swedish swear words I must admit. I'm pleased to say we have been devoid of wildlife today, also"

said Steve after recent encounters with wild animals.

Not that he's missing the rainy, cold and dark days in the UK but he commented that he'd like to be back home tonight:

"Jeremy Clarkson is driving my road going Lancia Stratos on Top Gear tonight so I'd like to have seen that!"

The programme is aired in the UK on BBC2 at 9.00pm.

Now with just two more days remaining, day nine sees the crew leave the Naivasha Sopa Lodge at 06.00 local time (03.00 GMT) and head south east through Nairobi before arriving at the Taita Hills Lodge near Voi for another night halt at 16:00 local time.

Picture courtesy of Geoff Mayes