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Following on from a bitter sweet Roger Albert Clark Rally
last weekend, VK Vodka Kick rally driver Steve Perez is set to embark on his
latest adventure when he contests the East African Safari Rally which starts on
Saturday.
The
Chesterfield businessman has
entered the Mombasa-based ten day marathon in a Datsun 240Z where he will be
co-driven by the experienced Mike Stuart who will double up as on-board mechanic
also over the 4500km route which retraces many classic routes throughout
Kenya and
Tanzania.
It’s
the first time that Perez will have competed on the African continent and for
Stuart also, it will be a new experience sitting in the co driver’s seat as the
pair go in search of success.
And
whilst personal success wasn’t the order of the day on last weekend’s RAC Rally
for Perez, who went out after SS4 in Dalby with engine failure in his Lancia
Stratos, there was cause for celebration as the VK Rally Team with drivers Steve
Bannister and Jimmy McRae finishing first and second at the end of the three day
event.
Driving their respective VK-backed Ford Escorts,
Bannister and co driver Kevin Rae and McRae and co driver Andy Richardson could
hardly be separated throughout the event but on the final day, a couple of
punctures robbed McRae of challenging Bannister for victory.
"I was very disappointed to retire in the Stratos so
early on, that event and the car just don't like each other but the battle
between Banner and Jimmy was awesome and the stuff of old RAC classics. To have
two VK-sponsored cars first and second was magnificent and it's just a pity we
couldn't have made the finish in the Lancia so I'll have to try to put that
right in Africa in the Datsun. Both Mike and I are really looking forward to
this unique adventure and I'm sure we'll have some tales to tell along the
way!"
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