adminrallying driver Conrad Rautenbach whom he beat to the finish line during the weekend’s KCB Safari Rally of Kenya in Nairobi.
Whyte (50) settled for fourth place in this tough three-day event, coming home two places ahead of Rautenbach who had to officially settle for sixth place.
This is the first time that Whyte has managed to beat Rautenbach in four attempts during this year’s 2011 FIA African Rally Championship series in which the two drivers are representing Zimbabwe.
The KCB Safari Rally of Kenya this year acted as the fourth round of the 2011 ARC series whose first three opening rounds in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia were won by Rautenbach.
These first three rounds of the ARC series saw Whyte playing second fiddle to Rautenbach who was in his more powerful Green Fuel ethanol-powered Ford Fiesta S2000.
But experience finally triumphed over enthusiasm when Whyte, driving a Subaru Impreza and who has seen it all in the tough jungles of African motor rallying, kept his cool to finish fourth overall in the weekend’s Safari Rally, two places ahead of Rautenbach.
Although he finished fourth behind Kenya’s Carl Tundo, Jas Mangat of Uganda and Kenyan Ian Duncan, Whyte was classified as the first ARC-registered driver home.
This saw him relegating his main rival in this year’s ARC series Rautenbach into second place and the affable reigning African champion could not hide his excitement and was all smiles after he finally managed to beat his fellow Zimbabwean in Nairobi on Sunday.
“I am happy with the ARC win. I was not really worried with the outright win. My main worry was to keep Conrad at bay,” Whyte said at the end of the KCB Safari Rally of Kenya on Sunday afternoon.
Whyte picked up 25 points in Nairobi but he is still sitting in second place in the ARC Drivers Standings behind Rautenbach with 76 points.
Rautenbach collected 18 points in Nairobi and is still sitting pretty at the top of the standings with 93 points with four more rounds to go in the 2011 ARC series.
But that gap is likely to be closed significantly next month when Whyte competes in the fifth round of the 2011 ARC series – the KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally – an event which Rautenbach has opted to skip.
The KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally is set to run from July 15 to 17 in the East African country.
Meanwhile, Tundo, a wheat farmer from the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, savoured his third career KCB Safari Rally victory as curtains came down on “The World’s Toughest Rally” on Sunday.
Tundo’s calm and assured march to the final service in Isinya belied the excitement that was bubbling underneath and at exactly 3pm, it spilled over in a solid stream of joy at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre finish ramp.
In winning the 59th edition of the KCB Safari Rally, the son of former Safari veteran Frank Tundo, achieved his third Safari scalp with previous victories achieved in South Coast in 2004 and 2009 in Nairobi.
Ugandan Jas Mangat secured his career best second overall position despite trailing Tundo by a massive 8.43minutes as 1994 WRC Safari Rally winner Ian Duncan sealed the podium dash in 2.52.48hours.
A jubilant Mangat was also bestowed with the inaugural Lochab Memorial Trophy for the best Sikh driver.
The trophy was donated by the Lochab Brothers from Eldoret in loving memory of the KNRC Division Three driver Randeep Singh Lochab who was killed in a grisly road accident two weeks prior to the Safari.
Behind Tundo was a spirited FIA African Rally Championship battle pitting champion Whyte and his Zimbabwean counterpart Rautenbach.
As at CS8 end, Whyte was well on course for a second place but dipped to fourth overall place after the Zimbabwean picked up a puncture on the last stage around Kipeto.
Kenya’s former Pirelli Star finalist Raaji Singh Bharij relished a fifth career best Safari finish with Rautenbach settling for sixth overall.
But Rautenbach romped home second in the ARC class.
However, Whyte had to contend with playing second fiddle to Rautenbach who consolidated his lead in the ARC fray. After four rounds, Rautenbach leads the ARC class with 93 points with Whyte now waiting to pounce with 76.
Main Class provisional results (top 10)
1. Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop – Kenya (Evo 9) 2.43.45 hrs
2. Jas Mangat/Gihan De Silnva – Uganda (Subaru N12) 2.52.28
3. Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch – Kenya (Evo 9) 2.52.48
4. Jamie Whyte/Phil Archenoul – Zimbabwe (Subaru N10) 2.54.14
5. Raaji Bharij/Raju Chaggar – Kenya (Subaru N10) 2.54.40
6. Conrad Rautenbach/Nicholas Klinger – Zimbabwe – (Ford Fiesta S2000) 2.55.24
7. Quentin Mitchelle/Tim Challen – Kenya (Subaru N16) 2.55.56
8. Hardeep Rehsi/Ravi Soni – Kenya (Evo 9) 2.58.36
9. Jean Yves Ranarivelo/Rila Ranaivomamiani – Madagascar (Subaru N12) 2.59.02
10. Imran Mogul/Mutuma Marimba – Kenya (Subaru N10)2.59.02
Online Reporter