For Kenyan Brian Mbuvi, the 100AW was his first race as a driver (he has competed as a co-driver/navigator), and he is the second Kenyan to have competed in the race, as well as the first Kenyan to participate in the four-wheel drive category. In honor of the Masai warriors in his native country, his rally team bears the name Shujaa, which according to Mbuvi means “warrior” in Swahili. “They are some of the last warriors [the old way] in the world,” said Mbuvi.
Downtown Salem was packed Saturday morning for the Parc Expose as spectators and driver teams gathered in preparation and anticipation of the day’s action to come. People came from across the country and around the world with drivers and co-drivers hailing from 15 different countries to participate in the road rally which runs on roads in Dent and Washington counties.
When asked what he hopes to accomplish racing, Mbuvi said, “to inspire people, to make people see that rally is not out of reach.” Mbuvi hopes that his further improvements as a rally driver will serve as an example to people around the world and especially his fellow Kenyans.
“Rallying is a big deal in Kenya,” he said. Kenya is the home of the most difficult rated rally race in the world, according to Mbuvi.
Mbuvi said that he is really grateful to Rally Ready Driving School for their training and support.
“They really helped make this dream possible,” said Mbuvi.
When Mbuvi isn’t racing he is operating his own logistics company based out of Dallas (Texas). And it was through work that he first learned of the 100AW when someone told him about the race while he was in the area training one of his truck drivers.
Mbuvi said that he was excited for Saturday’s stages because it would be a chance for him to make up for a less-than-ideal first day Friday.
“I hit a tree at about 60 miles-per-hour,” he said, pointing to the damage on his driver’s side rear door. “But I finished,” he said, and his car was still operational. “Today is a new day,” he said with an optimistic and good-natured grin.
Other drivers are experienced and well-known drivers—who sport big name sponsors—drivers like Ken Block, Travis Pastrana, Barry McKenna and others.
Block recently returned from Kenya where he participated in the Safari Rally, the same rally that Mbuvi mentioned above. Pastrana came to the race to defend his title after having won the rally in 2021. McKenna would get a chance to take another stab at the title, having won the rally in 2019 when Pastrana wasn’t competing in the 100AW.
Source-https://www.thesalemnewsonline.com/
Kenyan Diaspora Brian Mbuvi competes in ‘Safari Rally’ in Salem Missouri
