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T h e D r iv ers cont inued
The Drivers continued
However the pair also don't shy away from admitting
that they are braced for everything. Departing the
start ramp in 2013, they were both wonderfully naïve
to what lay ahead… and then it all went to rat ****
shortly after! The worst memory of that event was a 4
hour tow behind their chase car in thick dust – this
Frank Tundo was when both brothers really questioned their sanity!
And yet they're back, such is the magic of Africa.
Speedy Tundo
Despite their absence from Kenya, the pair have kept
Joining Flash in the two car TR7 team will be his father busy with rallying elsewhere. After a fourth overall on
Frank. A veteran of over 60 rallies and having recently
the Rallye Du Maroc in 2016 the pair returned again in
completed the very snowy RAC Rally in the UK in 2019 with another top ten result. They've also been
th
November 2021, finishing 68 overall in a TR7, Frank is campaigning a Ford Proto in the UK, but its' unlikely
a willy fox. Since 2016 Frank has finished every long that there will be much transfer of knowledge from a
distance rally in Kenya well inside the top ten overall. 4WD turbo on tarmac rallies to what lays ahead on the
And his son thinks he'll repeat this again in 2022! 2022 Classic Safari….
A fun fact - in the last 3 years Frank has done 5 When asked what they are looking forward to the
rallies, 3 of them long distance events, and covered most, the answer is simple… some cold Tuskers at
2398 competitive kilometers. In the last 18 months Ocean Sports at the finish!
Flash has done 13 rallies and covered 2276 km of
competitive action. Maybe modern rallies ARE too
short?! Steve and Russell Parkinson
Bentley Brothers
In 2013 two brothers
and their gorgeous Mk1
Ford Escort arrived in
Kenya, not sure what to Steve Parkinson Russell Parkinson
expect. By the end of
the nine day adventure
of a life time the pair The Parkinson name is well known, historically, in the
had seen it all – flash Kenyan motor sport circles through the efforts and antics
floods, thick fesh-fesh of Bill Parkinson. Sadly Bill passed away not too long ago
dust, glutinous mud, been upside down, had up close but his son and grand-son aim to uphold the family name
encounters with all sorts of weird and wonderful when they make their Classic Safari debut this year.
animals but through it all they never lost their smiles Considering that Bill Parkinson had contested 14 of the
or their enthusiasm. “original” Safari Rallies, the family name might be
contesting the “Classic” for quite a while still to come!
Meet Mark and Ed Bentley – brothers and best friends.
And they're back. With their beautiful Escort once again! As well as being a legend in his own right, Bill was also
very close friends with the great Roger Clark and the
Unfinished business two families are still very close. So close, in fact that
When pushed on why an eight year absence, the pair Rogers sons have built and prepared the Ford Escort
admit that it wasn't intentional. Work commitments Mk 2 that Steve and Russell Parkinson will be using on
had to come first but the desire always burned deep to the nine day marathon rally! The Escort that the father
return – there is a feeling of unfinished business with and son will be sharing is a Viking built car (built by the
this, the Worlds Toughest Classic Rally! 2003 World Rally Champion Phil Mills) but with
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