Page 36 - EASCR22
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Lee R
Lee Rose & Douglas McNeil
ose & Doug
eil
las McN
up a “safari spec” shell and armed with a top spec BDG
engine and Proflex suspension, he is ready to make his
Classic Safari Rally debut! Lee will be co-driven by a
long time friend, Douglas McNeil, who is making his
rallying debut but the pair have done enough
preparation work and testing to feel that this will not
be a handicap.
Having worked as a team manager on two Classics
previously, Lee is comfortable with their level of
preparation work and there is a real sense of
Lee Rose Douglas McNeil familiarity within his team. All four mechanics from
Kenya previously worked on his cars during his
L ee Rose. A name that used to stir the Kenya rallying championship winning days – including a certain Mr
Mike Mwangi who is very well known and loved
fans for years. When ever Lee was on a stage you
were guaranteed fireworks. Back to back amongst the rallying circles.
championship titles in 2003 and 2004
showed he had consistency to go with Lee admits that the last 18 months of
the pace. He followed this up with Safari planning and building the car are all part
Rally victories in 2008 and 2010 before of the fun, and he even drove the rally
announcing that he was moving to South car and service van up from South Africa
Africa to farm macadamia nuts! himself – a road trip that took 10 days.
The convoy included the two service
Victory down south barges and two rally cars. The second
After a few years break from the sport, car… the Datsun “Z” of his father, John,
Lee started competing on historic rallies who will also be taking to the start!
in South Africa and his pace was
undiminished. A freshly built Escort from This is not the first time the father and
Viking Motorsport gave him a Classic son have gone head to head in similar
class victory and third overall amongst the African machinery. In fact the last event for both was the 2018
th
Championship field on the African Championship Sasol York Rally in South Africa. Lee finished 8 overall and
th
Rally in 2016. He then contested the full South African won the Classic class. John finished 15 overall and
Championship in 2017, dominating the Classic was third in the category.
Championship and winning the Secunda Rally outright
beating the modern cars! Controversially he was not Rekindling the magic!
allowed onto the overall podium after officials John is a stalwart of Kenyan
determined that this was only for homologated cars!!! rallying with his first entry
into the Safari Rally back in
Using the Viking Escort as a base, Lee and South 1973! He also has a top 10
African preparation firm GMP Motorsport have built finish from the Classic under
his belt – finishing ninth
overall in 2007 with Mike
Borrisow alongside. The duo John Rose
will hope to rekindle the
same magic this year and Lee has set his Dad the
target of a top 15 overall at the end of the nine day
marathon!
Lee – John – good to have you guys back competing on
Kenyan soil!
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