Nairobi — The 1973 Datsun 240Z which Juha Kankkunen will drive in the Safari Rally in December has been entered in the Classic Rally Car Class of the Celtel East Africa Concours d'Elegance.

The annual vehicle beauty contest is organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club and will be held at the Racecourse on September 25. Kankkunen is one of the world's rally greats, having won the Safari in 1985, 1991 and 1993.

The Datsun 240Z was made in 1973 and rebuilt as a rally car in 1999 in Australia. Stewart Wilkins drove the car in the 2000 London to Sidney Rally and finished 19th.

Mike Kirkland purchased the car this year to lend to his friend Kankkunen to compete in the East African Safari Rally that

starts from Mombasa on December 1.

The Datsun has been completely restored at Automarine in Mombasa by Sudir Wason.

In May next year, Kirkland and his co-driver, Crispin Sassoon, will contest the Carrera Sudamericana Rally that starts in Buenos Aires and runs for 21 days through South America,

ending in Ecuador.

The greater part of the route is through the Andes Mountain Range, which will challenge the driving and navigational skills of the crew and be a severe endurance test.

Among the entries in the Classic Rally Car Class of Concours are Surinder Thatthi's 1973 Renault Alpine, the 1972 Mercedes 450 SLC of Marzio Kravos and the 1970 Ford Escort, which will be crewed in the Safari by Ian Duncan and Saleem Haji.

The oldest car in the class is a 1969 Saab Four Wheel Drive World.

Another Class which is highly popular with Concours spectators is the category for cars built in 1940, or earlier.

The "golden oldies" will be the last cars to be driven along the judging line in front of the Nairobi Racecourse grand stand. Entries range in size from the diminutive 1936 Austin 7 of Simon Mutai to the large Railton sports car that is being prepared by Diccon Wilcock.

The oldest cars at the Concours will be the 1928 Ford Tudor

owned by John Wroe and is being restored by Sheikh Motors Limited and Thika motoring enthusiast Maurice Frost's 1924 Fiat. With only a few empty slots remaining, interest is turning to the Classic Car and Motorcycle Sale.

This is open to any machine made in 1980, or earlier and offers the owners of unwanted classics the ideal opportunity

to reach potential buyers among the Concours spectators. Entries for the Classic Sale are limited to 30.

Regulations for the event are available from the Bob Dewar Publicity offices in Block G of Norfolk Towers, Kijabe Street. Information maybe obtained by calling 316160, or 229793. The Concours website is www.concourskenya.com

In between preparing their cars and motorcycles for judging, competitors are forming teams to try to win the fine mahogany chests donated by the Standard Group for the members of the top car and motorcycle teams.

A minimum of three and a maximum of five competitors are

invited to enter a team representing a manufacturer, a Club, or an informal group. The best three results for each team count for the score.