Kenya National Rally Championship series title holder Carl 'Flash' Tundo recovered from a poor start to win the KCB Biashara Banking Rally in Embu Sunday.

Tundo, sponsored by Dalbit Petrolium Company and navigated by Tim Jessop in a Subaru Impreza N10, struggled in the first round of the eight-leg KNRC series in Ngong and Suswa last month.

However, in Embu, he came from behind to edge out favourite Triton Sports-sponsored pair of Baldev Charger co-driven by Farak Yusuf (Subaru Impreza N12) and Lee Rose and partner Piers Daykins (Mitsubishi Evo8). Into first service, Chager was 14 seconds ahead of Tundo, but his fortune changed at the 8.3km Kenyatta University stage, where he lost out the advantage to Tundo, who held on to claim his first win in the season.

Tundo clocked 53:41 to tie at the top of the KNRC standings with Rose at 130 points. Rose (55:46), who won the first round in Ngong, opted to go cautiously and finished a distant third behind Chager 54:33.

"It was a battle of wits here in Embu and I had my concentration on the road. I knew it was a dangerous event to race fast and I took my time, that is what won me the rally," he said.

Chager, who for the second time in a row had to settle for the third slot, said his positioning as first car off the ramp was disadvantageous as he had to clear the roads for his rivals.

In the two-wheel drive, Jasmeet Chana, held on strongly to deny his rivals. The return of turbo charged machines to Embu helped rekindle the old memories of the famous Safari Rally two decades down the line.