The Kenya National Rally Championship series is finely poised after the first two rounds.

Defending champion Carl 'Flash' Tundo and former champion Lee Rose are tied at the top with 130 points each.

Last weekend's Biashara Banking Rally in Embu rekindled memories of the olden days of the Safari Rally. It was more than 20 years since the rally last visited Embu.

Serious safety concerns last weekend forced organisers to cancel four of the scheduled 13 competitive stages, reducing the rallying distance from 207km to only 82.1km.

After struggling in the first round in Ngong, Tundo, navigated by Tim Jessop and sponsored by Dalbit Petroleum Company, has caught up with Rose after the Embu race.

While Rose and co-driver Piers Daykins in a Mitsubishi Evo8 were dominant in Ngong, Tundo ruled in Embu, where Rose finished third. Tundo had finished third in Ngong.

Baldev Chager, navigated by Farak Yusuf in a Subaru Impreza N12, has the two drivers in his eyesight. He is second on the standings with 120 points.

Veteran Azar Anwar, who has chalked up three KNRC titles so far, is not far behind despite driving an old Mitsubishi Evo6.

Anwar, sponsored by OiLibya, could not improve on his last position at Ngong as he settled for the fifth again in Embu. He is fourth on overall with 70 points. He was boosted by the withdrawal of Alistair Cavenagh from the Embu race due to lack of spare parts.

Susheel Shah, navigated by Abdul Sidi, is fifth with 43 points after their sixth position in Embu, where they edged out Anthony Nielsen co-driven by George Njoroge (Subaru Impreza) by two points at sixth.