History 1980s

1985 Safari Rally (Kenya)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1985 Safari Rally (Kenya)

Date: April 4–8, 1985

Start Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Finish Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Total Distance: 5,158 km

Surface: Gravel

The 1985 Safari Rally delivered its usual brutal punishment through Kenya’s wilderness—deep ruts, wild weather, and punishing distances. This year, it also delivered history. Kenjiro Shinozuka became the first Japanese driver to win a WRC event, guiding his Nissan 240RS to a measured and resilient victory alongside co-driver John Meadows. It was a triumph of planning, patience, and mechanical survival over raw speed.

Route

Mount Kenya Foothills: Rocky and fog-prone stages with technical climbs and drops.
Rift Valley: Fast and rough open roads, filled with wildlife crossings and erosion hazards.
Tsavo and Amboseli: Extreme heat, soft gravel, and volcanic dust made visibility and engine cooling critical.

The route cut through Kenya’s dramatic landscape, from dusty plateaus to muddy forest trails and scorching savannah:

Rain, wildlife, and navigation errors added chaos to an already grueling test of endurance and discipline, with few finishers and even fewer unscathed cars.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Kenjiro Shinozuka & John Meadows · Nissan 240RS
2nd Place
Shekhar Mehta & Mike Doughty · Nissan 240RS
3rd Place
Mike Kirkland & David Williamson · Toyota Celica TCT

Shinozuka’s victory was a milestone for Japanese rallying and a testament to Nissan’s focus on endurance and regional reliability in one of the WRC’s most extreme events.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Long Stages: Some legs exceeded 800 km, demanding total concentration and fatigue management.
  • Mechanical Stress: Suspension, cooling, and electrics were pushed to the limit in brutal terrain.
  • Route Complexity: No pace notes—reliance on road books, time charts, and compass-based navigation.

The 1985 Safari Rally once again proved that endurance beats aggression—Shinozuka’s cool approach and Nissan’s reliability made history in Africa’s most punishing rally.

← Previous Event 1985 Rallye de Portugal – Vinho do Porto (Portugal)
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