April 23, 1973: History is made in the East African Safari when the excitement-packed rally ended in a dead heat between Kenyan driver Shekhar Mehta and Swedish ace Harry Kallstrom. Mehta, driving a Datsun 240Z with Kenyan Lofty Drews, had battled it out through the mud and rain against Kallstrom and fellow Swede Claes Bilstram in a Datsun 1800 SSS. The dual in the mud and the race against the clock saw each car finish the rally with 406 points lost – after Mehta had been penalised one point during final scrutiny. After hours of suspense the winner was decided according to a Safari regulation stating that the competitor who has completed the greater portion of the event from the start with the lesser penalty will be the victor .This was the first time the Safari had ended in a tie for top placeto be decided by the regulation. Interest in this year’s event did not end as Mehta and Drews piloted their powerful Datsun to the finishing ramp – for only one point separated them from Kallstrom and Bilstram. At the ramp. Mehta said: “I don’t know whether we have won it yet. As the cars went in for final scrutiny, Mehata dropped another vital point for a broken headlamp and ended up equal with Kallstrom’s Datsun 1800 which did not lose any points in the final check-up. Photo|Nation Syndication