NAIROBI, Kenya, August 15 – Kenyan motorsport is set to gain an international perspective on the development of the sport after Sushil Gohil, Chairman of 254 Motorsports Club and Head of the Commercial, Marketing and Sports Development Council of Motorsports Kenya Federation (MKF), was selected to participate in the United States Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
Gohil will participate in the specialised programme, “Racing Forward: American Innovation in Motorsports,” alongside motorsport professionals from around the world.
The programme will take delegates to Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, Charlotte, Daytona Beach and Austin, providing access to some of the United States’ leading motorsport organisations, industry professionals and sporting institutions.
The programme will examine the business and sporting ecosystem surrounding American motorsport, including event management, commercial development, sponsorship, marketing, fan engagement, innovation, safety, engineering, tourism, youth development and the economic impact of major sporting events.
For Gohil, the programme comes at a particularly significant time for Kenyan motorsport, as the sport continues to develop its commercial and sporting structures and seek new ways of attracting audiences, sponsors and young participants.
Speaking ahead of the programme, Gohil said he was honoured to have been selected and particularly grateful to the U.S. Government for the opportunity.
“I would like to sincerely thank the United States Department of State for selecting me for this programme and for providing this incredible opportunity to engage with the American motorsport industry.
“It is a great honour to represent Kenya, 254 Motorsports Club and Motorsports Kenya Federation. I see this as an opportunity not only to learn, but to understand how some of the world’s most successful motorsport organisations have developed the sport beyond the competition itself.
“The United States has created a remarkable ecosystem around motorsport, bringing together sport, entertainment, business, technology, tourism, sponsorship and fan engagement. There is a lot that Kenya can learn from that experience.
“At the same time, Kenya has its own strengths and opportunities. My objective is to listen, learn, build relationships and bring back practical ideas that can be adapted to our environment.
“Ultimately, I would like to see Kenyan motorsport become more commercially sustainable, more attractive to sponsors, more engaging for spectators and more accessible to young people.”
Gohil’s role within Motorsports Kenya Federation places him at the intersection of commercial development, marketing and sporting growth, areas that are increasingly important as motorsport seeks to expand its reach beyond traditional competition.
His experience as Chairman of 254 Motorsports Club has also given him a direct role in developing and promoting grassroots motorsport and organising championship events in Kenya.
The IVLP is expected to provide Gohil with an opportunity to examine how major American motorsport events and organisations operate at scale, including how they build commercial partnerships, develop audiences and create economic opportunities around racing.
For Kenyan motorsport, the exchange could provide valuable insight into how international models can be adapted locally while maintaining the character and identity of the Kenyan sporting environment.
Gohil will join the programme in the United States in August and September, with the knowledge and relationships developed during the exchange expected to contribute to ongoing discussions around the future development of motorsport in Kenya.
The programme is sponsored by the United States Department of State as part of its International Visitor Leadership Program, which brings emerging and established leaders from around the world to the United States for professional exchanges and engagement with their American counterparts.
