STORY BY- Shakirah Nakiyingi
PILI PILI Crew of Jas Mangat and Enock Olinga easily win the 2024 Moil EMC Kyabazinga Rally after dominating the event from day one to the end.
Driving a Hyundai i20 R5, Mangat posted the fastest times in all six stages including the Power stage, garnering 60 points from the event to extend his National Rally Championship (NRC) title lead to 200 points.
PHOTO BY – Nicholas Kalyango
The three-time National Rally Champion (2012, 2013 and 2016) won the two-day event by one hour, three minutes 02.3second beating second placed Dr Mustapha Mukasa by a time difference 13 minutes 38.0second.
The Equity bank-sponsored crew of Dr. Mukasa navigated by Lawrence Mwambazi in Mitsubishi Evo9 are now second on NRC grid 22 points adrift the leader after posting second best time of the rally 01:16:40.3second.
“Am still learning more skills in my car, but the whole event was nice thanks to the organisers,” said Mangat at end of the rally.
Mangat who earlier had intentions of competing for both 2024 NRC and African championship titles in i20 added that, he is missing out on the second ARC round in Zambia running in a fortnight, but promised to be around for fifth NRC round in Fort Portal in August.
“It’s unfortunate am not going to Zambia due to work commitments, we planning to do a few ARC rounds to have some seating in our car with logistics allowing,” further explained Mangat.
The event’s driver of the weekend was Musa Ssegaabwe co-driven by Mathias Kiyagga in a Mitsubishi Evo9, who kept fans and fellow drivers on tenterhooks, as the rookie driver too pushed for fast stage times away from the superiority Hyundai crew.
Ssegaabwe keeps atop of the Clubman Rally Championship table after winning the category, as Ibrahim Lubega ‘Pasuwa’ kept edge above other 2WD competitors, with the next NRC event on block is UMC challenge Rally set be held in Fort Portal in August,2024.
Seventeen crews of the 28 flagged off managed to see final flying finish of the rally, 11 retired due mechanical breakdowns.
Standing
- Jas Mangat/Enock Olinga Hyundai i20 01:03:02.3
- Dr Mukasa/Lawrence Mwambazi Mit.Evo9 01:16:40.3
- Nasser Mutebi/Steven Bunya Evo9 01:17:34.5
- Ronald Ssebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa Ford Proto 01:20:22.6
5.Rashid Makumbi/Asuman Muhommed Mit.EvoX 01:21:36.7
- Ibrahim Lubega/Kanakulya Mustafah Toyota 2WD 01:26:58.3
- Julius Semambo/Daina Nagawa Toyota 2WD 01:30:16.6
- Peter Kalule/David Mwesigwa Subaru Impreza 01:37:35.6
- Jamada Lwabaga/Peter Browrn Jnr Toyota 2WD 01:55:02.5
- Faisal Kayira/Hakim Kamoga Subaru Gc8 01:57:01.3
