Motorsport Calendar Closes with Excitement of MOIL Rally Team’s R5 Official Debut in Final Round of the National Sprint Championship

The Uganda motorsport calendar closed off 2022 with the last round of the National Sprint Championship at Busiika on 26 December hosted by Central Motor Club (CMC) and Federation of Motorsport clubs Uganda (FMU).

Motorsport lovers had a fun-filled Boxing day as the motorsport calendar for 2022 closed; MOIL’s Yasin Nasser and co-driver Ali Katumba took the sprint by storm as it marked the debut of the much anticipated R5. Nasser and Katumba won the sprint event in a time of 03:35:44 in their Ford Fiesta R5, the first of its kind in Uganda and Africa as a whole. All motorsport lovers were looking forward to seeing the R5 in action and the team did not disappoint. It was the first official debut in a competition and as fans rushed to take pictures next to the car, Nasser and Katumba gave them a show. Also, from Moil rally team was Edson Mungyereza and co-driver Ernest Musiime who finished eighth overall; and Andrew Musoke and co-driver Richard Sengendo who finished eleventh.

Not to be outshined, Mike Mukula Jr. and co-driver Edward Kiyinji came in close second on the heels of Nasser in a time of 03:40:10, there was a time difference of 04:66 separating the two. Mukula competed in his father’s Subaru Impreza after his own suffered an accident in Rukungiri as he showed his amazing progress throughout the year. Mukula also won the CRC class and is also the National Sprint champion 2022 as he was leading the table.

Mike Mukula Jr in the Subaru Impreza in competition mode. Photo credit:Innocent Mutaawe.

In third place was Omar Mayanja with co-driver Kevin Lubambula in a Mitsubishi Evo X, they did a time of 03:45:08. Mayanja had not competed in a while this season so a podium finish was a win. Oscar Ntambi and co-driver Asuman Muhammad won in the 2WD class. There was a motocross challenge that wowed fans in the morning as Fortune Ssentamu, Gift Ssebuguzi, Miguel Katende, made for a fun day. The return of Nasser Mutebi also was a treat for motorsport lovers.

Riders in the MX 65 class at the start gate. Photo Credit: Innocent Mutaawe.

In their Ford Fiesta protos’, Ronald Ssebuguzi with co-driver Anthony Mugambwa finished fourth and Duncan Mubiru with co-driver Joseph Bongole rounded out the top five. The event had another Ford Fiesta R3, in Kenya’s Hamza Anwar, who finished in the twentieth position but put on a good show for the fans that came out in tremendous numbers to watch the sport. Eric Bengi from Kenya also took part in the event and finished thirteenth overall. The event drew huge participation, with thirty-eight finishers for the day.

The 2023 calendar will kick off with the first motorsport event in Mbarara in February.

Overall Results;