The fourth round of the National Rally Championship is set for Idd weekend 9-10 July in Fort Portal organized by Uganda Motor Club (UMC); the event is dubbed the UMC Fort Portal Tourism city rally. The rally is scheduled to take place at Kyakaigo motorsport arena and will cover a competitive distance of 122.66km with nine stages running from Saturday to Sunday.
Entries closed and the drivers are set to battle it out with twenty-six entries (fewer than usual). Current NRC leader Ponsiano Lwakataka will be looking to defend that number one position; he just needs a podium finish to add to his leading score of 262points. He has not won any fort portal event so this will be a good challenge. Jas Mangat along with co-driver Joseph Kamya, also on the entry list, are coming in hot from their victory at the Pearl of Africa rally that gave them their second-place position in the standings, though Lwakataka is leading them by 122points.
The youngsters who are making waves in the motorsport world; Mike Mukula Jr. and Mark Lubega, are also looking to score some points in this event. Mike Mukula Jr. and co-driver Edward Kiyinji are leading the Clubman Rally Championship (CRC) currently with forty points and the team is looking to keep it that way. Mark Lubega and his co-driver Daniel Mbabazi had some mechanical difficulties in the past two events but are determined to keep pushing and hopefully come out with a good place finish by the end of the motor sporting calendar. They are currently twelfth on the standings. Oscar Ntambi is also looking to defend his lead in the 2WD category from fellow competitors Ibrahim Lubega and Samuel Watendwa.
Shell sponsored driver Ronald Sebuguzi is going to debut his Ford Fiesta proto and fans are eagerly waiting to see how he performs in this new car along his co-driver Anthony Mugambwa. Fellow Shell driver and former winner of this rally back in 2019, Arthur Blick Jr. will not be taking part as he is recovering from the injury he suffered during round four of the MX championship. Fresh from his return from the WRC Safari rally in Kenya, Duncan Mubiru is also set to take part in the event though he will be driving his Subaru GVB not the Ford Fiesta proto. Other drivers that will not be taking part include: Edward Kirumira, Yasin Nasser who is prepping to take part in the ARC Tanzania rally, Aine Godfrey Sodo, Fred Busulwa, Abdul Kateete among others.
The full entry list is as follows;
- Patrick Ruyonga/Khuzaimat Nakanwagi-CRC-Toyota FX
- Julius Semambo/Diana Nagawa-CRC-Toyota Corolla FX
- Dr. Henry Maseruka/Denis Tibenda-CRC-Toyota RunX
- Rashid Makumbi/Lawrence Mwambazi-CRC-Subaru impreza
- Muhammad Bwete/Mathius Kiyega-CRC-Mitsubishi Evo7
- Yasin Mukasa/Duncan Katumba-2WD-Toyota FX
- Mansur Lubega/Arthur Lugolobi-2WD-Toyota Levin
- Gilberto Balondemu/Gilbert Waluggyo-2WD-Toyota FX
- Dr. Godfrey Nsereko/Jackson Serwanga-2WD-Subaru 2WD
- Samuel Watendwa/Stephen Bunya-2WD-Toyota Corolla FX
- Ibrahim Lubega/Shakira Nabwami-2WD-Toyota FX
- Oscar Ntambi/Asuman Muhammed-2WD-Alteza
- Moustafah Mukasa/Mildred Kibuuka-CRC-Subaru N12
- Umar Dauda/Hamza Lwanga-N-Evo
- Peter Kalule/Mariam Nambasa-N-Subaru
- Samuel Bwete/Urban Mulindwa-S-Evo
- Mark Lubega/Daniel Mbabazi-N-Subaru
- Mike Mukula Jr./Edward Kiyinji-CRC-Subaru Impreza
- John Burrows Lumu/Arnold Nyanzi-S-Subaru Impreza N14
- Andrew Musoke/Aaron Nsamba-N-Evo
- Jonas Kansiime/Ivan Tushabe-N-Evo
- Byron Rugomoka/Hakim Mawanda-N-Mitsubishi EvoX
- Ponsiano Lwakataka/Paul Musaazi-RC2-Subaru N12
- Jas Mangat/Joseph Kamya-RC2-EvoX
- Duncan Mubiru/Musa Nsubuga-SPV-Subaru GVB
- Ronald Sebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa-SPV-Ford Fiesta proto