Uganda’s National Rally Championship (NRC) kicked off with its first event opener on the motorsport calendar taking place in Mbarara; dubbed the Rukaari-Lake Mburo Mbarara rally organized by Mbarara Motor Club (MMC). It took place over the weekend of January 22 to 23.
Ponsiano Lwakataka’s Mafu Mafu racing emerged victorious after the two-day drama filled event with a time of 1:32:33.42 in a competitive distance of 153.51km. Lwakataka, and co-driver Musaazi Paul in their Subaru Impreza, managed to keep a steady pace in the two days, finishing third at the end of day one with a difference of approximately seventeen seconds behind Ronald Ssebuguzi. This was Lwakataka’s first win in a very long time and in his victory speech to his fans, he said he is fully back to contend for 2022 title. Given that this calendar year has been made different, Lwakataka was the winner of the premium class/division which among the three new divisions that were introduced. The premium division has all crews that were seeded from 1-12 position from the previous season plus all former national rally champions.
Out of the thirty-four entrants, Fred Busuulwa Kitaka and co-driver Joseph Bongole in their Subaru Impreza, emerged overall second at a time of 1:40:11.78. There was a difference of 7:30seconds between Lwakataka and Busuulwa; Busuulwa was second in the premium division as well. Also scoring his first podium finish was Aine Godfrey Sodo and co-driver Derrick Lubambula in third position in their Evo9, with a time of 1:43:48. Sodo was the winner of the division two class which is for those promoted from the CRC category and drivers that have spent more than two years without competing.
Coming in overall fourth was Edward Kirumira and co-driver Robert Katabalwa in their Toyota Curren with a time of 1:51:20; winning also the 2WD category ahead of Ibrahim Lubega and co-driver Geoffrey Serwoga who were the champions in the previous season. They came in at second place in their Toyota FX at 2:14:07. Watendwa racing’s Samuel Watendwa navigated by Steven Bunya closed out the 2WD category in third place with 2:16:47 in their Toyota FX.
Mark Lubega with co-driver Unisan Bakunda in their Subaru Impreza closed out the top five with 1:56:40. Lubega was second in the division two category and this is a step in the right direction for the youngster following steadily in his famous father’s footsteps-Charlie Lubega of the Guvnor and Club Silk clubs. Happy Richard and navigator Lawrence Mwambazi closed out the division two in third place.
In the division one category, for crews seeded from 13-25 positions from the previous season, Umar Dauda and co-driver Hamuza Lwanga swept the first position in their Evo6 in a time of 2:00:27. Samuel Bwete navigated by Urban Mulindwa came in second place in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 at 2:02:56 and Samuel Watendwa navigated by Steven Bunya closed out the top three in this category. It was the first time an event was run basing on divisions and most are looking to see how the rest of the season will turn out.
Blick racing’s Arthur Blick Jr. and navigator son Alestair Blick suffered mechanical issues with their Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX and retired in the Muhangi stage in the morning of the second competing day; this came after him leading the first day with his pedal-to-metal mentality driving throughout. Claiming its other victim, last year’s NRC champion Duncan Mubiru and Musa Nsubuga rolled their Subaru Impreza GVB in the Muhangi stage as well, the crew came out fine after they hit a rock really terribly. Other drivers that retired from the event were Shell V-Power’s Ronald Ssebuguzi and co-driver Anthony Mugambwa, John Burrows Lumu and co-driver Joseph Lutalo, Rashid Makumbi and co-driver Yusuf Babu, Didas Matsiko and navigator Alfred Mutanda, and Mustapha Mukasa with his navigator Kibuuka Mildred. Rajiv Ruparelia, Yasin Nasser, Hassan Alwi, Michael Mukula Jr. and Jas Mangat were among the drivers that did not participate in the event. Up next on the calendar is the Eastern Motor Club event scheduled for March 2022 in Jinja.
