Quartet pursue edge at Umospoc Kabalega Rally

Kampala. Five National Rally Championships (NRC) races thus far have produced five different winners.
Omar Mayanja fired the first shot with victory in the season opener in Mbarara.
Victories followed for Duncan Mubiru (Kabale) and last season’s NRC runner-up Hassan Alwi Junior (Fort Portal).
Ronald Ssebuguzi (FMU Challenge) and Christakis Fitidis (Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally) took the next two.
That has left the title race on a knife edge as only 85 points separate the quartet of Fitidis (315), Ssebuguzi (250), Kuku Ranjit (230) and Mubiru (230).
This weekend could be critical as drivers head to Hoima for the 2017 Umospoc Kabalega Rally, the penultimate leg of the seven-race NRC.

Off ramp first
Yasin Nasser will leave the ramp No.1 for the first time with Alwi Jnr, Fitidis, Ssebuguzi and Mubiru in pursuit in that order for the 362km event.
“There hasn’t been much consistency but the winner (in Hoima from the four) could win the title,” driver Ambrose Byona, who will start 10th, said.
Drivers will do 172.78km worth of competitive sections distance with the first, a Spectators’ Stage (4.82 km) at Hotel Kontika. Tomorrow, five competitive sections await Day One survivors.
Last year’s Kabalega Rally ended in controversy, just like the life of the late King of Bunyoro, whom the event is named after.
The winner, Godfrey Lubega, was declared in the boardroom, as the event ended prematurely with the clerk of course Charles Ssemengo refusing to sign the results’ form as should be the practice. Many will hope history doesn’t repeat itself.

NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
STANDINGS AFTER FIVE ROUNDS
Christakis Fitidis/Eric Nzamwita 315
Ronald Ssebuguzi/Leon Ssenyange 250
Kuku Ranjit/Musa Nsubuga 230
Duncan Mubiru/ George Ssemakula 230

PROVISIONAL START LIST
Y. Nasser/ A. Katumba
(Subaru N10)
H. Alwi/ J. Kamya
(Subaru N14)
C. Fitidis/ Eric Nzamwita
(Evo X)
R. Ssebuguzi/ L. Ssenyange
(Evo X)
D. Mubiru/ G. Ssemakula
(Subaru N14)
O. Mayanja/ H. Mukuye
(Evo X)
A. Blick Jr/ N. Blick
(Subaru N10)
M. Kabega/ R. Sirwoomu
(Evo IX)
R. Kuku/ M. Nsubuga (Evo X)
A. Byona/ D. Lubambula
(Evo IX)