Mangat to wait on 2017 decision

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Motosport. Three-time champion Mangat pipped Hassan Alwi to the title on the final day of the NRC calander by three points.

KAMPALA. You could argue that Jas Mangat has the resources and his three National Rally Championship (NRC) titles do not do justice to what he could have achieved by now.
In recent years, Mangat, who first joined the sport in 2003 in Rwanda, has never been fully committed to racing here. He has flirted with the Kenya equivalent and trying to win the Africa Rally Championship (ARC).
Mangat won the two-day 284.94km Motorsport Africa Club (Mosac) Jinja Rally on Sunday, his fourth in seven NRC events this year, to reaffirm his dominance of races here.
Even with three NRC titles, the same tally as Ronald Ssebuguzi, Mangat was non-committal on trying to catch most successful pair of Charlie Lubega and Sam Ssali on four.
“I am (yet to) decide about next season,” Mangat said, adding that: “what used to take me to Kenya was lack of competition here. I needed to gauge myself against fast drivers to improve my pace.”
After trumping Hassan Alwi Junior by six points, finishing on 400, Mangat paid tribute to what other crews are doing.
“(Motorsport) has improved to the extent of crews importing professional mechanics, that shows the future is bright,” Mangat, who drives Mitsubishi Evo. X, said. “Drivers here have learnt to love the sport and I expect much better next season.”
Alwi Jnr has changed the status duo with his consistency in a season that was almost unpalatably decided by the disqualification of 19 drivers from the Kabalega Rally that had Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU) declare only two finishers, Godfrey Lubega and Rogers Kiggundu.
Sixth in Mbarara, Alwi Jnr was fourth in Kabale and Masaka before returning to his previous position in Fort Portal.
He was third in Rwanda and then won the prestigious Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally. On the other hand, Mangat also won in Kabale, Masaka and Fort Portal before sealing it in Jinja.
His failure in Tanzania after opting for that ahead of the Pearl Rally cost him dear, albeit temporarily. Mangat also dropped out in Mbarara.
“Alwi has had his best year so far, and has improved so fast as a driver. We can’t take the credit from him and his consistency has paid off,” the 2012, 2013 and now reigning national champion said.
Mangat also hopes that his rivalry with Ssebuguzi blossoms.

SPEED MACHINE

I am (yet to) decide about next season. What used to take me to Kenya was lack of competition here. I needed to gauge myself against fast drivers to improve my pace.”