Mangat wins third NRC title
A resounding victory for Jas Mangat in Jinja over the weekend ensured that he has now won three National Rally Championships. Photo by JB SSenkubuge
What you need to know:
- Outgoing champion Arthur Blick Jnr, having failed to reach the checkered flag of the 284.94km event, along with Ssebuguzi and others paid tribute to Mangat.
- In his Mitsubishi Evo. IX, Byona was the only man to beat a dominant Mangat in a section. He achieved that in CS7 Kagoma Gate by two seconds.
JINJA. Jas Mangat needed to be perfect to clinch his third National Rally Championship (NRC) by overhauling Hassan Alwi Junior in Jinja over two days.
He did exactly that yesterday, coasting to victory in the two-day Mosac Rally, winning seven of the eight sections, to beat Alwi Jnr by a razor thin margin of six points for the prestigious title.
Going into the weekend, season sensation Alwi Jnr, on 394 points, held a 94-point lead over Mangat which meant that the latter needed to be flawless for the maximum 100 points.
However, this wasn’t a scoring event for Alwi Jnr the in seven-round NRC duel. Alwi, who dropped out in Jinja, had forfeited his points here by racing in Rwanda earlier in the season.
Mangat/Joseph (Mitsubishi Evo. X) set the tone by claiming the lead after Saturday’s Super Special Stage which he converted into an outright victory yesterday.
He chalked up one hour, 13 minutes and 55 seconds to finish just under four minutes better than closest challengers Ranjit Kuku/Musa Nsubuga, with Ambrose Byona/Derrick Lubambula completing the podium.
“I came in with a settled mind knowing exactly what to do. The destiny was in my own hands and attacked from day one,” Mangat, now as successful as Ronald Ssebuguzi, told Daily Monitor.
In fact, only Charlie Lubega and Sam Ssali have won more national titles, than the pair, four each. This is Mangat’s third in five years but first since 2013.
A delighted Harjit Mangat, father to Jas, said: “Finally it has been settled, there are more ifs.” His navigator, Kamya, was quick to remind everyone why they stood out this year.
“We have managed to win the title with four wins, and failed to finish twice,” Kamya said. The Pili Pili crew won the Kabale, Masaka, Fort Portal and Jinja.
Outgoing champion Arthur Blick Jnr, having failed to reach the checkered flag of the 284.94km event, along with Ssebuguzi and others paid tribute to Mangat.
“It’s been a tough season but I congratulate Mangat on winning,” Blick Jnr said. Besides Mangat, Hima Cement-sponsored Byona got the biggest cheer.
In his Mitsubishi Evo. IX, Byona was the only man to beat a dominant Mangat in a section. He achieved that in CS7 Kagoma Gate by two seconds.
“I am a satisfied person this season as I have managed to finished in the top 10. In all events, I got to the tape” he said.
