Revving machines cough back to life
Back in the cockpit. NRC championship leader Fred Busulwa (also inset) and Joseph Bongole in Subaru N10. PHOTOS | JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- They are back. The sound of revving engines will be reawakened today in the Bwera Bistro Southern Motor Club Challenge Rally, which is now the third round of the suspended NRC season, 13 months on.
When Duncan Mubiru ‘Kikankane’ cruised his Mitsubishi Evo. X raced to victory in the Rukaari-Lake Mburo Mbarara Rally on February 16, 2020, he was looking forward to great year ahead.
Like all other aspects of life, everyone was looking to a great National Rally Championship (NRC) ahead that had also seen rookie Rajiv Ruparelia post impressive times before his Volkswagen Polo failed.
Drivers then headed to Jinja where Hassan Alwi Jr, co-driven by Joseph Kamya in a Subaru N14, held off Ponsiano Lwakataka’s Subaru N12B to win the second event of the 2020 NRC.
After two rounds, unfancied Fred Busulwa (Subaru N10) was the championship leader with 130 points, 20 clear of Omar Mayanja (Mitsubishi Evo X) in second with Alwi Jr a further 10 points adrift.
“This position is giving me a clear picture that I can fight for the title this year. Being a champion is something we always dream of. I have got the signal to adjust my preparations and strategy towards the title chase this season,” a gallant Busulwa said.
“People think am just fluking positions, but they are wrong. The pace is there and my strategy pays off,” he added.
At the time, rally, like most of life, ground to a halt due to the lockdowns that came with Covid-19 pandemic. There hasn’t been any local rally event since March 8, 2020.
However, the sound of revving engines will be reawakened today in the Bwera Bistro Southern Motor Club Challenge Chalelnge Rally, which is now the third round of the suspended NRC season.
It’s very hard to get a clear picture of who resumes as favourite for the one-day 179.3km event that will not allow any fans.
Not many have raced competitively over the past 13 months except Rajiv who made a foray into Kenya where he finished 12th in the Nakuru rally.
“It was a tough yet important experience in Nakuru,” Rajiv said.
But then most eye-catching entry has got to be three-time national Jas Mangat in a Mitsubishi Evo X. His results are often between a flying finish as winner and an exit.
