Dauda goes back-to-back in Fort Portal Rally

When Umar Dauda won the United Motor Club (UMC) Fort Portal rally last year, there was no reason to take note. You could call it a one-off.

Now, you have to pay attention after Dauda, co-driven by Steven Bunya in a Mitsubishi Evo. IX, went back-to-back in Fort Portal at the weekend.

In the final race of the National Rally Championship (NRC) season, their crew came home in a time of one hour, 40 minutes and 41 minutes.

That time relegated the 2023 NRC winner Byron Rugomoka/Hakim Mawanda to second as he finished 34 seconds adrift in a similar car.

Abasi Sebunya and Maris Neiksans completed the podium in a Mitsubishi Evo. X.

Peter Kalule/David Mwesigwa (Subaru Impreza SPV) and Fred Busulwa/Joseph Bongole (Subaru Impreza N10) were fourth and fifth respectively.

Going into the final event of the season, Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba sealed the NRC title back in August with victory in Masaka.

Nasser chalked 498 points in the first six events of the year to hold off three-time national champion Ronald Ssebuguzi. The latter failed to finish in Fort Portal.    

While it has been a good season for Nasser, he will still rue missing out on the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) title to Kenya’s Karan Patel in the final race of the season in Tanzania.

UMC Fort Portal Rally

Final results

Umar Dauda/Steven Bunya (Mitsubishi Evo. IX) 1:40:41

Byron Rugomoka/Hakim Mawanda (Mitsubishi Evo. IX) 1:41:15

Abasi Sebunya/Maris Neiksans (Mitsubishi Evo. X) 1:44:57

Peter Kalule/ David Mwesigwa (Subaru Impreza SPV) 1:49:03

Fred Busulwa/ Joseph Bongole (Subaru Impreza N10) 1:49:51

John Burrows/Duncan Katumba (Subaru Impreza) 1:54:55

Samuel Watendwa/Hamza Lwanga (Corolla FX) 1:56:49

Ibrahim Lubega/ Mustapha Kanakulya (Toyota FX) 2:00:57