Rally returns with Bwera Bristo SMC Challenge

The long wait for rallying is over. Round three of the 2020 National Rally Championship (NRC) is set for tomorrow in the Bwera Bistro SMC Challenge Rally.
The event, formerly scheduled to be held in Masaka April last year, has been moved to Sembabule and will be done on private farms.
There will be no fans in attendance due to Covid-19 prevention and control measures rolled out by the Ministry of Health.

Rally is one of the sports that attract big crowds and Clerk of the Course Jared Kalera says information to the fans will be readily available online throughout.
“It is unfortunate but we don’t expect any fans on the day,” Kalera said.
All competitors and technical support must return negative COVID-19 tests 72 hours to action day to be allowed in and only accredited media personnel will cover the event.
There will be no super special stage and the one-day event will cover six sections with a total of 179.73 kilometres.

Big guns
The first two events of 2020 had two different winners but none of those tops the log going into round three of the NRC.
The crew of Duncan Mubiru/Musa Nsubuga recovered to win the Rukaari-Lake Mburo Mbarara Rally early last year after leaders Rajiv Ruparelia and Ponsiano Lwakataka dropping out in the penultimate and last section respectively.

Hassan Alwi/Joseph Kamya skipped Mbarara but went on to win the IUEA Jinja Rally and get maximum points.
Mubiru didn’t collect any points from Jinja after ramming into Godfrey Lubega in the fourth section of the event.
All this played in favour of Fred Busulwa/Joseph Bongole in their Subaru N10. The crew finished second in Mbarara and posted a fifth placed finish in Jinja to ascend to the top of the log.
Now on 130 points, Busulwa will be looking to hold off Omar Mayanja (110) and Hassan Alwi (100).

No show
Defending champion Yasin Nasser retired early in the Jinja Rally after ramming into fans at the super special stage on day one and is now set to sit out the Masaka event.
This puts his chances of defending the title in jeopardy and drivers like Alwi, Mayanja, Lwakataka and the returning Jas Mangat will be looking to get points in the race to the championship.

NRC STANDINGS

Fred Busulwa     130 points
Omar Mayanja     110
Hassan Alwi Jr     100
Duncan Mubiru     90 
Ponsiano Lwakataka     80
Ibra Lubega     75
Arthur Blick Jr.     60
Dr Ahmed Ashraf     60
Kepher Walubi     60
Jackson Sserwanga     55