Revved up for Pearl rally

This year’s Shell V-Power Pearl of Uganda Rally will largely come down to what Jas Mangat and Karan Patel will be able to do.

It is a continuation of the 2023 Africa Rally Championship which saw Kenya’s Patel finish top for a maiden continental title.

Patel collected 144, three more than Uganda’s Mangat. They must both relishing an opening shot in the three-day season opener starting Friday.

There is 35 other drivers entered for Uganda’s biggest rally event happening in the districts of Buikwe and Jinja with 525.91km to grind.

The distance is split into 209.45km of competitive sections and 316.46km in transport.

Mangat has won this event twice – 2013 and 2022 – while cruising a Mitsubishi Evo. X. He has since upgraded to a more powerful Hyundai i20 R5.

His rival has found Uganda a tough jungle to visit. Patel finished 10th in 2022 but skipped last year’s showdown.

Besides the two ARC hopefuls, some attention should be paid towards the reigning junior African champion Hamza Anwar, also from Kenya.

Both Kenyan crews will be cruising Skoda Fabia R5. Outside of those, Ugandan favourites – Ronald Ssebuguzi and Ponsiano Lwakataka – need better luck.

Three-time national champion Ssebuguzi is seeking a first finish in six years while Lwakataka, a two-time national winner, last won this event in 2011.

“Pearl of Africa is one of the events we have never won. We call on our fans not to put us under pressure to win the event. We are coming into this event looking for a finish,” Ssebuguzi said.

This morning, the first car will set off at 8.07 am in Kitigoma for a 25.44km race to Kidusu in the section codenamed Macarena.

This section, the longest of the four, will be repeated twice from 11.38 am and tomorrow at 10.08 am in the fourth and 10th super stages.

SHELL V-POWER PEARL OF AFRICA UGANDA RALLY

Itinerary

Qualifying stage: Wairaka 6km

Bujagali: 19.54km

SS1: Macarrena 1 - 25.44km

SS2: Tadooba 1- 8.85kms

SS3: Katushya - 18.96kms

SS4: Macrrena 2- 25.44km

SS5: Tadooba 2 - 8.85kms

SS6: Katushya 2- 18.96kms

SS7: Katushya 18.96kms

SS8: Sura Mbaya 1- 22.55kms

SS9: Sura Mbaya 2 - 22.55kms

SS10: Macarena3 - 16.34kms

SS11: V-Power stage(Sura Mbaya 3) - 22.55kms

Total Distance: 525.91km

Competitive distance: 209.45km

Transport distance: 316.46km

Entry list

1.Musa Ssegaabwe/ Mathias Kiyegga -Mitsubishi Evo9

2.Niwagaba Tumwebaze/ Charles Lubowa -Toyota Altezza

3.Haruna Kataza/ Urban Mulindwa – Subaru Impreza N8

4.Ahmed Senyonjo/ Sharif Muyanja- Toyota Corolla

5.Faisal Kayira/Isaac Lumu- Subaru Impreza

6.Rashid Makumbi/ Kibaalama Henry-Subaru Impreza N12

7.Oscar Ntambi/ Asuman Mohammed- Subaru Impreza N10

8.Moustapha Mukasa/ Mwambazi Lawrence- Mitsubishi Evo9

9.Abas Mayinja/Geofrey Serwoga-Subaru Impreza N8

10.John Consta/ Aaron Nsamba- Ford Fiesta Proto

11.Micheal Mukula/ Edward Kiyingi-Subaru Impreza N14

12.Kuku Ranjit / Tweranire Siraj- Mitsubishi Evo9

13.Jonas Kansime/ Ronald Bukenya- Mitsubishi Evo8

14.Isaac Ssozi/ Monica Birwinyo- Subaru Impreza N8

15.Didas Matsiko/ Alfred Mutanda- Subaru Impreza

16.unnisan Bakunda/ Hussein Mukuye-Mitsubishi Evo9

17.Japheth Lugayizi/ Alim Nsubuga- Toyota Celica

18.Joshua Muwanguzi/ Hamza Lwanga- Subaru Impreza N12

19.Omoo Francis/ James Emaru- Mitsubishi Evo4

20.Abas Sebunya/ Shameer Yusuf- Mitsubishi EvoX

21.Edward Kirumira/ Shakira Nabwami- Toyota Corolla

22.Amir Kavuma/ Nabirah Doreen- Subaru Impreza 2WD

23.Godfrey Nsereko/ John Bosco Musisi- Toyota RunX

24.Waiswa Salim Gasemba/Emanuel Mugulusi- Subaru Impreza

25.Sadat Negomba/ Zubedah Abdallah- Toyota FX

26.Fred Busulwa/Mildred Kibuuka- Subaru Impreza N10

27.Mohammed Bwette/Yusuf Babu- Mitsubishi Evo9

28.Hassan Alwi Jr/Musa Nsubuga- Subaru Impreza N14

29. Jas Mangat/Laurent Magat- Hyundai I20

30.Nasser Mutebi/Steven Bunya- Mitsubishi Evo9

31.Ronald Sebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa-Ford Fiesta Proto

32.Ponsiano Lwakataka/ Samuel Mugisha- Subaru Impreza N12B

33.Peter Kalule/David Mwesigwa- Subaru Impreza

34.Samuel Watendwa/ Alvin Luyimbazi- Toyota FX

35.Ibrahim Lubega/ Mustapha Kanakulya- Toyota Corolla FX

36.Karan Patel/ Tauseef Khan- Skoda Fabia R5

37.Hamza Anwar/ Adnan Din- Ford Fiesta R5