By Frank Serugo Kahesi.
ARC standings after Pearl:
1. Yasin Nasser 54
2. Jas Mangat 42
3. Karan Patel 30
4. Rio Smith 24
Current NRC standing:
1. Yasin Nasser 198
2. Duncan Mubiru 173
3. Byron Rugomoka 160
4. Hassan Alwi 113
5. Ibrahim Lubega 72
2021 Africa Rally Championship runner-up and ARC2 champion, Yasin Nasser is in high spirints after winning the Shell V-power Pearl of Rally, Africa championship category.
Nasser co-driven by Ali Katumba in Ford Fiesta R5 popularly know as Nemo, won the ARC category, resumed lead of the continental championship leader board with now 54 points.
The crew fought tooth and neck, to pull off of over 10minutes penalty slapped on them on day two(after leg1) for not driving Edwin Kalule stage due power steering problem that had to be fixed prior his restart.
“This weekend we in Tanzania for their local champion opener in Iringa,then we shall drive in Tanga before retuning Nemo home, we likey to drive Subaru GBV in Kabalega rally in June,” explained Ali Katumba,Nasser’s navigator.
The duo also lead the local championship with 198 points,followed by overall Pearl rally winner, Duncan Mubiru ‘ Kikankane’ with 173 points, Byron Rugomoka who finished second behind Mubiru is now third on NRC grid with 160 points.
JAS MANGAT;
Other crew that picked crucial points after rejoining with 20minutes penalty, was of Jas Mangat and Joseph Kamya who experience an oil leakage problem of their aging Mitsubishi EvoX in Nekusa stage, missing out on repeat of Scoul and Kalule stages.
From 12th position after leg one, crew battled their way to top six finish, picking 21 points for their ARC contention.
They currently lie second behind Moil’s Yasin Nasser after emassing a total of 42points, 12 points ahead of earlier championship leader, Kenya’s Karan Patel who pulled out of the event at the last minute.
Next ARC stop will be in Tanzania in July,as local NRC round is set for 9th-11thJune,2023 in the regions of Bunyoro.