After claiming victory in the Shell VPower Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, Uganda’s Jas Mangat moved a step closer to retaining his National Rally Championship title as well as winning his maiden Africa Rally Championship.
In what was a two day event that started with a Super Special Sprint at Lubiri on Friday, Mangat cruising a Mitsubishi EvoX beat fellow competitors after completing the 425.6 km race in 02.02.08 to extend his lead at the top of ARC standings to 83 points with second placed Jassy Singh 17 points adrift while fierce rival Essa Mohammed lies third on 50 points with two events in Rwanda and Madagascar to go.
Fortunately for Mangat, reigning ARC title holder Essa didn’t complete the weekend race after his Subaru N16 got a suspension problem as well as Rwanda’s Giancarlo Davite; both still in contention for the 2013 title. Only Zambian Jassy of the closest rivals for the ARC finished the race in sixth as he clocked two hours, forty three minutes and thirty seconds.
Like in the ARC, Jas was lucky his closest rivals for the NRC, Ronald Ssebuguzi (236 points) and Arthur Blick (203 points) also bowed out of the Shell VPower rally due to varying mechanical problems leaving him a massive 199 and 232 points ahead of the duo respectively.
To be crowned Africa Champion, Mangat doesn’t even need to win the events in Rwanda and Madagascar but ensures he completes the two events.
A little different from the NRC as it may require him to win most of the events but as it stands now, both titles are his to lose.
ARC STANDINGS
Jas Mangat (Uganda) – 83
Jassy Singh (Zambia) – 66
Mohammed Essa (Zambia) – 50
Giancarlo Davite (Rwanda) – 33
Eric Pages (Cote d’ Ivoire) – 25
NRC STANDINGS
Jas Mangat (EVO X) 435
Ronald Ssebuguzi (EVOIX) 236
Arthur Blick Jnr (Subaru N10) 203
