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He did not risk it all on the final day, keeping his cool to maintain the buffer throughout the final four speed tests, winning only one of the four stages, and coming second on three of the stages.
Yasin Nasser delivered a controlled and confident final day drive to bag his maiden Mbarara Rally victory on Sunday to kickstart his rally season in perfect shape.
The 2019 National Rally Champion was expected to be the head turner with his Ford Fiesta R5, and was already considered favourite, despite worry over how much he had learnt to handle the power behind the nimble beast.
Nasser led the season opener from start to finish after charging to a lead of over one minute during Saturday’s first full day of action in the farm lands of Mbarara.
He did not risk it all on the final day, keeping his cool to maintain the buffer throughout the final four speed tests, winning only one of the four stages, and coming second on three of the stages.
Mubiru Duncan ‘Kikankane’ had stood up to the pace set by Nasser, and arrived on the final day in second place, and initially reduced the lead by 25 seconds after Sunday’s morning loop.
But all his hopes were thrown up into thin air in the penultimate section, as he suffered damage to his front right tyre, losing three minutes and slipping to at least sixth on the leader board.
A spirited performance on the final stage saw Kikankane post the fastest time, but even that was only good enough to earn him third place, with second place inherited by rival Ronald Ssebuguzi.
Hassan Alwi nearly snatched a podium place following Kikankane’s debacle, but he also had a disappointing episode of trouble on the final stage, which lost him six minutes to Kikankane.
Byron Rugomoka’s title defence did not get off to an amazing start, but he will be surely content with a fifth-place finish.
Ibrahim Lubega and Mustapha Kanakulya in a Toyota FC were winners of the two-wheel drive category, eight minutes ahead of Mansoor Lubega/Arthur Lugolobi’s Toyota Levin.
Umar Kakyama grabbed the final podium position with Edward Kirumira finishing fourth in the category.
In the CRC category, Godfrey Kiyimba and Urban Mulindwa emerged victorious after prevailing from a tight contest with Joshua Muwanguzi.
Kiyimba won four of the six stages that were covered in the category, but a 21-minute penalty on Muwanguzi gave him an uncatchable lead.
Moses Okello and Ismael Musoke finished second, with Mustapha Kassaga and Doreen Nabira finishing third.
The National Rally Championship heads east to Jinja for its second round to be organized by the Eastern Motor Club on March 10-12.
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