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Sports
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Written by MOSES MUGALU
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Sunday, 15 November 2009 16:38 |
Motosport fans are bracing for thrilling three final rounds, starting with this month’s Mbarara Sprint, to determine the Clubman Rally Championship (CRC) title race.
Teenager Shafiq Ssemujju (118.5 points) leads the CRC title race with just 25 points ahead of closest rival Nasser Mutebi who has 93.5pts. Close on the pair’s heels is Mohammed AbdulSamad with 91points. Fourth-placed Godfrey Lubega (66pts) and Arthur Tibashoboka (43pts) are considered outsiders in the title race.
But with the upcoming Mbarara Sprint (November 29), Central Motor Club (Dec.12-13) and Southern Motor Club (Dec.26), the top three contenders are in a prospective tight title race.
Both the Mbarara Sprint and Southern Motor Club sprint are CRC calendar events, meaning a maximum of 40 points - 20 from each race - are at stake for any winning driver.
The Central Motor Club rally doubles as NRC and CRC event, which offers 20 points for the winner of the latter category. Ssemujju, who is also second to Ronald Ssebuguzi in the National Rally Championship (NRC), has already shown grit and focus to grab the CRC title.
The 19-year-old driver ended AbdulSamad’s eight-month stay on top, by driving with focus to finish the Independence rally in Jinja last month. Jinja-based AbdulSamad, who was widely expected to take home advantage of home support, dropped out of the rally. AbdulSamad then skipped last week’s MOSAC sprint, which Ssemujju won to stretch his lead.
A former reverent rally fan, rookie Mutebi wants to live his dream of winning major silverware on his debut. Mutebi has already knocked up some shock victories on the way. Meanwhile Ismail Otega has been declared this year’s 2WD (2wheeldrive) champion after taking an unassailable 44-point lead ahead of closest rival G. T. Bakuba.
With four rounds to wind up the season , Otega (who drives a Levin Toyota) has 101 points while second placed Bakuba has a mere 57.
“Even if Bakuba takes the maximum 40 points from the remaining events, he can’t beat Otega. So we have already declared Otega the 2009 champion,” explained Kisitu Mayanja, the FMU technical boss.
FMU introduced the 2WD race, which involves standard (street) cars, as one of their initiatives to entice new drivers into motorsport.
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