Lumala Jnr ready to challenge top guns as Sprint Championship kicks off at Garuga

All is set for the opening round of the National Sprint Championship, which will roar into life this weekend at the Garuga Race Track, with several drivers eager to make an early statement in the title race.

Among those attracting attention ahead of the season opener is emerging talent Musa Lumala Jnr, who is determined to prove that he belongs among the sport's established competitors.

The soft-spoken driver turned heads during the championship launch, confidently declaring his ambition to challenge some of the country's top sprint drivers despite his limited experience.

"I want to compete with these guys. I know they have been in the game for some time, but with time I will give somebody a headache," Lumala said.

Lumala will be behind the wheel of an Attacker Buggy, a machine he hopes will help him make a strong impression on race day. Although still relatively new to competitive motorsport, the youngster is no stranger to the racing fraternity. He has regularly accompanied his father, veteran rally driver Moses Lumala, to various events and has steadily gained experience around the sport.

His previous appearances include the Busiika Sprint Championship held in December last year, as well as serving as a route opener during this year's Pearl of Africa Rally.

"This is going to be my third event after the Busiika Sprint in December and the Pearl Rally route-opening duties. I will take it easy but remain competitive," he added.

In preparation for the event, Lumala recently conducted testing sessions at Garuga, where he posted encouraging times and displayed growing confidence behind the wheel. He says he is ready to take on any opponent, although many fans are particularly eager to see how he compares against fellow competitor Musa Mulimira.

The Garuga event will officially open the 2026 sprint championship season after the initially scheduled first round failed to take place earlier in the year. More than 50 drivers are expected to line up for the competition, with entries set to close on Saturday.

Defending champion Ronald Ssebuguzi is among the headline acts expected to grace the event. The multiple national champion recently tested his machine following the championship launch and is widely tipped as one of the favourites as the battle for this year's sprint crown gets underway.

With a mix of experienced campaigners and ambitious newcomers, motorsport enthusiasts can expect an exciting start to the National Sprint Championship at Garuga this weekend.