Drivers rap Sali

By Douglas Mazune LEADING drivers yesterday reiterated their capacity to drive in the forthcoming Petro Pearl of Africa rally but said they have intentionally abstained from it. Reigning and former national champions Charlie Lubega and Moses Lumala said they qualify to participate in the rally, but are out by choice. “We are going to miss the Petro rally out of choice,” said Lubega who called The New Vision from London refuting a press assertion by AAU boss Sam Sali yesterday that he, and Lumala, lacked cars allowed in ARC events. “That is wrong, Sam Sali shouldn’t mislead the public. My car is homologated, I need less than one minute to fix turbo restrictor,” an unusually angry Lubega said. “Sali is just sour grapping.” Lumala said he also needs one minute to fix a turbo restrictor on his homologated group A Toyota Celica ST 185 though he lost the priority B status in January. The two drivers said they are rallying without turbo restrictors for performance gains since homologation is unnecessary in local events. Lubega also revealed that he actually declined FIA priority B status that AAU secured for him. “Having seen the problems that befell Lumala, and the fact that I decided to drive under FMU which has not been affiliated to FIA I did not need the priority B status. “I was contacted by AAU as to whether I would accept priority B status, an invitation that I declined,” Lubega said in a statement issued jointly with Lumala. He went on: “Unless they accepted it on my behalf, which would be highly irregular, I do not consider myself a priority B driver,” Lubega said. They explained in the statement that drivers lost interest in AAU because of its attitude towards drivers role in the sport. “Many of the non-top drivers are skipping the Petro rally and looking forward to the next rally (TOTAL Quartz). “As drivers we are not against Petro as a sponsor, we welcome them, however they should find an organiser that has the goodwill of the drivers, the main stakeholders in the sport.” They said Chipper Adams who wrecked Mitsubishi Evo5 can compete in any other car. Sali when contacted for a comment said: “I have no comment if they have just chosen not to take part. It is personal decision I can’t talk about.” “Technically Lubega can’t drive in an international rally with his current car. It is modified but if he puts the restrictor as he says and gets FIA homologation papers, he qualifies,” Sali said. Meanwhile, rally ace Emma Katto who has been out of action for six months yesterday made a return to the sport when he entered the September 8-9 TOTAL Quartz rally. Katto who last competed in February in the UMC sprint at Garuga where he beat Charles Muhangi will drive his Toyota Celica ST 185. The event — the eighth round of the FMU calendar — comes just seven days after the AAU organised Petro Pearl of Africa rally. Ends