Ssebuguzi triumphs on Day One of SMC Sprint

Jul 06, 2014

The crew of Dr. Ashraf Ahmed and Peter Stone in Subaru GC8 are confident they can beat the Super Special Stage winner Ronald Ssebuguzi to win the SMC rally.

By Johnson Were

Day One results
1. Ronald Ssebuguzi 0:05:59
2. Omar Mayanja 0:06:24
3. Shafik Ssemujju 0:06:25
4. Peter Kakaire 0:06:26
5. Dr. Ashraf Ahmed 0:06:27
6. Jonas Kansiime 0:06:31

Opening route
Ronald Ssebuguzi
Jonas Kansiime

The crew of Dr. Ashraf Ahmed and Peter Stone in Subaru GC8 are confident they can beat the Super Special Stage winner Ronald Ssebuguzi to win the SMC rally, despite finishing fifth at the event held at Festino Cite Mukono on Saturday.

Dr. Ashraf told New Vision that winning the Super Stage doesn’t mean you have won the rally but that it is only a morale booster for the crew ahead of Day Two that always presents a greater challenge for drivers.

“It’s not over, our car is in good condition and we are waiting for tomorrow [Sunday] which is the toughest day,” he said.

“We were just conscious and well aware of Sunday that has competitive sections,” the OiLibya-sponsored driver said.

Ssebuguzi powered his Mistubishi Evo 9 to win the event after clocking a time of five minutes and fifty-nine seconds, beating second-place Omar Mayanja who clocked six minutes and twenty-four seconds.

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Jonas Kansiime cruises past in his Subaru N10. PHOTO/Johnson Were
 

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Dr. Ashraf Ahmed, here in his Subaru GC8, said he is pysched up for Sunday's action. PHOTO/Johnson Were

Ssebuguzi opens the route on Day Two as he battles with Jonas Kansiime who is second on the NRC table standing.

Shafik out

The sprint defending champion, Shafik Ssemujju, in a Subaru N11 B suffered a setback when he dropped out of the rally after finishing third, with his car getting mechanical problems.

“It’s a big disappointment. The computer got a problem and was burnt which automatically rules us out of the event in Day Two,” said his manager, Rajab Kavuma.

Lawyer Aron Nsamba, who last year engaged the national governing body FMU in court battles for being banned from the sport, was thrown out after he wanted to drive a car that is not homologated.

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