Charlie pips hot muhangi

By Douglas Mazune in MbararaCHARLIE Lubega won a well calculated race yesterday that left no room for a late-charging Charles Muhangi.Defending champion Lubega made the most of the five minute advantage he gained with his Mitsubishi Evo 4 on Saturday to win the Kobil 2002 Mbarara rally by two minutes.Muhangi in his new acquired Subaru Impreza WRC, took all three sections of the final leg yesterday but could not close the gap. The other contender Emma Katto, was forced out with mechanical problems on the first section on the final day.Muhangi had started day two of the rally with a four minute penalty after his car failed to start.Lubega admitted Muhangi was driving fast.“Muhangi put up a commendable performance and I don’t think I would have contained him if there was a big fight,” Lubega, who is also Uganda’s sportsman-of-the-year said.“I set good times in yesterday’s section because I knew today they would massacre me in these sections, because their cars are better,” Lubega said.Lubega however said Moses Lumala’s crash on the second leg had taken the pleasure out of his victory.The other Caltex-team driver Giovanni Storchi came third.Finishers:Charlie Lubega 2.27:16Charles Muhangi 2.29:37Giovanni Storchi 2.36:42Kuku Ranjit 2.39:55William Blick 3.52:38Issa Numba 4.03:35Jamil Ssenyonjo 4.35:17Ismail Mutessasira 5.48:40