Stars to watch out for at Pearl of Africa Rally
Aug 28, 2015
These are the drivers who stand out from the crowd in this weekend’s V-Power Pearl of Africa Rally. They not only have some of the best machines, but their skills at the wheel also stand out.
By James Bakama and Johnson Were
These are the drivers who stand out from the crowd in this weekend’s V-Power Pearl of Africa Rally. They not only have some of the best machines, but their skills at the wheel also stand out.
Arthur Blick (Subaru N 10)
He is undoubtedly Uganda’s top driver at the moment. Victory on Saturday will have him winning his first ever NRC title.
Blick goes for Uganda’s biggest rally prize after a stint of good form that had him winning three events in a row.
Jassy Singh (Subaru N 14)
He is the only driver in this year’s event to have won the Africa Rally Championship. The 2013 champion’s quest for a double currently has him second in the ARC standings. Kenya’s Jaspreet Chatthe tops the ARC standings. Singh is also a two-time Zambia champion. His father Muna Singh is a two time ARC champion.
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John Consta (Evo IX)
Jaspreet Chatthe (Evo X)
He will be the man to beat this weekend. The ARC frontrunner is also leading the Kenya National Championship.
As fellow Kenyan drivers shunned the Uganda leg of the ARC, Chatthe chose to take on the Ugandan and Zambian opposition in his quest for continental honours.
Ronald Ssebuguzi (Evo X)
The NRC defending champion will have a point to prove having failed to impress last year. Ssebuguzi brings solid credentials having won the NRC three times. With a career spanning almost two decades, Ssebuguzi will also be one of the most experienced drivers in action.
Jas Mangat (Evo X)
The 2013 NRC and Pearl of Africa champion is undoubtedly one of the heavyweights. He narrowly missed the ARC title. He is currently fifth in the Kenya National Rally Championship standings.
His quest for more competition had him switching to the Kenyan circuit this season.
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Ahmed Ashraf (Subaru N 14)
Suzan Muwonge (Subaru N12)
The only woman in the 4WD race. She is also the only woman to have won the NRC, this feat in 2011 also earned her the Uganda Sports Press Association personality of the year award.
Omar Mayanja (Evo V)
His machine might not be as powerful as most of the others, but his steadiness and skill on the wheel makes him one of the drivers to watch. It is these qualities that had him emerge as the best local performer.
Duncan Kikankane Mubiru (Subaru N 16)
The Mbarara rally champion currently lies third on the NRC. His daredevil antics make him a crowd favourite.
He is not only a regular competitor in the East African region, but also brings into play one of the best machines.
John Consta (Evo IX)
He is second on the NRC and is credited for being one of Uganda’s fastest drivers. Like Mubiru he is also a huge risk taker. In the last NRC event in Fort Portal, he tied with Arthur Blick Jr. Blick was only declared winner after considering time posted in the super special stage. He is fresh from a fourth place finish in the Mountain Gorilla rally of Rwanda- the fourth ARC event.
Ahmed Ashraf (Subaru N 14)
He is a 2008 NRC champion. Together with his co-driver Peter Stone, they are the most experienced crew. The medical doctor is also considered to be one of the most cautious competitors- a quality that has seen him complete most competitions. With his new machine he has vowed to give the young Turks a run for their money.
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