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| Masaka Challenge Rally analysis by our editors. |
The rally had 17 starters and apart from Sebuguzi's Lancer EVO RS IV (with its history it should have a name by now), Kibudde's Mirage, Bob Roberts' Ford, ex-Mansur Sanya Mazda (now with a new Masaka-based driver) and Ben Koyesiga's Celica, the rest of the cars were Subarus. And of these, apart from the 3 legacy's of Issa Nyanzi, A. Sempebwa (Jinja boy) and Black Widow, we had a fine line-up of evenly matched Imprezas doing battle.
Sebuguzi was favourite going into the Leg 1 sprint at Nabugabo. Having sat with Lwakataka during the CBS Sprint at the start of the year, I knew he was severely short-handed in the ways of keeping the wheels spinning round a bend. Lwakataka also had a newly built car after his old car was written off in the 2006 Jomayi Rally. The car had been prepared at Faizal Tezikuba's Performance Auto Center and it was my guess that performance of these 2 drivers would be comparable - in the sprint at least. |
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| The track was sandy with more than 100 trees and anthills lining it. It was perfect for the maestros as they could show how they handle combination obstacles (long medium right sweeper with an Anthill - a tree and then another anthill and another tree, and that's just on the inside of the bend. Now add 2 trees to the outside of the track...). Bob Roberts entertained thoroughly especially when going round the aforementioned sweeper on the first run. At the exit he found himself 90 degrees too-in, and facing the tree at the exit. He decided to do a 360 round the tree which unfortunately had a policeman, gun over shoulder, and circling the tree, his only defense from the monster truck) as Bob went around it! |
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Sebuguzi beat Lwakataka by 6s on the first run and decided to give it to the fans on the second. He swept every bend and by the end of the sprint everybody was convinced that he was a champion in his own class. Faizal was 3rd fastest followed by Issa Nyanzi. Susan Muwonge was well advised to keep her car for day two and she was a little slower than what we now know she is capable of. By the overnight stop, Sebuguzi led Lwakataka by 9s. |
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| At the start of leg2, we had the now common problem of marshals not showing up where they are supposed to be. Cars were started but did not find an FF so the stage was cancelled and the rally delayed for about an hour. But from where I was standing (1.5kms from the FF of this 9km stage), Lwakataka was 2 seconds quicker than Sebuguzi. Faisal was about a minute off, leaving Susan Muwonge as favourite for the podium at about 30s off of the leader's pace - this after hitting a boda boda. |
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| In the following 14 kms stage, Lwakataka took 23s off Sebuguzi. FT lost 2mins to the leader but more importantly, he had also lost 1.5mins to Susan Muwonge who crashed in the FF at about 140 - 160kph over a fast left! She injured her fingers when she thought the tumbling was over and she tried to open her door from the outside, when the car fell on her hand! Her navigator felt a sharp pain but it was nothing, possibly fright. Susan immediately retired from rallying although she was back from retirement by noon after being told the engine and rollcage were fine! Leaving first service, Sebuguzi was now trailing Lwakataka by 14s but had complained of a bodaboda carrying New Vision's Frank Serugo obstracting his vision on the previous stage. |
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| I was asked and I obliged to serve as Apres Pista (a second route opener) for the next stage which was an open 38km stage running between Kalisizo and Masaka (Kidda) and which was known for considerable traffic. I entered the stage 10 mins ahead of Sebuguzi and while I encountered at least 6 cars in the stage, none required a considerable reduction in speed. Sebuguzi came out of the stage 4 minutes after me and confirmed that it was clear enough for him. |
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Trouble is that Lwakataka had taken another 37s out of him to which the latter commented "Adusse nnyo, I thought I had taken more than a minute out of him on that home stage!" FT was 3 minutes off the pace in this stage alone but was firmly in 3rd position now.
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When Sebuguzi got the news that he was now about 50s behind, he was not shaken. There were 4 more stages to run and he confirmed that his car was now handling much better than it had done all of last year, after Andy Musoke changed his settings!
The next stage was 11kms and had only 1 massive ditch near the start. Lwakataka succumbed to temptation to extend his lead and broke a rear strut over the ditch. He was visibly slower than Sebuguzi and we thought it was enough to overturn the rally lead given 2 more stages without service.
On the next stage (repeat of the 9km morning stage that had been cancelled), Lwakataka showed up a minute late attracting a 10s penalty. He then punctured and also lost his rear bumber in this stage - as the back of the car was bouncing uncontrollably due to the broken shock. In the last of the loop of 3 stages (repeat of the Peggy Sue stage), the villagers were emphatic that Lwakataka had been faster although our information on his troubles did not support this. Now this is where the plot thickens.
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G. Semakula navigating for Lwakataka worked out that they had lost about 30s but lied not only to Jeff Kabagambe but also to his own driver that the difference was more than 2 minutes! Departing from service before the official timing had come in from the stages, it was thought that Sebuguzi now had a rally lead of 1min and 10s. We all knew that Lwakataka was a never-say-die kind of man and would do anything to try overturn this. Not only that, after months of glorious clear skies, clouds quickly gathered and let down a storm that lasted at least 90 minutes over the district! At this point anything was possible especially for people who know Takataka!
I had been asked to route open again but having punctured my tyres on the first pass, I asked for 2 spares and by the time they were fitted, Sebuguzi was already at the start of the stage and we did not want to delay the rally. Besides it was more important at this stage in order to eliminate any talk of cheating that someone polices the clocks at the start and then at the finish of the stage. Myself and Hajji Senyonjo policed the start of the stage while a cousin of mine was placed near the end of the stage. Sebuguzi went in at 23 past and we got concerned when Lwakataka did not enter the control until 24 - but quickly found out that he had incurred that lateness earlier in the day and was now running 4 minutes behind instead of 3. We panicked further when the marshal scribbled but because of the rain on the paper, the ink did not mark the paper. We asked him to write again and then we cross-checked the clock and then we confirmed that Lwakataka was out at 27 past.
We then raced on the tarmac and got to the end just after Lwakataka had cleared the stage. I asked Essy Kavuma what the interval had been between the 2, when she replied 2 mins, I thought she was lying. I then went to confirm it at the control where I found that Sebuguzi had shown up at 42:12s while Lwakataka had come in at 44:44! My cousing confirmed the difference as 1min and 28s at the end of the stage.
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Back at the service park, Sebuguzi was in shock and did not believe what had happened. Theories ranged from corrupt marshals to short-cuts since that was Lwakataka's home stage but I know it's all empty. Sebuguzi had done the same stage in 17:36 in the morning so what was so great about 17:44 done by Lwakataka on the repeat?! Okay it was raining but Lwakataka had done it in 16:59 and was expected to better that had the skies not opened up.
Later on we discovered that Sebuguzi had been beaten by mind games. His navigator should have checked the exact time differences. What had happened in fact was that lwakataka had lost 15s on the 11kms stage and another 15s on the 9kms stage, incurred a penalty of 10s for 1min of lateness but had beaten Sebuguzi by 5s in the 14kms stage after changing the tyre - confirming villagers' claim. So the actual rally lead at the start of the last stage was 6s and it belonged to Lwakataka! Sebuguzi
also admitted that after the UMC rally at the end of last year where he ingested so much water, he had been too cautious over the last stage although Edson Mungyereza who also did the UMC rally confirmed that the Masaka water splashes were nothing compared to Kalagi-Gavu and this is because the road was well graded and rounded (poured over into trenches
on both sides) leaving the centre clear of what could be classified as standing water.
FT came in 3rd without event and 14mins behind the leaders while Leonard Bagarukayo scooped 4th. Mansur Sanya now driving a Subaru Impreza (Normally aspirated but 4wd) was 5th while Dr. Ashraf came in 6th.
Meanwhile Sebuguzi has promised to retain his win in Mbarara as he believes it to be neutra territory! Lwakataka has also claimed that he will be saving his new car (Mbu N oba EVO 8) for the Pearl where he will face "serious" competition.
CL (photos by Michael Nsubuga)
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