Top Five
- Jas Mangat/Joseph Kamya (Mitsubishi Hi Lancer Evo X) – 1:53:06.12
- Gomes Leroy/Gomes Urshala (Ford Fiesta R5) – 1:58:11.27
- Davite Giancarlo/Vindevogel (Mitsubishi Hi Lancer Evo X) – 1:58:52.76
- Ponsiano Lwakataka/Paul Musaazi (Subaru Impreza) – 2:00:38.62
- Yasin Nasser/Ali Katumba (Subaru Impreza) – 2:09:09.70
Jas Mangat and his navigator Joseph Kamya cruised to victory at the 2022 Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Rally on Sunday.
Mangat’s triumph was built on his impressive start on a rain-affected Day One where he won two of the three stages to go top.
On Day two, he clinged onto his top spot, despite failing to win any of the four stages. He finished with a total time of 1:53:06.12 after seven stages, five minutes and five seconds ahead of the next competitor.
It was a deserved win for the ‘Pili Pili‘ crew, racing in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, their first race of the year.
His last race in 2021 was a victory at the UMC Kassanda Sugar Rally and he will be hoping for more better fortunes ahead.
Mangat becomes the first Ugandan to win the Pearl Rally since Hassan Alwi won it in 2016.
It’s his second Pearl win having won his first back in 2013, then driving with Kenya’s Gihan De Silver.
He joins a small list of drivers to have won the Pearl Rally more than once including Chipper Adams, Charlie Lubega, Riyaz Kurji and Manvir Singh Baryan.
Zambia’s Gomez Leroy and Rwanda’s Davite Giancarlo came second and third in that order to complete the podium places on Sunday.
Ponsiano Lwakataka clocked 2:00:38:62 to finish fourth as he extends his lead in the National Rally Championship.
However, Lwakataka who won Pearl Rally back in 2011, will feel he could have done better having finished Day One in second place, just few seconds behind winner Mangat.
Focus for the NRC drivers turn to UMC Rally due July 8 before the SMC Rally due August 5-7.
