WITH the African Rally Championship now out of the way, Olivier Costa (Pic) and co turn their focus to the KCB Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally (RMGR), the most lucrative event on the National Rally Calendar.

The rally slated for September 17-19, also counts as the third and final tier of the Inaugural East African Rally Challenge series and is expected to attract a big field of drivers from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

KCB Safari rally, the first leg of the KCB East African Rally Challenge series was won by Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo while the second tier (KCB Pearl of Africa Rally) was swept by Uganda’s Riyaz Kurji.

Johnny Murengezi raced to the top of the National Rally Championship table after winning Rallye du Huye back in June.

Murengezi took advantage of a hefty penalty on national champion Davite Giancarlo at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza to claim his first podium finish in a over a year.

Elefter Mitraros is second on the charts while Giancarlo, Christakis Fitidis and Olivier Costa follow in third, fourth and fifth slots.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s James Whyte and Phil Archenoul won the 2009 FIA African Rally Championship with their safe 3rd place overall in the last round-the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally.

Costa finished the season in a respectable fourth.

Ends