NRC standingsMangat (Subaru N12) 391Sebuguzi (Evo9) 312Fitidis (Subaru N12) 312Elefter Mitraros (Subaru N11) 240Mubiru (Subaru N14) 236Muwonge (Subaru N10) 214Title contender Christakis Fitidis will be flagged off third in this weekend’s Coca-cola Umospoc Independence Rally of the Uganda national rally championship in Masaka.After winning Grand Masters Sprint last month, the Rwandan driver is now tied with Ronald Ssebuguzi on 312 points. He also closed the gap on run-away leader, Jas Mangat, who finished runner up at the sprint.The two-day Masaka event which will cover 325km opens with a super special stage at Misaali on Saturday.However, both Ssebuguzi and Fitidis have vowed to take the fight for maximum points (100) in the title deciding Independence Rally.The winner of the Masaka event will get 100 points while the last three sprints have a total of 30 points. “Each of us has a great chance now to win the title although Jas (Mangat) remains a step ahead,” Fitidis says, adding that the title race could zero down to experience other than driving skills in the final event.Of the three current NRC leaders, Mangat turns out the less experienced driver. Despite competing at the top levels (national and continental) for a couple of years, Mangat has not won any major titles.Ssebuguzi has twice won the NRC title, while Fiditis dominated the Rwandan championship for years before switching to driving on a Uganda licence this year.
