By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
FORMER Africa Rally champion, Jassy Singh goes in as favourite this evening to grab the 2014 National Rally Driver of the Year during the Zambia Motor Sports Association (ZMSA) annual awards gala at Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka.
Though he failed to reclaim the Africa title and lost it in the last race to Ivorian Gary Chaynes, Jassy redeemed his season by venting his anger on the local front where he needed something special to win the Zambian title.
He will however, remain with unstable nerves as he has some really formidable challenge from Godfrey Chulu who led the Zambian ‘constructors table’ for lengthy periods before a breakdown in the last but one race.

. Singh

Leading the ZMSA National Rally Championship table after six rounds, Chulu had a mechanical problem with his car and failed to finish the Monze Rally and allowed Jassy Singh to move into pole position going into the last rally of the championship in Chongwe.
Armed with his experience and training, Jassy blazed the Barn Rally to win the national title and leave Chulu looking back at the wasted opportunities as he finished second in the national rally table.
Also in contention would be Muna Singh junior, the younger brother to Jassy, who finished third though his hopes would lie in the Best Young Driver of the Year.
Farook Ticklay, who finished in overall fourth but second in the Barn Rally, will be gunning for the most improved driver.
The award for Navigator of the Year will be tightly contested between Jassy’s man on the left Sajid Khan and Laston Chulu, the navigator for Godfrey with Adrian Sutherland expected to add some levels of competition to the two.
There should also be awards for Miles Monge as well as Kelvin Mhlanga among others.
The list of some of the nominees in various categories at tonight’s gala are Sutherland, Afzal Essa, Azim Ticklay, Balveen Singh, Chibula Kapala, Crawford Mwinga, Farook Ticklay, Geoffrey Chulu, Jasmeen Singh, Jassy, Jergan Sauter, Watson Kayola and Kelvin Mhlanga.
Others are Kenny Mukosa, Laston Chulu, Liam Howes, Mali Chulu, Miles Monge, Mohammed Essa and Muna  Singh Jnr while the rest are Nash Chisenga, Osward Chibebe, Rudi Sauter, Sajid Khan, Sidu Goshi, Vyon Pinto, Yazdaan Ticklay, Sidu Goshi, Vyon Pinto and Yazdaan Ticklay.