By KPC Sports Correspondent
Two-time African rally champion Karan Patel received a memorable birthday send-off on Thursday as fans burst into a chorus of “Happy Birthday” ahead of the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally in Mbarara.
The lively moment unfolded at the Lake View Resort grounds during shakedown and the ceremonial flag-off, giving the Kenyan star an emotional boost as he launched his bid to extend his lead in the 2026 African Rally Championship (ARC).
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The Pearl Rally’s early May calendar has often coincided with Patel’s May 7 birthday, but this year’s celebrations carried extra significance as he arrived in Uganda sitting top of the continental standings.
Patel heads into round two of the ARC riding high after a breakthrough performance at the Safari Rally Kenya in Naivasha, where he finally ended a frustrating streak of retirements to emerge as the championship leader.
“Fans singing for Karan K Patel today was humbling,” members of his camp said shortly after the flag-off.
Despite the celebrations, Patel quickly switched focus to the demanding task ahead — maintaining a clean run, preserving pace, and protecting his championship advantage in Uganda’s “land of milk and honey.”
The Kenyan ace will tackle the rally alongside navigator Tauseef Khan aboard a Skoda Fabia Rally2.
Friday’s opening leg features five stages covering 60 competitive kilometres, beginning with SS1 Charles Muhangi 1 at 9:40am.
Saturday presents the toughest challenge of the rally with 127.92km of competitive action before crews conclude with the Shell V-Power Power Stage.
This year’s edition has attracted 23 ARC crews and one of the biggest foreign entries seen in recent seasons, setting up a fierce contest in Uganda’s “milk capital.”
As the engines roar through Mbarara, Patel’s birthday celebration has already provided one of the rally’s feel-good moments — but the Kenyan will now be hoping the weekend ends with another gift: a stronger grip on a third African crown.
