BIC, Sakhir – Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) hosted back-to-back nights of thrilling head-to-head battles with rounds four and five of the Bahrain Drag Racing Championship taking place over the weekend as part of the National Racing Festival in Sakhir.

 

Close to 100 participants from all over the Gulf took part in both evenings of action.

 

Having earlier been rescheduled due to dangerous weather conditions that made racing unsafe for drivers, nine categories staged their final elimination races on Thursday (February 9) to mark the fourth round of the 2011/2012 season.

 

That was followed the very next evening (Friday, February 10) by racing in round five, which was highlighted by another fine performance by top Bahraini talent Ebrahim Kanoo who triumphed in the Outlaw Rear-Wheel-Drive (RWD) category.

 

Kanoo, a former World record-holder in the class, clinched his victory with a time of 7.472 seconds in the final race, where he defeated countryman Yousif Al Zayani. Kanoo registered a blistering pace of 314.32kph down BIC’s state-of-the-art quarter-mile drag strip, which is part of the prestigious National Hot Rod Association Worldwide Network.

 

Bader Dashti of Kuwait was another victor. Competing in the Super Street Outlaw Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD) class, he came away with a mark of 9.475s for the win. Ebrahim bin Hasher was the runner-up.

Adel Hassan Mohammed followed suit in the Street FWD-RWD. Mohammed, who in round three set a new World record in the same class, fought off fellow-Bahraini Mohammed Saleh Ali to claim the win in 10.078s.

 

Mohammed Shakib, also from Bahrain, was another to triumph. Contesting the Super Street RWD division, Shakib edged out Salman Mahmood Abdulla with a winning time of 8.083s, marginally better than his rival’s 8.258s mark.

 

Adel Khameeri was also a narrow victor. Battling Khalid Abdulkareem for the Street V8 win, Khameeri raced down the straight in 9.051s. Abdulkareem had to settle for the runner-up position with his time of 9.450s.

 

In the four other cars categories, non-Bahraini drivers were the most successful.

 

Talal bin Eidan of Kuwait won the Super Street V8 in 7.660s, beating Bahrain’s Abdulhameed Hassan in the final run. Hisham Al Mulla of Saudi Arabia did the same in the Competition 7.5 class, winning in 7.635s over Bahraini Mohammed Salama.

 

Abdulla Al Sorie later beat fellow-Kuwaiti Turki Al Khaled for the Outlaw 10.5 triumph with a winning mark of 6.980s. Khalil Ebrahim of the UAE then rounded out the Pro Mod division winners, taking the final car class in 6.193s, finishing ahead of Kuwait’s Bader Kursheed.

 

The victors from round five were presented their respective trophies following the completion of all the action. Officials from championship organisers Bahrain Drag Racing Club, Bahrain Motor Federation, and Bahrain International Circuit handed out the coveted awards.

 

Meanwhile, there was also plenty of excitement during the completion of racing for round four held Thursday.

 

Fahad Al Murbati scored what was likely the upset of the evening with a fine win over World record-holder Gary White of the US in the Outlaw RWD.

 

Salah Salahuddin followed suit with a victory in the Street V8. Adel Khameeri was the runner-up.

 

In the Super Street V8, Abdulla Ashati powered to victory ahead of Talal bin Eidan. Mohammed Salama then emerged triumphant in the Competition 7.5 category after defeating Ahmed Al Faraih.

 

In the Outlaw 10.5, Jamal Ebrahim triumphed in style beating fellow-Kuwaiti Hussain Al Shamari in the final race. Amongst the Pro Mods, Emirati Khalil Ebrahim captured the victory ahead of Kuwaiti Bader Kursheed.

 

In the Street Bike, Musfer Mubarak and Nawaf Al Ansari made it a Kuwaiti one-two; while Saudi’s Mashari Al Turki won the Super Street Bike class by beating Kuwait’s Bader bin Eidan.

 

An all-Kuwaiti trio then rounded out the winners in the Pro Bike category. Mohammed Rashid claimed the number one spot while Mishal Al Sabr had to settle for the runner-up spot.

 

The 2011/2012 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship is now headed for its sixth and final round, which is scheduled to take place between March 21 and 23 at BIC. A special ‘Test and Tune’ will then be held on March 29, setting the stage for a special Bahrain Drag Racing Club Exhibition Event to be held from May 2 to 4 only in Sakhir.