Hussain crowned double champion as national drag racing season ends

Hani Hussain was the star man of the 2018/2019 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship, after clinching a double title following the season’s final round held over the weekend at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. 

Hussain won the champion’s trophy in both the Pro Mod and Index 8.5 categories to highlight a glittering awards night on Saturday at BIC’s Paddock Club.

The Bahraini was at the forefront of this season’s group of newly crowned champions, each of whom not only took home new silverware but were also presented with prestigious Wally trophies – a grand honour only bestowed upon winners of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) events.

Hussain was one of four Bahrainis to emerge as a champion. The others included Ali Abdulla in the Street 4 and 6 category, Hussain Akbar in the Super Street V8 and Mohamed Al Taitoon in the Bike 9.50 class.

Also winning titles were five competitors from Saudi Arabia, three from Kuwait and two from the UAE.

The Saudi champions featured Mohammed Hussain in the Super Street 6-Cylinder, Nabeel Al Isa in the Outlaw 10.5, Mohammed Jawad in the Index 9.5, Ali Abdulrahman in the Index 10.5 and Mishari Al Turki in the Super Street Bike class.

Kuwait’s winners were Bader Dashti in the Outlaw Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD) category, Mohamed Suliman in the Street V8 and Bader Bin Edan amongst the Street Bikers.

The season’s last two champions from the UAE were Jassim Al Ali in the Outlaw Rear-Wheel-Drive (RWD) class and Abdulmajed Hussain in the Competition 4.5.

Attending the awards night were high-ranking officials from BIC, the Bahrain Motor Federation, Bahrain Drag Racing Club and the Bahrain Motorcycle Club. Also on hand were team members of the winning competitors and their supporters.

Meanwhile, Hussain had another reason to celebrate this past weekend after he closed out his championship-winning campaign with a victory in the Pro Mod category.

The fifth and concluding meeting of the season was cut short due to unstable weather conditions on Race Day Friday. The results of Qualifying on Thursday night were taken into account for the season standings.

Hussain was the Pro Mod’s top qualifier with an elapsed time of 3.921secs. Muslim Al Qallaf of Saudi was the runner-up with Tariq Hadi of Bahrain in third place.

In the Index 8.5, Hussain had to settle for third place but it was enough to win him the championship. Saudi’s Al Isa won with a qualifying mark of 8.526s, with Sayed Al Hadad of Kuwait in second. Hussain came third in 8.552s.

Just like Hussain, Akbar ended his season in style by winning in the finale en route to securing his title. His Super Street V8 triumph was with a qualifying time of 4.413s, beating the Saudi pair of Majid Al Anazi and Nayef Abdulla.

Also taking victories amongst the Bahrainis were Mohammed Al Jlahma in the Street 4 and 6 with a time of 9.092s, Jassim Gamban in the Outlaw FWD with a leading qualifying pass of 8.618s, Hamad Almerbati in the Super Street 6-Cylinder class with a 7.087s mark, Mohammed Sakeeb in the Outlaw 6-Cylinder with a 6.683s time and Ali Haji in the Competition 4.5 class with a 4.503s mark.

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Suleman enjoyed a win in the Street V8 category en route to securing his title, and his countryman Bin Eidan did the same in winning the Street Bikes. Al Isa followed suit as he confirmed his championship by winning the Outlaw 10.5, as did fellow-Saudi
Al Turki in the Super Street Bikes.

Elsewhere, Jaber Ghareeb of Kuwait won in the Index 10.5, Mohammed Hassan of Saudi won in the Index 9.5, and Fadi Abu Jamus from Palestine won the Street Fight Bikes.