Bahrain1 duo claim victories
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The Bahrain1 Racing duo of Khalil Al Ansaari and Rashid Al Balooshi both claimed consecutive victories in their respective categories in the Bahrain Drag Racing Championship (BDRC), which wrapped up the third round of its 2023/2024 season over the weekend at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
Al Ansaari triumphed in the Pro Mod class to spearhead an all-Bahrain1 podium, while Al Balooshi took first place in the Competition 4.5 category.
The two Emirati drivers had also emerged victorious in the BDRC’s second meeting held in January.
It was the third straight double win for Bahrain’s leading drag racing team, owned by His Majesty the King’s Personal Representative, His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Previously, in the first round of the season, Bahrain1’s Justin Bond clinched the Pro Mod victory while Jordan Lazic claimed the Competition 4.5 class, before Al Ansaari and Al Balooshi took over. Bahrain1’s most recent success continued their sensational form this campaign, which has reached its midway point.
The BDRC is being organised and run by BIC in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF), Bahrain Drag Racing Commission, and Bahrain Motorcycle Commission (BMC).
Close to 200 competitors from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Canada competed this past weekend along BIC’s world-class quarter-mile drag strip, which is a member of the prestigious Worldwide Network of the U.S.-based National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
Al Ansaari secured his win in the Pro Mod final after defeating fellow-Bahrain1 racer Khaled Al Balooshi.
Al Ansaari posted a time of 3.686 seconds at 324.00kph in the decisive round, narrowly outgunning Khaled Al Balooshi’s 3.700s at 325.91kph.
Bond came third to complete Bahrain1’s clean sweep of the podium places.
In the Competition 4.5 category, Rashid Al Balooshi just beat out Saeed Al Balooshi in their final.
Rashid Al Balooshi had a time of 4.518s at 238.78kph, while Saeed posted a 4.523s mark at 242.33kph. Mohamed Salama of Bahrain was classified third in class. Elsewhere in the round, five Bahrainis claimed victories, including Ahmed Al Bastaki, Mahmood Salah, Yousif Al Zayani, Qassim Jafar and Hamad Ali.
Al Bastaki won in the 10.0 Index category after beating countryman Ahmed Hasan in the final. Al Bastaki took first in 10.005s at 199.60kph, while Hasan had a breakout after going quicker than his dialled-in time.
Podium
Salah took the top podium step in the Outlaw 4-Cylinder class with a winning time of 9.756s at 238.92kph in his final pass. He defeated Jasim Saleh who had a mark of 11.800s at 194.73kph.
Zakaria Al Kuwari came third to complete an all-Bahraini podium.
Al Zayani was the winner in the Outlaw 6-Cylinder category, which also had an all-Bahraini top three.
Al Zayani had a time of 4.362s at 272.35kph in the final, beating Ali Khunaizi, who had a red light.
Faisal Mohammed finished third. Jafar powered to the win in the Street Fight Bikes 9.5, leading three Bahrainis to the podium.
Jafar had a time of 10.005s at 206.34kph in the final, defeating Mohamed Ali Al Taitoon, who had a mark of 10.138s at 244.86kph.
Mohameed Abdulkarim came third. Hamad Ali finished on top amongst all the 8.5 Index Bikes competitors, winning in 8.605s at 220.93kph. Al Taitoon was once again the runner-up.
He had a breakout in the final. Also in the meeting, three Kuwaitis climbed to the top of their podiums, namely Ahmed Malallah, Abdulrahman Bo Alwa and Mohammed Al Awwad.
Malallah won the 8.5 index class with an 8.506s time at 236.97kph to beat Bahrain’s Yousif Al Khamiri, who had an 8.521s mark at 250.52kph in the final.
Abdulrahman Al Rashed of Kuwait came third.
Bo Alwa triumphed in the 7.5 Index category in 7.484s at 281.88kph in the final, beating countryman Sayed Hussain Al Haddad, who had a red light. Abdulrahman Al Kaabi of the UAE was third.
Al Awwad finished on top amongst the Outlaw Bikes riders, winning in 4.268s at 240.91kph against Saudi Arabia’s Fahad Alhamoud, who had a time of 5.325s at 169.97kph.
Khaled Al Dossary of Saudi finished third. Elsewhere in round three, two other Emirati drivers were victorious with Musabbeh Al Kaabi taking the 9.0 Index class and Yousif Al Ali winning the Pro 29.5 V8, and Saudi’s Mishari Mohammed completed the list of victors in the Pro Street Bikes category. Al Kaabi beat Kuwait’s Rumaih Al Rumaih in their final with both drivers having a breakout.
Al Kaabi, however, was closer to his dialled-in time. Fahad Khwari of Kuwait came third.
Al Ali took the Pro 29.5 V8 win in 4.231s at 217.40kph, defeating Saudi’s Majed Al Harbi in the final, with Abdulla Al Abdullah of Kuwait coming third.
Mohammed won the Pro Street Bikes final with a time of 4.361s at 279.88kph, defeating countryman Khalid Aldosseri in the final. Bahrain’s Abdulla Fakhroo finished third.
Following all the action, the winners were presented their respective trophies in the podium ceremonies attended by officials from BIC, the BMF, the Bahrain Drag Racing Commission and the BMC.
The BDRC now heads to its final two rounds of the 2023/2024 season.
The fourth and penultimate meeting takes place this week from tomorrow to Friday, setting the stage for the championship finale from 19 to 22 March.
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