SAKHIR — Four new records, including three world records and one Middle East record, were set on an historic night of drag racing at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir over the weekend. The second round of the 2012-13 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship was expected to produce plenty of high-octane action, but nothing could have prepared the fans for the magical moments witnessed at the BIC quarter-mile strip. American Gary White and Bahrainis Ebrahim Kanoo, Khalid Mohammed and Adel Hassan all etched their names into the record books. White, Kanoo and Hassan each registered new world records in their respective competition classes, while Mohammed had a new Middle East record to mark a successful return to racing after a season-long hiatus. The round was held as part of BIC's weekend-long National Racing Festival. Teammates at E Kanoo Racing Team, Gary White and Ebrahim Kanoo both set their marks competing in the Outlaw Rear-Wheel-Drive (RWD) class. White won the final race in 6.296 seconds to better his own world mark for six-cylinder cars, eclipsing the previous record of 6.342s. “That was pretty cool,” White said of his performance. “We kind of struggled at first. It took us a little while to get things straightened out. “But in the final, I let the clutch out, the car started shifting gears and it all just came together. I knew it was a pretty fast run, but I didn't know it would be in the 6.29s. That's the fastest I've ever been.” Kanoo, on the other hand, took second place in the division after going for a 7.222s run in the final against White. Despite not winning, he set a new world record for Independent Rear-Suspension Supras of 7.17s during one of his qualifying runs. Yousif Alzayani was third. Khalid Mohammed, meanwhile, didn't disappoint on his highly anticipated return to the national championship. Mohammed is the newest member of the E Kanoo Racing Team, and he gave his comrades thrice the reason to celebrate – clinching top spot in the Pro Mod category while claiming a new Middle East record of 5.821s – history's best for Pro Mod Nitrous cars. On his highly anticipated comeback to racing, Mohammed said: “Everything played out exactly as I hoped it would.” Mohammed's mark was set in his category's final head-to-head, where he overcame a brave effort from Rashid Bin Tameem of the UAE, who was a close runner-up in 5.953s. Emad Al-Jassim from Kuwait claimed third place. The fourth and final record of the night was registered by Adel Hassan in the Street Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD)/RWD class. Hassan claimed a world best of 9.681s during a qualifying run. He maintained his fine form until the end, sealing his victory with a 9.730s time in the final against Akram Khalil of Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Faisal finished third. Elsewhere in the championship, three more of Bahraini drag racers clinched first places in their groups. Yousif Abdulla (9.460s) beat Saudi Arabia's Ahmed Tayeb (10.465s) to win the Super Street RWD; Hussain Mohammed (7.539s) barely outgunned Tariq Hadi (7.542s) to claim the competition's 7.5 Class; and Abdulrahman Mubarak won the Super Street Outlaw FWD ahead of Jassim Qambar. Wajday Tarseen (8.838s) of Saudi followed suit by beating Kuwaiti Mohammed Sulaiman (8.974s) to claim the Street V8 category; Kuwait's Saud Al-Ziban (6.405s) beat compatriot Abdulla Alsoory (7.975s) to win the Outlaw 10.5; while Talal Bin Eidan (7.628s), also of Kuwait, rounded out the winners after beating Majid Altowailaey (7.742s) of Saudi Arabia in the Super Street V8 final. Amongst the bikers, Kuwaiti trio of Musfer Mubarak, Mohammed Al-Badeh and Bader Al-Awad came out on top. Mubarak (8.409s) won the Street Bike category ahead of countryman Fawaz Al-Sanad (10.603s); Al-Awad outperformed compatriot Ahmed Al-Hamedan (8.916s) to claim first spot in the Outlaw Bike; and Al-Badeh won the Super Street Bike final against Saudi Mashari Al-Turki. American Billy Voss (4.047s) also had reason to celebrate, winning the Pro Bike category by beating Mohammed Yagot (4.166s) of Kuwait in the eighth-mile. — SG
