Rajhi and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel set the fastest time on the opening 6.8-km prologue stage of the 2009 Saudi Hail Baja, which roared into life in north-western Saudi Arabia on Tuesday afternoon. The event is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Saud Bin Abdul Mohsen Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Hail, President of the High Commission for the Development of the Hail region and the Head of the Supreme Commission of the Hail Rally. After the traditional ceremonial start at the Maghwat conference facility, teams headed straight into the timed prologue. This was broadcast live by Saudi television and featured a passage through a valley, a section through trees and a tricky wadi crossing to set the tone for the next two days of competition in the Al-Nafud desert region. The Czech crew of Miroslav Zapletal and Tomas Ourednicek set the second fastest time in a Mitsubishi, with Saudi Arabian driver Ahmed Al-Sheqawi and UAE co-driver Suhail Al-Ali completing the top three at the wheel of a Nissan. Zapletal was 33 seconds behind the flying Saudi driver, who finished second overall in last weekend's Qatar International Rally. Al-Rajhi faced the possibility of having to tackle the short stage on five cylinders, after a valve guide failed in his Nissan Navara's engine. Belgian team manager Jean-Marc Fortin arranged for a new engine to be flown in to Dubai and on to Saudi Arabia from South Africa, but Al-Rajhi still needed official permission to change the unit before the first leg. But the Overdrive Racing team hadn't bargained for a Bedouin car enthusiast coming to their rescue. The local had built Nissan Pathfinders in the past and assured Fortin that he could source the necessary engine components from a workshop over 300km away. The necessary part was the same as one used in a Nissan Maxima. The Navara's engine was duly stripped down and the Saudi returned with the vital components. “It was incredible,” said Fortin. “When he said he could help it was a major shock. The engine was rebuilt and we finished at 3 A.M.. on Tuesday morning. It was a normal Dakar night for us. I think our team still thinks it is on Dakar timing!” Qatar's Sheikh Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani and Australian co-driver George Sarayan arrived from Qatar on the morning of the start and were granted a late scrutineering time for their Nissan Patrol. The Qatari set the 16th time on the prologue stage. Saudi driver Saleh Al-Saleh is competing in the Hail Saudi Baja as his reward for being selected at a training session, held at the Toyota Rally School at Durat Al-Arous in Jeddah. He teamed up with co-driver Amr Refai to set the 30th fastest time on the prologue stage. The UAE's David Mabbs and French co-driver Xavier Caminada wheeled out a Baja 500 class-winning Toyota FJ Cruiser, which was originally built by Donahoe Racing in the US at the request of Toyota North America to challenge in the Baja Stock Mini Series category. The Toyota finished second in its class at the Baja 1,000 and was acquired through the internet by Mabbs last year. Mabbs and Caminada set the equal sixth fastest time on the prologue stage. __
