JEDDAH, 3 April 2007 — Preparations have been finalized to hold a two-day event for Mobily Saudi Star Autocross final round at Durat Al-Arous — Wednesday and Thursday.
The final round was supposed to be held in Riyadh, but the last-minute technical hitch forced the organizers to shift the event to Jeddah. The event has full backing from the General Presidency of Youth Welfare represented by the Saudi Committee for Motorsport in the Kingdom.
At Durat Al-Arous, a group of special engineers has designed the track all the more challenging with a slew of curves and hairpin turns. The circuit length exceeds 1,300 meters and is punctuated with turnings and obstacles. A special digital timing system will be used.
On Wednesday night, the drivers will be competing in two laps in their own cars. On Thursday night, they will compete in two more laps — again in their own vehicles before competing in the final two laps while driving Toyota Camry to announce the Kingdom autocross champion.
Mobily, a telecommunications company, is the main sponsor of the event, which also has support from Toyota and Mobil 1, and Al Bilad newspaper as the media sponsor.
About 33 amateur drivers will take part in the event. The main aim behind organizing such an event is to assess and develop driving talents and skills. The event is expected to help discover new generation of future rally drivers, said Abdullah Bakhashab, organizer of the event. The drivers will be divided into seven groups and each group members will compete among themselves. The drivers, with their cars, will be categorized into 7 classes depending on the capacity and the power of engine, car size and year of manufacture.
The classes will be: 1. super stock (SS) for ultra high performance sport cars; 2. A Stock (AS) for high performance sport cars; 3. PA – sport cars and GT’s; 4. C Stock (CS) for small size compact cars; 5. D Stock (DS) for intermediate size sedans; 6. F Stock (FS) for sedans and coupes; 7. (BS) for medium size coupes.
Each driver will be allowed to give two trials. The best time (the lowest time inclusive pylon penalties, if any) in a particular run will be considered for ranking in each class. “A judge and 12 marshals around the track will monitor the track. If any driver hits the barrier, the driver will lose one point.”
Mansour Al Qhtani was the winner of the first round in Jeddah with 01:50:581. In the second round in Alkhobar Abdulhadi Al-Qhtani emerged first. Stressing the importance of organizing autocross championship in Saudi Arabia, Bakhashab said that autocross was popular in the Arab world and that several Arab countries organized such events all through the year.
“We have prepared several studies concerning motor sport development and found that a high percentage of youngsters wish to see sports event and activities organized locally in Saudi Arabia,” Bakhashab said.
“Our aim is to help Saudi youth attest their driving talents and skills in the right places and specialized areas away from endangering people and their own lives by racing their cars on streets and highways,” he added.
