JEDDAH, 26 July — Nine pairs of drivers will each clash against each other twice at the Toyota Race of Champions on the opening day of the two-day event tonight. Eight fastest drivers among them will qualify for the quarterfinals, four among them for the semifinals and two of them for the final to be held tomorrow. The race on both the days begins at 8 p.m.
A draw was held to determine the nine pairs of drivers. Saudi rally driver Abdullah Bakhashab, who heads the organizing committee, and Bobby Wallace, the rally manager, explained the rules for the first ever motor sport rally in this part of the world, at a press conference at Hyatt Regency Hotel yesterday. The rally is being staged as part of the ongoing Jeddah 22 summer festival on a specially developed champions track at Dallah Albaraka Club, Almalik Road.
Drivers of eight countries are participating in this race, including the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan, aside from Saudi Arabia.
Experts of international matches and the European Championship’s Track have built the track for the rally. It is a double-lane closed track with several obstacles, sharp curves, turnings and a flyover, which each driver will have to pass by separately.
“The track is fully equipped to provide full safety and protection for the drivers,” both Bakhashab and Wallace emphasized. “We urge the contestants to abide by the safety measures,” Wallace said giving a full illustration of the race and all relevant rules about such races. He explained the general plan of the race and the role of the FIA in supporting the special event.
Mamdouh Khayat, the Saudi rally driver and Middle East champion, speaking on behalf of the Saudi drivers thanked all participants who have responded to the invitation.
The draw was dedicated to the professional drivers who have won local championships in their countries. Two drivers at a time versus each other will cross the track twice and the faster will be qualified for the second phase. The last two winners will be qualified for the last round, and the winner will get the Professional Cup of the championship and will automatically qualify for clashing against one of the five Middle East Championship winners.
The best four qualified winners of the Professional Championship will also be qualified to participate in the final race on the second day, which will include the Middle East Rally winners — Mamdouh Khayat (1985 & 1992) and Abdullah Bakhashab (1995), the two Omani drivers Hamed Al-Wahaibi, winner of the Group N in the Middle East Championship in 1997, and Nizar Alshanfari, winner of the Group N in the Middle East Championship in 1998, and the Qatari Champion Hamad ibn Eid Al-Thani (1993).
Alshanfari hoped that the event would have a big impact on the local enthusiasts of the motor sport. Emirate driver Suhail ibn Khalifa Al-Maktoom also expressed similar sentiments.
The nine pairs to clash today are: Nasir Khalifa Atreaya vs. Michel Saleh, Naser Saleh Atreaya vs. Ahmad Alsabban, Maarouf Abu Samra vs. Mubarak Alhajiri, Nabil Karam vs. Suhail ibn Khalifa Al-Maktoom, F. Basrami vs. R. Baqeer, A. Mossain vs. F. Bostami, Jaber Bin Ali Al-Khalifa vs. Ahmad Aldawood, Roger Feghali vs. Jean-Pierre Nasrallah, and Hasan Alsadady vs Farouk Ghorab. Abdou Feghali also be there doing a qualifying round alone in the first round and then clash with a qualified driver in the second round.
