SAKHIR, Bahrain, 27 October 2006 — Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) general manager, Martin Whittaker, affirmed yesterday the circuit’s commitment to host the Australian V8 Supercars race for the next five years, dismissing fears of a repeat of the China venture failure.
Whittaker’s comments came as the desert circuit in Sakhir south of Manama gears up to host the International Drag Racing Festival for the second time, with some 180 racers from Europe , Scandinavia, America and the Gulf seeing action.
“I think the V8 race — which will be known as the Desert 400 — will be hugely popular here and we have a five-year agreement to host it,” Whittaker said.
“We might have a slow start, but do not forget we’ve been only holding races here for less than three years and everything we are doing aims to grow the profile of the circuit”.
Whittaker added that he was confident that the sport popularity would grow quickly as it was the case with the F1 and drag racing.
“I am hugely enthusiastic about the race, there are three big races where the cars make a lot of noise and the racers rub door handles and trade paint literally competing for every piece of the tyremack on the circuit,” Whittaker said.
“It is much more touch feeling championship and it is great racing with something happening every single lap”.
V8 Supercars Australia is moving for the greatest distance in it’s history when the entire category travels more than 12,000 kilometers to race the second last round of this year’s championship in Bahrain on Nov. 24 and 25.
It will be the first live V8 Supercars race in the Middle East, and it comes on the heels of a failed China venture in 2005 where one of the race rounds was held at the Shanghai circuit, with the Chinese promoter canceling the five-year contract after losing money. The failure is unlikely to be repeated in Bahrain as organizers, who stepped in after the China withdrawal, are likely to continue promoting the race as motor sports continue to grow in popularity and attract more fans.
Whittaker also expressed enthusiasm about how the drag racing popularity was catching up with fans and racers alike in the Gulf island.
“Drag racing is a big sport here, we have drivers from America, Europe, Sweden, Norway, the UK, and the region,” he said.
“This circuit is coming of age and it’s beginning to really buzz”.
Bahrain’s first National Drag Racing champion, Ali Aryan, who is a crowd favorite, has already tested his new car at the circuit yesterday.
He will be going up against an all-star cast of competitors preparing to unleash the 6,000hp Top Fuel dragsters down the circuit strip at this year’s race. Britain has two of the drivers lining up at the lights in Gary Page, who for an unprecedented third year in a row won the Swedish Top Fuel Tour, and Barry Sheavills, who won the FIA European Drag Racing Championship in 1998 and was UK Methanol champion for three years running in 1994-96. Two Norwegians are also taking part in the race, Thomas Nataas and the only female racer Siw ‘Sunshine’ Nystad.
The 20-year-old Norwegian blonde Nystad, who rocketed through the ranks of drag strip, is likely to draw crowds to watch her after she managed to steal the spotlight yesterday during an open media session for the racers.
“It is my first time to race here in Bahrain . I only made one full run, but I am very excited to be able to race against such good drivers, because ultimately it will make me a better competitor,” Nystad said.
