JEDDAH, 25 September 2006 — With a shattering roar and clouds of smoke from burning rubber, the long-promised Jeddah Raceway officially opened on Saudi National Day (Saturday). Destined to become a focus for young Saudis with a passion for speed and custom cars, the opening drew thousands of enthusiasts and Ramadan revelers to the first ever sprint event in the Kingdom.
Bassam Al-Ghamdi, marketing and general manager for the raceway said that he was delighted with the turnout. “It’s here and it’s here to stay,” he said. “It is going to be a great outlet for the energy and enthusiasm of young men who are limited in what they can do in their spare time.”
The thought was echoed by many of the spectators. “Fabulous,” said Ahmed Al-Turki who arrived with a car full of face-painted friends. Green and white, evoking the Saudi national flag was evident everywhere. “This is too much fun — and it’s legal!” he enthused. Thousands of ‘shabab’ were enjoying themselves hugely, reveling in their new found enthusiasm and were clearly having a great deal of legal fun.
In the holding area, enthusiasts who turned out for the parade that was to be one of the highlights of the evening, put the finishing touches to their cars.
Clearly the object of hours of devoted attention, the cars — many of which looked like standard street legal vehicles — sported massive sound systems, hydraulic jacks to raise and lower the body and a bewildering array of devices to open and close hoods, trunks and doors hydraulically.
Keen to show off their concealed features, owners and drivers opened half a hood and other odd pieces of car. Quite ordinary looking Japanese production cars would transform themselves into insect-like fantasy machines with gull-wing or insect-wing doors, raised suspension and a blinding array of flashing lights. In one case hinged and hydraulically operated tail light covers swung to one side to reveal flashing strobe lights and the hood opened barn-door style to reveal an intricately detailed and tuned engine. Having shown their secrets, they would as quickly revert to the appearance of a standard road car. The crowd was in a festive mood as the first sprint of the evening howled into action as Suzuki motor cycle owners blasted up the twin parallel drag strips at blinding speed. They were followed by a pair of Subaru Rally cars — they seemed deceptively slow by comparison.
Several Porsches from the well-represented owners club tested themselves against the clock but the most enthusiastic reception was reserved for a Dodge Viper — a classic V10 muscle car prepared to perfection. Trailing clouds of smoke as it leapt from the starting line with a visceral snarl in true drag-strip style, the tuned 600 plus horsepower rolling thunder triggered an instant reaction in the crowd which rose as one to cheer wildly.
After a parade of vehicles by the Mercedes AMG club — the star being a seductive SR1.7 million McLaren Mercedes supercar — Porsche, Renault and Harley Davidson clubs, the crowd was treated to a spectacular display of stunt riding and driving from the Bison stunt team.
Quad bikes, motorcycles and Jeeps were put through a spectacular routine to demonstrate the skills of the drivers. The motorcycles jumped four Jeeps — two of which had previously been driven on two wheels the entire length of the raceway and round the holding area.
Well marshalled, spectator and driver safety obviously a priority and rigidly enforced by keen track and crowd marshals with not a policeman in sight, this first event was and outstanding success. The police, who kept a discreet and low-profile eye on proceedings, proved helpful in clearing the exiting traffic speedily and with great good humor. “Did you notice something odd?” asked one spectator after sitting in a traffic jam for 20 minutes in the car-parking area. “Nobody hooted.” Another first.
