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February 26, 2010

Sheikh Beats All for Arabian Drag Racing Championship

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 26, 2010) – In one of the most remarkable rookie seasons ever for a professional race car driver, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar has won the Arabian Drag Racing League’s 2009-’10 Pro Extreme championship.

Driving a 3,000-horsepower, supercharged 1968 Camaro tuned by legendary American drag racer Frank “Ace” Manzo, Al-Thani, 23, qualified first four times and won three of seven events on his way to securing the series title.

Alex Hossler (near lane) left .195 too early to turn on the red bulb in the left lane, negating a solid 3.74-seconds pass at 203.71 mph, while Sheikh Khalid Al-Thani had a sharp .024 reaction time, but soon encountered traction problems and won the race and the Arabian Pro Extreme championship  with an off-the-pace 5.18 at 94.95 mph over the QRC eighth mile in his Tim McAmis-built ‘68 Camaro.

Still, entering Round 7 this weekend at the Qatar Racing Club, Al-Thani was joined by defending series champion Von Smith and fellow American Alex Hossler as drivers with a mathematical shot at winning the championship.

When Hossler ousted Smith from the semi-finals, it left Al-Thani facing Bader Ahli of the United Arab Emirates in perhaps the pivotal match-up of his young driving career. The Sheikh didn’t disappoint, running low time and top speed of the event with a 3.71-seconds blast at 207.27 miles per hour over the eighth-mile distance to advance and secure the 2009-’10 Arabian Pro Extreme Championship.

“We were well aware of the different possible outcomes of the points race,” Al-Thani said later. “But we knew the best approach to situations such as these is to rely only on our capabilities and not the actions of others. Winning the race would mean winning the championship, so that was our goal from the start of the event.”

Al-Thani capped the accomplishment with the race win over Hossler, who was disqualified for leaving too soon in the final round.

In victory lane Sheikh Khalid (with trophy) celebrated with his Al-Anabi teammates and received the Arabian Drag Racing League’s Driver of the Year award, with his crew chief, Frank “Ace” Manzo (third from left), being named Crew Chief of the Year after tuning Al-Thani to world-record elapsed times and speeds while picking up three event wins on their way to the Pro Extreme championship.

In victory lane, Al-Thani also received the Arabian Drag Racing League Driver of the Year award and Manzo, a 12-time Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion and 101 national event winner, was named Crew Chief of the Year.

“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Al-Thani said of Manzo. “It was great to see his big smile after we got back to the pits and see the excitement on everyone’s face. It was a big moment, and I believe it is only the beginning for this Al-Anabi Racing team.”

Joining Al-Thani as an Arabian Drag Racing League champion was his Al-Anabi Racing teammate, Khalid Al-Balooshi, who backed up his 2009 American Drag Racing League Pro Nitrous championship after taking the win in the Qatar Pro Nitrous final over New Yorker Mike Castellana.

Also featured in the Arabian Drag Racing League is the Extreme 10.5 class, named for the relatively narrow rear slicks mandated for the cars, in which Dan Millen (right, near lane) of Dearborn, Michigan, qualified number one and advanced to face championship rival Mahana Al-Naimi in the final round.

With the race win and the championship still in play, Millen left nothing on the table, leaving with a stellar .005 reaction time, then steering his turbocharged 2004 Mustang past the finish line in 4.27 seconds at 177.72 mph.

“This has been a tremendous season for the Arabian Drag Racing League, one that stands out for its record-setting performances and growth as a series,” Kenny Nowling, president and CEO for both the American and Arabian Drag Racing Leagues, said. “I congratulate all the race winners and champions and thank them for providing us with memories to last a lifetime.”

Al-Anabi Racing teammates Khalid Al-Balooshi (near lane) and Mike Castellana squared off in the Pro Nitrous final for Round 7 of the 2009-10 Arabian Drag Racing League season, with Al-Balooshi overcoming a holeshot to win the race and the championship, giving him simultaneous Pro Nitrous titles in the American and Arabian Drag Racing Leagues.

Among those packing the Qatar Racing Club grandstands to capacity this weekend were several dignitaries, including more than 400 U.S. service men and women, U.S. Embassy First Secretary of Press, Education and Cultural Affairs Joey Hood; Mahvash Siddiqui, Cultural Attache, Public Affairs Section for the Embassy of the United States of America, several members of the Kuwaiti royal family and Dominic Reilly, head of marketing for the Williams Formula 1 racing team.

(ADRL/Richards photos)

February 26, 2010

Wind Halts Arabian Championship Event

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 26, 2010)—Severe wind and sand storms interrupted proceedings today for the championship-deciding Round 7 of the Arabian Drag Racing League’s 2009-10 season, prompting race officials to cancel a scheduled fourth and final round of qualifying at the Qatar Race Club. Dust in the air was reportedly creating an almost whiteout condition with blown sand settling on the track.

Three rounds of qualifying were completed yesterday, however, leaving Al-Anabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Thani on top of the Pro Extreme list with a 3.73-seconds pass at 204.05-mph over the eighth-mile course and his teammate and current American Drag Racing League Pro Nitrous World Champion Khalid Al-Balooshi in first place for Pro Nitrous after a 3.91 at 194.55-mph effort.

Elimination rounds for all classes remain scheduled for 6 p.m. local time (10 a.m. Eastern), weather permitting.

(ADRL/Richards photos)

February 26, 2010

Three Seats Left in M/T 3-Second Club

STOW, OH (Feb. 26, 2010)—The Mickey Thompson (M/T) Three-Second Club was introduced in February 2009 to reward and recognize American Drag Racing League (ADRL) Extreme 10.5 racers who are able to achieve elapsed times in the three-second range.
 
Chuck Ulsch (near lane) posted a record-breaking 3.98-second elapsed time last August along with new Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 World Champion Spiro Pappas (far lane) who posted a 3.99-second elapsed time, both on the new Mickey Thompson Pro-5 double bead lock wheels and ET Drag #3169W tires. Both racers are consistently found in the winner’s circle in the Extreme 10.5 Class, and were officially inducted into the Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club during the ADRL World Finals “Battle for the Belts” in a special ceremony.  
 
“These racers have consistently achieved elapsed times in the three-second range on our tire and wheel products, and it means a lot to us to share in their success,” said Carl Robinson, Motorsports Manager, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. “We have three seats left in the Three-Second Club, and we are eager to see who will be the next to earn their place in this prestigious group of fierce competitors.”  
 
Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club racers earn a number of very special prizes including a custom Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club leather jacket, a signature Three-Second Club gold and diamond ring, and a bonus check for $3,000. In addition, M/T Three-Second Club racers will be featured in a special section of the official ADRL web site at www.ADRL.us.

(ADRL/Richards file photo)

February 25, 2010

Sheikh Khalid Takes PX Qualifying Lead into Final Day

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 25, 2010)—After three rounds of qualifying on Day One of the two-day, championship-deciding Round 7 of the 2009-10 Arabian Drag Racing League season, Sheikh Khalid Al-Thani leads the Pro Extreme field and Khalid Al-Balooshi is on top of the Pro Nitrous list at the Qatar Race Club. Both will have one more opportunity to improve their times on Friday before elimination rounds begin.

Sheikh Khalid stepped up in his third qualifying effort of the day with a 3.73-seconds pass at 204.05-mph in his Frank Manzo-tuned, Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro. The Sheikh has qualified number one at three of the six previous events.

In second place is Alex Hossler of Canton, Ilinois, who also made his best pass of 3.75 at 203.58 in the third attempt with his Chris Duncan-tuned and –built ’70 Camaro, followed by defending series champ Von Smith from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with a 3.79-seconds run at 203.95 mph in his Barwa Racing ’68 Camaro that also came in the third session.

Local racers Bader Ahli and Ali Aryan round out the Pro Extreme field with Ahli improving to 3.85 at 202.48 in the same ’06 Mustang that his crew chief, Todd Tutterow, drove to the ’09 American Drag Racing League Pro Extreme championship. Aryan was the only Pro Extreme driver not to go quicker in the final qualifying session with his 3.98/191.54 lap of record coming in the second go round.

Al-Balooshi (left), the 2009 American Drag Racing League Pro Nitrous world champion, ran 3.91 at 194.55 mph in his second attempt on Thursday to take the qualifying lead, followed by Al-Anabi teammate Mike Castellana, who improved to 3.95 at 188.60 in his third qualifying pass and Khalil Al-Ansari, who also improved in his last shot of the day, although to a still-underperforming 4.33 at 167.59 mph.

In Extreme 10.5, Dearborn, Michigan’s Dan Millen (right) leads qualifying with a 4.24-seconds pass over the QRC eighth mile at 177.89 mph in his turbocharged ‘04 Mustang. Qatar’s Mahaini Al-Naimi is second, followed by Washington, Georgia’s Mike Hill, Saud Alzabin of Kuwait and a third U.S. driver, Chad Morgan.

One more qualifying session at 3 p.m. local time (7 a.m. Eastern), will open Friday’s action at the Qatar Race Club, with eliminations to follow.

(ADRL/Richards photos)

February 24, 2010

‘Fun’ for Smith to Defend Arabian PX Championship

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 24, 2010)—Rolling into the seventh and final round of the 2009-10 Arabian Drag Racing League series at the Qatar Race Club, Von Smith and his Barwa Racing Pro Extreme ’68 Chevy Camaro have earned the number-one spot in the Pro Extreme championship points standings by way of two wins and five-straight final round appearances.

Their margin over Al-Anabi Racing teammate Sheikh Khalid Al Thani in second place, though, amounts to less than one competition round win.

In the two-year history of the Qatar Race Club, this will be the second straight Pro Extreme championship that may come down to the final round of the final race, and while the pressure mounts, veteran driver Smith (far left) and legendary crew chief Howard Moon know this stressful situation all too well.

“We’ve been here before,” says Smith, the defending series champion, representing the Barwa Real Estate Company in the State of Qatar.

“The key, at least in my eyes, is to treat Round 7 just like we would any other. We can’t let the championship chase change the way we would act going into any race, and our goal needs to be simply qualifying well and winning every race we’re in. Winning the race is how we’re going to win this championship, so we’ve got to take it one step at a time.

“I think that is a very attainable goal for this team,” he continues. “It’s hard to even describe how hard this team has been working since the last race. It’s been a round-the-clock effort from the guys, making sure I’ve got a car that is consistent and fast.”

After a successful day of testing earlier this week, Smith and his Barwa teammates are all smiles going into today’s qualifying rounds.

“I think we’re back,” he says. “Like I said, we’ve got to go out here and do what we know we can do, qualify at the top of the sheets and take it round by round, but having a car that will run the number—that makes a lot of difference in our confidence. So, I’m excited. We’ve got an incredible opportunity here to win a first championship for Barwa Real Estate and a second for Al-Anabi Racing.

“I can’t deny that it’d be nice to go into the last race of the season with the championship already locked up,” he adds with a laugh, “but what fun would that be?”

(ADRL/Al Anabi/Grooms file photos)

February 24, 2010

Arabian PX Championship Within Sheikh’s Reach

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 24, 2010)— In the running for his first world-title, Sheikh Khalid Al-Thani (KH) is ready for his shot at drag racing glory this week at the Qatar Race Club during the seventh and final round of the Arabian Drag Racing League’s 2009-10 season.

KH, who is in the midst of a season-long Pro Extreme (PX) points battle with teammate Von Smith, goes into the final event of the season less than one round win out of the lead.

“Frank [Manzo, crew chief] and the Al-Anabi Racing team have been working hard to make sure we have the best car possible going into this most important final round,” the PX rookie says. “With drag racing, though, there are no guarantees. It’s going to come down to who makes the best decisions on race day and me doing my job as a driver.”

Currently holding both ends of the Arabian Drag Racing League world records in the ultra-competitive Pro Extreme category, KH has dipped into the 3.6-second zone on a number of occasions and continues to encroach on the 210-mph mark. While the conditions during the winter months in the Arabian Gulf Region differ dramatically from those in the Western world—with temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees on race day—Manzo will have the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Extreme ’68 Camaro tuned up this week, as another record-setting performance may be what it takes to earn the world championship.

“We go into this last race focused on one thing—winning the championship,” KH declares. “We want to win the race and the championship for all the Al-Anabi Racing fans here in Qatar, but we are also excited that our teammate, Von Smith in the Barwa Camaro, is one of the teams in title contention.”

The Al-Anabi Racing Pro Extreme team will kick off the opening rounds of qualifying for Round 7 of the Arabian Drag Racing League series at the Qatar Race Club this week, with the first round slated for 7 p.m. local time (AST) on Thursday, Feb. 25, with a second round scheduled for 9 p.m. A third and final round of qualifying will take place at 5 p.m. AST on Feb. 26, with eliminations getting underway two hours later.

(Photos courtesy Al-Anabi Racing)

February 24, 2010

ADRL Offering Printable Tickets Online

O’FALLON, MO (Feb. 24, 2010) – Beginning today, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) is providing race fans the ability to print tickets to its national events from the comfort and convenience of their own computer.

“This new online service will ensure that anyone with a computer and printer will be able to obtain tickets to our events. We have thousands of fans who travel to see each of our events and they don’t want to wait until they get near the track to pick up their tickets. It will also be easier for teams and sponsors to get tickets without having to track them down in-market,” Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune explained.

“Basically, this program is being offered as a convenience for our fans and track partners and we’re confident it will make things easier for everyone involved.”

To print tickets, ADRL fans will simply visit the official ADRL Web site (www.ADRL.us) where they will be able to order and print up to 10 personalized, bar-coded tickets. In addition to being prominently featured on the official ADRL site, links to the printable ticket program will appear on several official ADRL sponsor sites.

All printed tickets will also have the option of upgrading to reserved seating status and pre-purchasing premium parking at a discounted rate.

“This is another service our fans have been clamoring for,” Fortune stated. “With our new reserved seating option they won’t have to worry about losing their seats or not having a seat and advance premium parking will make it easier and faster to get in and out of each venue.

“ADRL is all about grass roots racing and grass roots marketing,” he continued. “We are now taking it to the next level by using the Internet to provide easy access for our fans, teams and sponsors. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to comfortably enjoy the ADRL and the fantastic show our racers put on at every event.”

The ADRL’s new online ticket service arrives just in time for the 2010 season-opening ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen Mar. 19-20, at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas.

February 22, 2010

Speedtech Recruits Scruggs for New Venture

DOHA, QATAR (Feb. 22, 2010) – Having established itself over the course of the last six years as a dominant force in nitrous-oxide technology, most recently helping Khalid Al-Balooshi win the 2009 American Drag Racing League Pro Nitrous championship, Speedtech looks to widen its footprint on the high-performance industry by partnering this year with legendary two-time ADRL Pro Extreme World Champion Jason Scruggs.

As the trend-setting company’s multi-stage nitrous systems and accessories have already become a choice of champions far and wide, Speedtech will now offer the same cutting-edge technology and precision machining capabilities to racers of all kinds.

“It is our goal with this partnership to introduce Speedtech not only as racer’s nitrous oxide solution, but also as a world leader in high-performance machining and fabrication,” Speedtech owner Sheikh Khalid Al Thani said.

“As the need grows for one-off, custom fabricated parts, not only in the ultra-competitive ADRL Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous ranks, but the aftermarket high-performance industry as a whole, we want to move forward in offering Speedtech’s abilities to anyone looking for more power.”

Leading the charge for Speedtech’s new endeavor will be Scruggs, driver of the quickest-and-fastest doorslammer on the planet.

“We’re excited to introduce Speedtech to the drag racing community as more than just a nitrous company” says Scruggs, a native of Satilla, Mississippi. “Along with all the great companies that have offered their support to us for years—Brad Anderson Engineering, Simpson, and Hoosier—we hope to make a run at a third ADRL world championship this season with Speedtech.”

For more information on Speedtech Innovative Nitrous Solutions, visit them online at www.SPEEDTECHnitrous.com.