Alkass Digital
After exciting action in the opening round last week, the Sealine Sand Drag Competition moves to the second round beginning at Qatar Racing Club’s (QRC) sand track today.
The second round is expected to see an increase in the number of competitors following a huge success of the inaugural round. The event is sponsored by QRC Chairman H E Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani.
The events of cars with six and eight-cylinder engines, modified light trucks, as well as the six-cylinder nitrous and 6-cylinder turbo categories will be held today besides the motorcycle categories and Polaris vehicles dedicated to children.
To maintain balance in the competition and attract the large number of participants, the second round will introduce a new category, the (ATV Open) category, under the directive of QRC Director Sheikh Jabor bin Khalid Al Thani. The addition brings the total number of competing categories on the first day to 10.
Meanwhile, contests in six categories – three of them Polaris vehicles – besides Stock, Modified and Unlimited will take place tomorrow. The second day will also witness competitions in the buggy and the most exciting category, the Hilux. Regarding the competition schedule for both days, registration and technical inspection for the competing categories will start at 3pm, and the track will open for competitions at 5pm.
According to the race structure, each competitor is given two attempts to complete the approximately 91-meter track. The first attempt for all participants from different categories will be followed by the second attempt.
Registration remains open until the end of the first attempt for all categories. In the end, the best time for each competitor will be taken to determine the final ranking in each category.
The first round witnessed several remarkable records, with seven competitors breaking the four-second barrier. The best time recorded in that round was achieved by the Emirati racer Zaid Al Sultan, who managed to complete the track in 3.423 seconds.
This season’s Sealine Sand Drag Competition consists of four rounds. With the conclusion of the second round tomorrow, there will be a break lasting more than two months before the championship returns with its third round on February 29 and March 1, 2024. The final round will take place in the following week, directly on March 7 and 8, 2024.