Round 1 Preview: Top Guns ready to do battle

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After over a month, Dubai Autodrome comes alive with the sounds and smells of motorsport once again this Thursday evening (21 May 2009) as the first round of the 2009 DAMC Sprint Challenge gets underway under floodlights, for cars and motorcycles.

The format is based on the globally popular time attack format. Drivers and riders are given three one lap sprint runs against the clock from a standing start. Their best time is taken into account and the fastest competitor on the night takes home the silverware.
 
In the cars category UAE Touring Cars frontrunners, DXB Racing, are fielding a two pronged attack in Class D with Julian Griffin (Porsche GT3 RS) and Jonathan Simmonds (Renault Megane). They will face stiff competition from DAMC Red Line Challenge regulars Mitsubishi Evo duo Aref Al Ramli and Samer Abdel Malak. Also in the mix is newcomer Murat Binic in a potent Corvette Z06.
 
Other drivers to watch include UAE Touring Car Class 5 Champion Abdul Hamid Alawadi (Honda Civic) and TAM Auto Engineering driver Mohammed Al Tarifi (SEAT Leon)

The motorcycle category of the will serve up a mouth watering clash of last year’s DAMC Sprint Challenge Champions. Hennie Sauerman (Liberty Kawasaki) will be defending his crown in the 1000 Stock Class where he will face last year’s 600 Stock Class Champion and current UAE Sportbike Champion Hussein Al Kooheji (Al Yousuf Yamaha) who is moving up to the “big banger” class.
 
In the Stock 600 Class UAE Sportbike regular Steve Blackney (Honda) faces stern opposition from former National racing competitor Carsten Winter (Honda). Also in the mix will be Omran Al Sayed (Kawasaki) and Matt Wuillemin (Yamaha).
 
The DAMC Sprint Challenge is a winner with competitors the “time attack” style competition format gives newcomers the opportunity to hone their skills and get to know the nuances of racing a car or motorcycle on the limit. For the more experienced campaigners, including several high profile UAE National racing competitors it is an opportunity to stay in tune during the “off season” while participating in an ultra-competitive environment. The series will be run over six rounds with the finale taking place in September during Ramadan.
 
The first practice run for competitors, on the floodlit Club Circuit configuration of Dubai Autodrome, start at 7pm on Thursday. Each competitor will be entitled to two practice runs followed by three official sprint runs, the fastest of which will be counted towards the final positions at the end of the evening.

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