Dubai: All participating vehicles were scrutinised at the AAA premises in Dubai on Thursday evening in time for the start of the Sharjah Rally - the second round of the UAE National Rally Championship 2008 - to be held this weekend.

Shaikh Abdullah Al Qasimi is teaming up with Gaby Khoury to defend the race he won in Sharjah last year in their Mitsubishi Evo 9.

There are ten competitors in the fray with the notable absence being former winner Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi.