Sport | Motorsport
Nearly 100 confirmed for Motorsport Festival
Some 30 Emiratis will vie with the best expatriate and international drivers for top honours
- Staff Report
- Published: 00:00 November 11, 2009
- A record entry of 30 touring cars is expected to line up on the grid for the 2009 Dubai Motorsport Festival to be held at the Dubai Autodrome on November 13.
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
Dubai: Nearly 100 drivers and riders in four classes have so far confirmed for the 2009 Dubai Motorsport Festival to be held at the Dubai Autodrome on November 13.
Of these, some 30 Emirati drivers are expected to line-up on the various grids to take on the cream of expatriate competitors and several international imports in what promises to be the biggest ever field assembled for a UAE national motorsport event.
Cytech has come on board as title sponsor of the UAE Touring Car Championship and local ‘tin-top' hotshots have risen to the occasion. A record entry of 30 touring cars is expected to line up on the grid.
After the first round in October, Emirati driver Khalid Al Mutawa'a from the House of Portier Seat Super Copa emerged as the man to beat in Class 1.
He faces tough competition from a couple of similar Seat cars in the hands of another Emirati driver Khalid Bin Hadher in the Performance Racing entry and Jon Simmonds in the DXB Racing car.
In Class 2, a number of top drivers will be slugging it out, including former champions Zlatko Mulabegovic and Spencer Vanderpal along with a clutch of talented Emirati drivers including Omran Al Owais, Mohammad Al Mutawa'a, Saeed Al Muhairi, Essa Bin Hadher, Arif Al Marazeeq and Abbas Alawi.
The GTA Class machine of multiple UAE champion Karim Al Azhari in the House of Portier Callaway Corvette Z06R is sure to see some sort of challenge from a bigger field that includes Julian Griffin in the DXB Viper.
There's good news for the two-wheelers with ace British superbiker Scott Smart being drafted in to lead the Liberty Kawasaki challenge on the 2009/2010 UAE Sportbike Championship.
The 600 Class is sure to dish up fierce battles with Swiss ace Pascal Grosjean (Yamaha) likely to set the benchmark pace, with a dozen riders scrapping for podium places. .
Thursday: Practice and qualifying for the various categories.
Friday: Races start at 10.45 am with the last one to be flagged off at 4.55 pm.
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