'Hot Rod' ready to chase dream in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: ‘Hot Rod' Fuller has made a huge move by making Abu Dhabi his home and the world's third-fastest Top Fuel dragster says it will help him become the world's fastest driver.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf News during on Sunday's launch of Yas Marina Circuit's Drag Racing Centre, Fuller said, "I want to be the fastest driver in the world. Currently I am number 3 but with this facility and this track, it is very doable."

The 39-year-old from Arkansas in the US, who is part from a long line of drag racers including his grandfather, father, mother, uncles and brothers, said, "This is my home now. I have made a big commitment."

"I am in the prime of my racing career now; I am not a guy that was retired or a guy who is a ‘has been'. I am at the top of my game now," he said, praising the facilities at Yas Marina.

Explaining his move, Fuller said, "You know your times are limited to what the conditions are and what the facilities are. With this facility, it is world class. It is better than anything I have ever seen and I have been in all the tracks, nearly all the best and by far this is the best."

Dual mission

Fuller is on a dual mission here, one being his personal ambition to become the world's fastest but the second and more important goal is aimed at the emirate youth.

"Our main goal is to have Emiratis racing and competing, for world championships. I have noticed just being here that the younger generation here love racing, love cars. It will be a lot easier for the youth here than it in any part of the world," said Fuller, who has 20 career wins including seven in Top Fuel cars.

"I relish the fact that I can teach. That is a legacy that I want to leave behind," he said, adding that he was waiting to show people here what a Top Fuel dragster can do.

"They will never have seen the car that I am going to bring here and to race. It is inconceivable that we accelerate to over 500 kilometres an hour and when they get to see it, hear it and feel it, they are going to stand up," the passionate champion racer said.

"My major goal is to produce a world class Emirati racecar driver and help drag racing which was founded in America but is much bigger than America now. It is a world sport. We want all the drivers to come here. To make this the destination point for a race some day," Fuller said.