Photo By Dustin Senger | Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Anabi Racing owner, prepares his vehicle during an...... read more read more
DOHA, Qatar — Approximately 300 U.S. service members attended an Arabian Drag Racing League championship near Doha, Qatar, Feb. 26, as guests of Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani. The Qatar prince earned his first Pro Extreme drag racing title during the seventh and final round of the series.
Service members received VIP passes upon arrival to the Qatar Racing Club. They entered pit areas to watch mechanics and engineers tweak and repair various drag racing cars and motorcycles. The club contains 11 drag racing categories, eight cars and three bikes, which conform to American Drag Racing League procedures and safety regulations.
The drag racing championship races erupted after dusk. Grandstands filled with multinational spectators. Troops took turns standing behind a concrete barrier surrounding the staging area, the launching point for the dual-track raceway.
More fervent fans had an opportunity to stand between the tracks, an area restricted to crew teams and racing officials. They rotated in groups of four to avoid overcrowding. Scents of searing rubber, burning methanol and spurts of nitrous oxide merged with thunderous rumbles from high-performance engines.
"This brings back many memories," said U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. David Porshé, from Houston. "I grew up on a drag strip." His father and uncle raced motorcycles on raceways in Houston and Porter, Texas.
"Drag strips bring people together — families, crews and cultures," said Porshé. "If you're into speed and power, drag racing is the place to experience it."
Thani, Al Anabi Racing owner, drove a 1968 Chevy Camaro SS body, equipped with a McAmis chassis. His vehicle has a Brad Anderson 526-cubic inch Supercharged Hemi motor, capable of nearly 4,000 horsepower. Inside the staging area, the alcohol-based fuel exhaust easily causes eyes to water.
Von Smith, Barwa Racing, placed second in the Qatar championship using an almost identical Pro Extreme vehicle configuration as Thani. The two competitors revealed the fastest side-by-side full-body drag race ever recorded during round five last month.
"There isn't a great deal of difference between Arabian and American drag racing... other than participation," said Smith, from Oakridge, Tenn. "We're really excited about keeping the service men and women interested."
Next month, Smith plans to compete in the 2010 National Hot Rod Association Pro Mod series in Gainesville, Fla.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Tyreema Anderson, form Columbia, S.C., is one of several servicemembers who attempted to take a photograph with Thani after his win.
"This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life," said Anderson. "I wouldn't have experienced this without enlisting in the military and receiving Sheik Khalid's hospitality."
The Qatar prince provided more than 400 service members with VIP passes, food and beverages, during rounds five through seven of the Arabian Drag Racing League championship.
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2010 13:28 |
| Story ID: | 45933 |
| Location: | DOHA, QA |
| Web Views: | 2,026 |
| Downloads: | 1,435 |
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