kuwaiti homes in on middle east title in dubai rally
Al Khares set to replace mentor Nejadi as 1600cc champion
as team chases backing to mount Group N challenge
Kuwait’s Meshal Al Nejadi is looking forward to celebrating a second successive regional success when next week’s Dubai International Rally rounds off the 2007 FIA Middle East Championship.
It was in Dubai last year that Al Nejadi was confirmed as Middle East 1600cc champion, and 12 months on he is about to be succeeded as the title holder by Ahmed Al Khares, the driver he has guided into international rallying over the last two years.
The hope now is that both drivers can step up from 1600cc to Group N cars over the next couple of years to boost the chances of a Kuwaiti making a serious challenge for the outright championship, although a lack of sponsorship remains a major obstacle.
After taking the 1600cc title last year Al Nejadi had hoped to find the necessary backing to acquire a Group N Subaru Imprezza, and Al Khares took over his Citroen Saxa.
While efforts to drum up the necessary sponsorship have so far been unsuccessful, Al Khares has at least kept the Kuwaiti flag flying in the Middle East Championship and he is one of six Kuwaitis in the line-up for the Dubai International Rally.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Automobile and Touring Club, the
rally organisers, said: “We’re very happy to receive a strong Kuwaiti contingent. I hope they get all the support they need because Kuwait has a long history of involvement in Middle East rallying and the championship will be stronger with Kuwaitis challenging for the title.”
Dubai Rally 2
Admittedly, Al Khares has had little opposition in little publicised 1600cc category, but he has shown himself to be a driver with good potential in scoring class wins in Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Syria.
He was given his chance in international rallying by Al Nejadi Motor Sport, which was looking to recruit and cultivate Kuwaiti driving talent and spotted Al Khares when he took part in the annual Kuwait 25-hour karting event. He started off as co-driver to Shaker Al Raeis before taking the wheel for two events in last year’s Middle East Championship, finishing second in the 1600cc class in Qatar before crashing in Jordan.
“He has done well and shows a lot of promise,” says Mohammed Jery, the team’s PR manager. “We want to buy a Group N car for Meshal to drive in the championship and the next step would be to get a second one for Ahmed. But we’re finding it very difficult to attract sponsorship.”
Taking place on 30th November and 1st December under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Mayed bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 2007 Dubai International Rally
sees Kuwaiti drivers Essam Al Nejadi, Meshari Al Thafiri, Mofeed Mubarak and Salah bin Eidan all going into action in Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions. Another Kuwaiti, Meshari Al Sabti in a Proton Wira challenges Al Khares in the 1600cc class.
