Titles to be won tomorrow at National Racing Day

Manama : Bahrain International Circuit, for the second successive Friday, will host a power-packed National Racing Day programme at its premises in Sakhir. 

To be held as part of the weekend’s events is the final round of the BIC 2,000 Challenge. Also taking place are the fifth round of the Bahrain Superbike Championship (BSBK) and the final meeting of the Bahrain Motorcycle Racing (BMR) 600.

There will be plenty at stake in the upcoming event as a pair of season titles will be determined, including those in the BIC 2,000cc Challenge and the BMR 600.

Racing will be held along BIC’s 2.55-kilometre inner track beginning at 2.50pm and continuing late into the night. After each category’s practices and qualifying, their two races will be held under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlight system.

Race one for the BSBK race is at 6.30pm, followed by the BMR 600 at 6.59 pm and then at 7.30pm for BIC 2,000cc Challenge. 

The second race in the BSBK is at 8.10pm, followed by BMR 600 at 8.39pm and the BIC 2,000cc Challenge at 9.10pm. A podium ceremony follows, honouring all of the round’s winners. 

All are welcome to attend with tickets available at the gate at BD2 for adults and BD1 for children. The BIC 2,000cc Challenge is a professionally run, low-cost championship that features some of the top racers in Bahrain and the Gulf. They compete in two-litre cars and are allowed only minimal modifications to ensure a level playing field.

Former champion Shaikh Salman bin Isa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (Honda CIVIC) (279 points) leads the standings going into the final rounds after seven victories in 14 races, followed by Alex Longden (BMW 3 Series/F20C) (225) in second and Hussain Karimi (Honda CRX) (190) third.

The BSBK is set for another pair of thrilling races with riders coming from all over the Gulf, Europe and Asia who compete on identical Ducati 899 Panigale sports bikes.

Qatari rider Mishal Alneaimi has dominated the season, winning all eight races held to date.

In the BMR 600, Chris Rabie has been the man to beat, winning all four races this season and looking for another double win to end his campaign on a high note. He and the rest of the field will be competing on identical 600cc Honda Hornet bikes.