KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL RALLY, March 5th-7th 2009
FIA Middle East Rally Championship, round two
For immediate release
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
JORDANIAN AMMAR HIJAZI SET TO TACKLE
KUWAIT RALLY IN NEW SUBARU IMPREZA N15
·Jordanian Hijazi bidding to enter the record books in Kuwait
KUWAIT CITY (Kuwait): Jordanian rally driver Ammar Hijazi will be aiming to become the 150th winner of a round of the prestigious FIA Middle East Rally Championship, when he lines up at the start of the Kuwait International Rally on March 5th-7th.
The event is the second round of this year’s prestigious regional rally series and Hijazi will also be aiming to become only the second Jordanian driver in the history of the series to win an event outright – Amjad Farrah won the Jordan International Rally in 2004. Ammar will be co-driven by fellow Jordanian Ata Al-Hmoud and will use a new Subaru Impreza N15 on the two-day, loose surface rally in the deserts around Kuwait City.
The event is being held under the patronage of Faisal Al-Jazaf, chairman and general manager of the public authority for youth and sports in the State of Kuwait, while Hijazi’s Subaru has crucial backing from Al-Mimari Racing.
"We have a new car for the rally in Kuwait and are looking forward to the event immensely," admitted Hijazi. "We have a single car entry with the full support of Al-Mimari."
Al-Mimari Est for Trade and Industry is a valuable motor sport sponsor and was established in 1979. Based in Amman, it is the first company in the Middle East and the seventh in the world to supply UPVC windows, doors and shutters.
Al-Hijazi is one of the most improved drivers in the regional series and finished fifth overall in last November’s Sharqia Rally in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, although mechanical problems cost him a useful finish in Dubai at the end of November and on the first day in Qatar last month.
He faces a formidable line-up of 32 other drivers, including 10 Kuwaiti teams, the UAE’s former regional rally champion Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi, defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, from Qatar, and fellow Jordanian driver Amjad Farrah. Other notable names on the entry list for Kuwait’s return to the regional rally series for the first time since 1996 include Lebanon’s Michel Saleh, Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and last year’s championship runner-up Misfer Al-Marri.
Leg one of the new Kuwait International Rally gets underway on Thursday, March 5th with the traditional ceremonial start under the world famous Kuwait Towers. Competitors will then head straight into a purpose-built 3.5km timed spectator stage at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Circuit.
The second section of leg one features a further six timed special stages in the Kuwait desert, split by the main service and regroup at around midday on Friday, March 6th. Teams will tackle three revised special stages on two occasions during the day before returning to the Kuwait Shooting Club for the overnight halt.
Leg two on Saturday, March 7th offers a further seven special stages. Surviving teams will face their first passes through the Sulibikhat and Al-Metlaa specials and then the challenging Alatraff stage.
A final regrouping and lunchtime service precedes a repeat of the morning’s three specials and the competitive action reaches a conclusion with a second sprint through the spectator stage at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Circuit. The ceremonial finish will take place under the Kuwait Towers from 5.30pm.
Ends
For further media information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: NDPPublicity@compuserve.com, www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases)