Gulf Radical Cup 2006/2007 - The Premier Race Series in the Gulf

With one Jordanian, a Lebanese and five GCC nationals out of a grid of eleven Radical SR3s, the speed and skill of those drivers was clearly evident as they lapped the BIC’s Paddock Circuit at similar lap times to the mighty 650bhp V8s.

Round 3 got off to a spectacular start on Friday morning as GulfSport run series leader Jean-Yves Mallat (Raceworld) speared off into the wall at high speed after contact with last year’s Champion Karim Al-Azhari (Al Nabooda Racing). After a re-grid, the race restarted without the hapless Mallat whose car was dragged away for extensive rework by his GulfSport engineers. But it was the BIC’s Salman bin Issa Al Khalifa who got the holeshot to lead the race from pole-sitter, Salman bin Rashid Al-Khalifa (who was credited with fastest lap). With some very exciting racing upfront, Al-Azhari made a great start from the fourth row, and worked his way to the front of the grid. However, his glory was short-lived after the Race Stewards determined that he was responsible for the incident with Mallat and was subsequently excluded from the results. Radical World Cup SR3 Champion John Stanley finished in third place ahead of the UAE’s Mohammed Al-Owais.

Round 4, a 14 lap race run before the big V8 battle on Saturday was to be one of the most exciting races ever seen in the Bartercard Gulf Radical Cup series. Salman bin Rashid took advantage of his pole position to make a break from the opposition, although he was closely followed by compatriot Salman bin Issa. But it was Al-Azhari who was to carve through the field to finish third from the back row, after Salman bin Issa retired after two laps with a serious misfire caused by a broken pin in the crankshaft sensor. There were changes of position throughout the field as the drivers threw caution to the wind, with Mohammed Al-Owais again managing to beat his brother Omran to fourth place. Stanley closed dramatically on Salman bin Rashid in the last few laps as smoke started to emanate from the rear of Salman’s SR3 as engine oil leaked onto the hot exhaust pipes and the car started to slow. But it was 25 year old Salman bin Rashid who took the top step of the podium for the second time after winning both races in a race car he had sat in for the first time on Thursday morning – the true sign of a future Champion!

The next Bartercard Gulf Radical Cup event will be at the Dubai Autodrome national raceday 3 on 1st December with the UAE National Superstock Bike Championship and Motorworks GTI Cup.