Al Hosani Bags 10.5 Class Award at Yas Exotic Drag Racing

Abu Dhabi, 9 January 2011: Ali Al Hosani won the 10.5 Class Award in his twin-turbo Corvette C5 at the first Yas Exotic Drag Racing event of 2011 on Friday (7 January). Al Hosani recorded an elapsed time of 10.641 seconds and a terminal speed of 215.11 km/h, winning the race on a hole shot with a better reaction time. The runner-up was Sharif Ahmed with an elapsed time of 10.627 at 216.80 km/h.

The 11.5 Class saw Khalefa Al Remethi winning first place in a Jeep SRT8 with an elapsed time of 12.070 seconds at 190.26 km/h, with runner-up Ibrahim Al Katheeri recording a time of 12.081 seconds at 191.62 km/h, in another Jeep SRT8.

During the event, participants and spectators saw the world’s fastest three-seat Super Comp dragster shaking the drag strip at the hands of Yas Top Fuel ace and Chief Drag Racing Instructor Rod Fuller. Fuller offers passenger rides that last a fraction over six seconds at a terminal speed of 240 km/h.

Mohamed Ali Basha won the 13.5 Class in a Chevrolet Camaro with an elapsed time of 13.593 at 167.29 km/h. The runner-up was Sultan Al Zaabi in his Jeep SRT8 with an elapsed time of 13.295 and a speed of 163.28 km/h.

Suzuki GSXR 750 rider Toby Begendorf delivered an elapsed time of 10.872 seconds and a speed of 212.34 km/h in the 10.5 class – just hours after riding the same bike in a track day at Dubai Autodrome.

Rashed Al Qubaisi, Head of the Yas Drag Racing Centre, said: “Our congratulations go to all the winners. We are seeing increasing interest in the Exotic Drag Racing nights and the Open Drag Racing nights among the drag racing community. In particular, we look forward to seeing more bikes coming here to compete. Toby’s performance shows that the same bikes can shine on a circuit as well as on the drag strip.”

Alfardan Automobiles Official Car Sponsor of Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2011

Doha - Alfardan Automobiles, BMW Group exclusive importer in Qatar ensured that players and officials of this year’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open enjoyed sheer driving pleasure throughout the event with a luxury fleet of chauffeur-driven BMW 7 and 5 Series vehicles at their disposal.

As part of its continuous alliance with Qatar Tennis Federation, 2011 marks the company’s fourth year as official partner and further highlights Alfardan Automobiles commitment to the support of international sporting events in Qatar.

The likes of two-time Doha champion Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Nikolai Davydenko experienced the ’Joy’ of BMW vehicles for the duration of the tournament. In addition, three top of the line BMW vehicles were displayed at the event premises: the BMW X5M, BMW X6M, and the BMW X5.

To celebrate the tournament and its sponsorship, Alfardan Automobiles also launched an exclusive offer on the BMW X5, a benchmark in its class for driving dynamics, efficiency, versatility, premium quality and safety. With an exceptional starting price offered until the 18th January 2010

The Qatar ExxonMobil Open took place from the 3rd to the 8th of January 2011 at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, where tennis enthusiasts gathered to watch their favourite tennis players battle it out on court. Federer fans were delighted to watch the tennis star take home the ExxonMobil Open 2011 title for the third year.

“We are proud to be a long-standing sponsor of this internationally-recognised tournament that is now one of the must-attend events on Qatar’s tennis calendar,” said Mr Mohammed Kandeel, General Manager of Alfardan Automobiles. “Under the leadership of His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar has become a global leader in hosting and organising international sporting events with its best in class venues and superior organisational capabilities. The Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2011 is yet another feather in Qatar’s sporting cap, and was a resounding success for all involved – especially the tennis fans”

Under the direction of the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open has become one of the most exciting and prestigious tournaments on the ATP circuit. Now in its 19th edition, the tournament, which awards total prize money of $1,024,000, was watched by 35,000 tennis fans in 2010 and had a viewership of more than 360 million households in 115 countries.