Drift UAE 2013-2014 Opening Round
A challenging start to what promises to be a brilliant season of drifting
By Shahzad Sheikh
After Round 1 got postponed due to flooding when the recent rainstorms hit the UAE, and then Round 2 got shoved from a Friday evening to a Saturday evening, because the track was double-booked (what’s with that Yas Marina?!), it didn’t seem like the this new season of the Drift UAE championship was going to get off to the best of starts. And not really through any fault of its own either.
Abdul Hadi AlQahtani of Al Jariza Ford Racing from KSA was crowned the new Drift King
But never underestimate the power of drift, because when the action got underway, it was fast, ferocious and fantastic. Considering that the venue was also moved to a different part of the circuit which the drivers weren’t familiar with and that practice and actual scored runs had to be compressed into one evening, it took a while for the racers to get their bearings. Seemed to me that
Standing on the inside of the first corner, from where I was shooting some of the cars, it seem to me that Mohammed Alasmi, of Team Oman Champions, otherwise known popularly as Dr Mambo, was the first to figure out the corner, getting his drift on much earlier as he exited from the pitlane.
Soon after during the practice runs they all got into their rythm, and despite an odd spin or two they really started to attack the very short three-corner sequence, tagging the clipping points in spectacularly smoky style.
After a driver’s briefing they came out for the final points-scoring round – a knock-out twin drift battle. Exciting stuff – where points are avoided not only for the best angle, speed and smoke, but also how close the cars get to each other, and inevitably there’s some psyching-out as drivers really start to feel the pressure.
Thrilling stuff. As a spectator the best thing about this form of motorsport is not only that it’s sensational to watch, but that all the action is contained in one confined area and you get to see everything with drivers going head-to-head, hanging the cars well out beyond the limits of adhesion.
The Al Jazira Ford Mustangs looked and sounded amazing as always, and with lead driver, Abdul Hadi AlQahtani being last year’s champion and having taken the UAE Drift ‘Drift King’ crown, he was certainly favourited. But the team missed out on a podium with AlQahtani’s teammate taking fourth overall on the night.
Meanwhile third when to the aforementioned Dr Mamba in his Nissan. And 2nd place was grabbed by UAE home-favourite, Ahmed Al Amri in the Toyota Emirates Drift Team 86 – which had a complete strip-down rebuild over the break and is now looking better, sounding smoother, and running more eager than ever.
Al Amiri was scooping up the points, but missed out on the top step due to a spin in the final twin-drift battle.
The win then, went to Kuwaiti ace, Sami Haidar of Team Drift 965 in his classic drift car, the Nissan 200SX/Silvia. Looking resplendent in its new bright blue paint job with the Kuwait flag streaming off the rear spoiler, it performed flawlessly all night.
Well done to Haidar, and we hope you’ll join us for the action at the next round which will take place in January. Watch our Facebook page for details!
