MOTORSPORT – FOUR of Bahrain’s top drag racing talents emerged victorious over the weekend in the fourth and penultimate round of the 2025-26 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship, held at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
With the stakes raised and valuable points on the line for the season standings, the head-to-head battles along BIC’s world-class quarter-mile strip were high in intensity.
Competitors from all over the Gulf, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, participated across 12 high-octane categories.
The four Bahrainis who emerged victorious in their respective classes were Ali Rabeea the 10.0 Index division, Mahmood Saleh in the Outlaw 4-Cylinder, Ali Alkhunaizi in the Outlaw 6-Cylinder, and Khalifa Alshurooqi in the Street Fight Bikes 9.5 category.
Three from Saudi and another three from Kuwait also triumphed, with two participants from the UAE climbing to the podium’s top step.
The meeting was organised by BIC in co-operation with the Bahrain Motor Federation, the Bahrain Drag Racing Commission, and the Bahrain Motorcycle Commission.
With round four complete, the stage is set for the championship finale, scheduled for March 3 to 6.
BIC’s world-renowned drag strip is a part of the US-based National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Worldwide Network. Winners in the NHRA-sanctioned series will all take home a prestigious ‘Wally’ trophy at the end of the campaign. The ‘Wally’ is drag racing’s most prestigious accolade, and it is awarded only to title winners of NHRA events worldwide.
Named after NHRA founder Wally Parks, it has been handed out since the 1969 NHRA season in the US.
On race day in round four this past weekend, Rabeea clinched first place in the 10.0 Index class after clocking a mark of 10.010 seconds at 209.28kph in his final. He beat Kuwaiti Abdulla Alazmi, who had a break out, while Thamer Alkhaldi from Saudi came third.
Saleh won the Outlaw 4-Cylinder category with a pass of 9.053s at 236.40kph in the decisive elimination, where he outrun fellow-Bahraini Jasim Saleh. Mohsen Salman took third to complete an all-Bahrain podium.
Alkhunaizi triumphed amongst the Outlaw 6-Cylinder competitors with a time of 10.304s at 103.68kph in his final. Ali Alluwaym from Saudi was second and Bahrain’s Faisal Alarab third.
Alshurooqi won the Street Fight Bikes 9.5 division with a run of 9.511s at 223.10kph, narrowly taking a hotly contested elimination against compatriot Abdulla Almozayen, who had a time of 9.725s at 243.64kph. Fellow-Bahraini Ali Hamad Ali finished third.
The three Saudis to claim first place in their categories were Mohammed Albrahim in the 9.0 Index class, Khalid Aldossary in the Pro Street Bikes, and Jihad Aljamal Outlaw Bikes.
Albrahim took his win with a time of 9.084s at 211.06kph. He defeated Kuwaiti Ahmed Ali, who had a break out in their final, while Talal Almanea, also from Kuwait, finished third.
Aldossary won amongst the Pro Street Bikes in 4.652s at 246.68kph, outrunning Bahrain’s Yusuf Ahmed in their final. Fadi Abujamus, also from Saudi, completed the top three.
Aljamal won the Outlaw Bikes class with a pass of 8.210s at 89.21kph, defeating Kuwait’s Saad Jumah in their final, with Jumah getting a red light. Hassan Alessa from Saudi joined them on the podium.
The Kuwaiti drag racers to triumph in the meeting were Ahmed Zaman in the 8.5 Index category, Salah Alhaidar in the 4.8 Index, and Shehab Burabaa in the 8.5 Index Bikes.
Zaman won his group with an 8.617s pass at 235.56kph in the final, where his opponent Ahmed Sarhan from Bahrain had a red light. Fellow countryman Mohammad Zaman came third.
Alhaidar took the 4.8 Index win in 4.992s at 228.43kph, defeating Bahrain’s Yousif Alkhamiri in their decisive run. Abdulrahman Bo Alwa made it two Kuwaitis on the podium in third place.
Burabaa claimed first in the 8.5 Index Bikes class with a mark of 8.546s at 250.76kph. He defeated Ali Bahram from Bahrain in their final, with Bahram having a break out, while Hassan Aalwah from Saudi was classified third.
The round’s winners were rounded out by the Emirati pair of Faisal Alshehhi and Obaid Alblooshi. Alshehhi took the Pro 29.5 V8 victory with a 5.392s pass at 164.61kph in his final. He beat Nabeel Alessa from Saudi, while Bahrain’s Sayed Husain Salman took the other podium step.
Alblooshi triumphed in the Competition 4.5 class, clocking a mark of 4.550s at 251.21kph in the final to outrun Kuwait’s Mohammed Alfaras, who had marks of 5.634s and 213.99kph. Saeed Aljaseem from Saudi finished third.
Following all the action, the winners were presented their respective trophies for the meeting in the podium ceremonies.
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