BIC, Al-Sakhir: Bahraini motor racing history will be made this weekend when the first-ever champion of the BMR 600 motorbike series will be crowned at a brilliantly floodlit Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
The BIC-bred, one-make championship will be holding the sixth and final meeting of its maiden season Friday May 1, 2015 in Sakhir, and the highly coveted title remains up for grabs.
Hussain Al Kooheji is the heavy favourite to secure the crown. He heads into the meeting the current leader on the points standings.
The BMR 600 season finale will be held alongside the eighth and final round of the 2014/2015 BIC 2,000cc Challenge. Both events make up BIC’s National Race Day, where some of the kingdom’s best gentleman drivers showcase their talents.
This year’s title in the BIC 2,000cc Challenge has already been won by now two-time champion Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Shaikh Hamad sealed his victory last week following a double in the series’ penultimate meeting, also held at “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East”
Shaikh Hamad steered his no. 33 white Honda CIVIC hatchback to wins number 12 and 13 to earn enough points to settle his season-long quest to regain the championship he first won in 2010/2011.
All are welcome to attend this Friday’s National Race Day, which will feature the very best of local night racing. Tickets are available at the gate. They cost BD2 for adults and BD1 for children. Action will be held from 4.45pm until after 10pm.
The BMR 600 features identical Honda Hornet motorbikes.
Al Kooheji heads into the season finale with 180 points from a dominant campaign so far. He has won nine of the 10 races held to date.
Trailing in second place with 164 points is Faisal Ali, while in third on 152 markers is Saleh Al Kandari. Both Ali and Al Kandari are the only other two riders with a mathematical chance of snatching the title away from Al Kooheji.
Hussain Alaswad is ranked fourth with 104 points, Chris Rabie fifth on 98 and Emad Shehadeh and Tim Attwood tied-sixth on 90 points. David Wynne rounds out the top eight of the 14-man standings with 71 points.
While the championship has already been decided in the BIC 2,000cc Challenge, there is still a tough battle for second place amongst two of the series’ other top competitors.
With Shaikh Hamad on 325 points and two races still to go, Hussain Karimi (Honda CRX) is currently ranked behind with 217 markers. Alex Longden (BMW 3 Series) is in third within striking distance on 186 points.
Abdulrahman Ghuloom (Honda CIVIC) is fourth with 166 points and Raed Himmo (Honda CRX) fifth with 161 points, while completing the top six is Tim Birkin (Honda Integra) on 125 markers.
The first action on track Friday will be the BIC 2,000cc practice session, which is scheduled get underway at 4.45pm. Qualifying is then scheduled for 5.50pm, which will set the grid for race one at 8.13pm and race two at 9.33pm.
The BMR 600 holds its first free practice at 5.25pm. Qualifying is at 6.30pm to be followed race one at 7.41pm and race two at race two at 9.01pm.