The Arabian Drag Racing League will hold its season opener in Qatar this month, kicking off the tournament on Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Qatar Racing Club in the Industrial Area.
Some 100 professional racers from across the Gulf and elsewhere are expected to race each other for cash and other prizes, over a series of six rounds that end in February. Racers will compete in 10 categories, including “Pro Extreme,” “Pro Nitrous,” and “Street Bike.”
“It’s the biggest and best drag racing league in the Gulf,” Khalid Arif, QRC spokesman, told Doha News.
This will be the sixth year that Qatar hosts the tournament, which is free and open to the public. There is also a VIP area that costs QR100/session, or QR500/season pass. Tickets can be bought at the gate on the day of the race. Discounted tickets are also available on QGrabs here. The calendar of the sessions is:
- Round 1: Jan. 9 – 10
- Round 2: Jan. 16-17
- Round 3: Jan 23-24
- Round 4: Feb. 6-7
- Round 5: Feb. 13-14
- Round 6 (Final): Feb. 20-21
Gates will open at 3pm on the day of the event, and food and beverages can be purchased onsite. According to Arif, the drag racing has attracted a diverse crowd in the past, including families, for which a special area is being set up.
He added that QRC has been working to take racing off of Qatar’s streets, with events such as the annual “Qatar Mile,” during which amateur drivers push their cars to the limit to speed down the Al Khor Airstrip.
Do you plan to watch the races? Thoughts?
