Irish Motor Sports News – 2018 Jordan Baja : Strong entry for new look event

2018 Jordan Baja : Strong entry for new look event

Sep 27, 2018

STRONG REGIONAL ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK’S NEW-LOOK JORDAN BAJA

Five Jordanian riders support brand new Baja motorcycle category

AMMAN (JORDAN): Jordan Motorsport has confirmed there will be a strong regional flavour to the official entry lists for this week’s inaugural Jordan Baja, the Hashemite Kingdom’s first cross-country rally to run since 1990.

Drivers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are joined by navigators from the five Arab countries to support Jordan’s exciting introduction to the FIA international cross-country rallying calendar. The event will be a candidate for the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.

Saudi Arabia’s Essa Al-Dossari heads the four-wheel entry in his Nissan Navara, where he faces competition from the likes of Egypt’s Yaha Shalaby, local drivers Salamah Al-Gammaz and Ahmad Shaban, Kuwait’s experienced Salem Al-Dhafeeri and 11 additional Saudi drivers, including Fahad Al-Abdullatif, Ibrahim Al-Muhanna and Muneef Al-Salmani.

Khaled Zakaria is one of the most successful Arab navigators in the history of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) and the Jordanian returns to competitive action with Shaban in a Humme H1.

Zakaria won six rounds of the MERC with the UAE’s Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the 2004 Jordan Rally with Amjad Farrah before turning to the organisational side of motor sport when work commitments permitted.

Three drivers will take part in the T3 category: Saleh Al-Saif represents Saudi Arabia in a Can-Am Maverick X3 and faces competition from the likes of Jordanian airline pilot Malek Al-Hariri and his navigator Ziad Masannat in an MN 1600 and the UAE’s Khaled Al-Jafla in a second Can-Am.

Late entries for Saudi Arabia’s Motab Al-Shammeri and Jordan’s Ibrahim Mhawish boosted the car field to 24.

Meanwhile, five Jordanian riders have supported the brand new category for motorcycles. Former rally navigator Ata Al-Hmoud tops the entry on a Beta 390 and is joined by a pair of Kawasakis for Hamza Zawahreh and Bader Abdul Jawad. Khaldoon Halabi (Honda CRF 450 X) and Saif Al-Zyoud (Yamaha WR 450) complete the local entry.

The event takes place in the Wadi Rum region of southern Jordan from Thursday through to Saturday.

Akio Toyoda praises Toyota Gazoo Racing...
Jan 17, 2021 Comments Off on Akio Toyoda praises Toyota Gazoo Racing & Hino Sugawara Team on Dakar Rally 2021
Honda 1-2 on 2021 Dakar Rally as Kevin...
Jan 16, 2021 Comments Off on Honda 1-2 on 2021 Dakar Rally as Kevin Benavides wins & Ricky Brabec 2nd in the world’s toughest race
5th place overall for Bahrain Raid...
Jan 16, 2021 Comments Off on 5th place overall for Bahrain Raid Xtreme ‘Hunter’ driver, Nani Roma
4WD honours & 2nd overall for...
Jan 16, 2021 Comments Off on 4WD honours & 2nd overall for Toyota Gazoo’s Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel