Manzo to Join Al-Anabi Racing (3 Viewers)

[Smiley]

I know another sheik who loved speed and racing.

Why doesn't Khalid sponsor a race... or better yet buy the NHRA and save the sport. He obviously loves drag racing enough. Maybe he can make things right.

Wouldn't that "technically" make it the International Hot Rod Association?


Ba-Dum-Ch

 

[Jim]

Sorry for my mistake. As I said in my original post, I do not know how to spell or pronounce his name. I figured just calling him Mr. Al-Anabi was the easiest way I could think of to refer to him, other than by his name. Would you have been more comfortable if I would have called him "the arabic gentleman with the fat pocketbook"?

I was providing the correct name for those who may not know and could think there really is a Mr. Al-Anabi.

FYI....there is no Mr. Exxon either.

Jim

 

[Bob]

amazing the stuff some of you can conjure up without any knowledge. Life is hard enough to figure out, much less someone elses finances. geeeezzzzzzzzzz

 

[willy]

I think it's a great match. Obviously, the Sheik looks for professional/successful/dedicated people to represent. Manzo sure fits that bill, eh?

 

[Randy]

Wouldn't that "technically" make it the International Hot Rod Association?


Ba-Dum-Ch

I understand that name may be available in the near future.

 

[Smiley]

I understand that name may be available in the near future.

Randy, that's like walking into a room, farting and walking out..

 

[J.C.]

Without trying to start a big debate, this deal keeps reminding me of Evan Knoll. I don't know anything about Mr. Al-Anabi (sorry, I can't spell or pronounce his name) but I'm guessing the situations are a bit different. One can only hope with all of the increases with this group (I've heard more are on the way) is that Mr. Al-Anabi doesn't suddenly lose interest in the sport and leave everybody hanging.

Dave

my exact sentiments when i read the article. here i was, thinking that this pathetic economy that we are in would require a return to "grass roots racing", yet one "sponsor" (i use the term loosely, as it appears that this is more free money than sponsorship with any expectation of a return on investment) is throwing money at a select group of racers like there is no tomorrow.

If the economy continues to deteriorate, we'll end up with two different classes of professional racers 1) Those funded endlessly by a single guy with a lot of money who expects no return on his investment and 2) grass roots racers with minimal real sponsorships who still race for the love of racing and trying to put food on the table for their family and their minimalistic crew's families.

I'll be rooting for the 2nd group of racers, but do they really stand a chance against the virtually unlimited budgets of the "sponsored" racers in the first group?

i don't like it, something stinks and it's not good for a majority of racers, or fans. Just my two cents.....

 

[Professional Fan]

I'll add my comments as to Frank being a good guy. I have met him several times at races and when congratulating him on his suuccess he always makes a comment about being lucky! While luck always helps, you certainly don't win the number of races he has without an awful lot of skill-both the crew and the driver.

At Indy last week I was waiting outside his pit to get him to sign a helmet. He noticed me, came over and signed the helmet and then apologized for "making me wait so long" as he didn't see me! I had only been there a couple of minutes. Never had a racer apologize to me for waiting for an autograph before.

It nice to see not only is he a great racer but a good guy as well.

 

[Eracer]

- Fantastic for one of the sports greatest. Congratulations!
- I'm just really happy his highness has decided to spend his millions in the USA and NHRA.
- If one of the sports greatest minds (AJ) thinks a great deal...who am I to argue.

 

[yoda]

Can you name any sponsorship that has been open-ended? I know Bernstein can't and he's landed some of the best ever in the sport. All good things will, one day, come to an end.

Would the Al-Anabi deal be considered a sponsorship or an OWNERSHIP, Bobby? I think it's the former...

(Unless you were talking about Ace's Lucas deal- in which case, never mind )

 

[willy]

I'll add my comments as to Frank being a good guy. I have met him several times at races and when congratulating him on his suuccess he always makes a comment about being lucky! While luck always helps, you certainly don't win the number of races he has without an awful lot of skill-both the crew and the driver.

At Indy last week I was waiting outside his pit to get him to sign a helmet. He noticed me, came over and signed the helmet and then apologized for "making me wait so long" as he didn't see me! I had only been there a couple of minutes. Never had a racer apologize to me for waiting for an autograph before.

It nice to see not only is he a great racer but a good guy as well.

Nice story, Brian.

You have to love the humble. Etchells, Oswald, Alderman, Hill, Fuzzy, KJ, Edwards, Wilk. Their appreciation & love of the sport is awesome. There is a way longer list than that, I know..but just a few that come across with the humility that you have to respect.

 

[NHRAMike]

Speaking of Manzo, I just read this over at Drag Race Central. How's this for a close final round?

1 Frank Manzo 0.069 5.614 260.71
13 Marty Nothstein 0.072 5.611 253.28


4:21 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 29.80 inches.
This one was as close as they can get. Manzo came off the starting line just three-thousandths of a second ahead of Nothstein, and Nothstein's ET was three-thousandths of a second quicker than Manzo. The computer says that Manzo is the winner. Frank Manzo's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.017), 330 ft(-0.005), 660ft(-0.016), 1,000ft(-0.014). MOV: 0.0000 seconds (approximately 0 inches).

 

[squid]

Abdullah Bin Khalid Al-Thani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Paul]

my exact sentiments when i read the article. here i was, thinking that this pathetic economy that we are in would require a return to "grass roots racing", yet one "sponsor" (i use the term loosely, as it appears that this is more free money than sponsorship with any expectation of a return on investment) is throwing money at a select group of racers like there is no tomorrow.

If the economy continues to deteriorate, we'll end up with two different classes of professional racers 1) Those funded endlessly by a single guy with a lot of money who expects no return on his investment and 2) grass roots racers with minimal real sponsorships who still race for the love of racing and trying to put food on the table for their family and their minimalistic crew's families.

I'll be rooting for the 2nd group of racers, but do they really stand a chance against the virtually unlimited budgets of the "sponsored" racers in the first group?

i don't like it, something stinks and it's not good for a majority of racers, or fans. Just my two cents.....

J.C., I see it the exact same way you do.

The sheik has every right to throw as money around as he wants to, and AJ has every right to take it if that's what he feels is best for him.

But as J.C. stated I don't think that this kind of "I've got a lot of dough, lets do it for fun" involvement is good for the long term health of the sport, and everytime a sheik car stages, I'm pulling for the guys in the other lane.

When posting this sentiment in some prior threads, some responses implying racism were thrown out.

That's not it at all, thoses responses were mixed up. Its Nationalism, drag racing is a uniquely American sport, and I don't see anything wrong with at least hoping it stays that way.

Its getting to the point where everything in this country has been for sale and we don't have much left now, can we at least hang on to this one?

Paul T.

 

[yoda]

Ace in the new colors today? Sounds like he's running like a Swiss watch

 

[rollingthunder]

Abdullah Bin Khalid Al-Thani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That makes you go hmmm. No wonder he needs security at the track

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Abdullah Bin Khalid Al-Thani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I believe this is a mistake . . . Al-Anabi's sponsor/owner is Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani. The word Abdullah does not appear to be part of his name.
It would be a good idea to have your facts correct before posting stuff like this.

 

[nick name]

I believe this is a mistake . . . Al-Anabi's sponsor/owner is Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani. The word Abdullah does not appear to be part of his name.
It would be a good idea to have your facts correct before posting stuff like this.

I'd agree with Jim. If I'm not mistaken, "Bin" in Arabic means "son of". So grouping Bin Hamad and Bin Khalid is like saying Smith and Jones are the same name.

 

[clwill]

I'd agree with Jim. If I'm not mistaken, "Bin" in Arabic means "son of". So grouping Bin Hamad and Bin Khalid is like saying Smith and Jones are the same name.

Stop talking sense! There was a "Khalid", a "Bin", and al-Quaeda mentioned in the same paragraph! Run for cover!!!

 

[squid]

When I googled his name that's what came up