[coverattach=1](10-28-09) OAK RIDGE, Tennessee – Without question, the National Guard ADRL has established itself over the course of the last five years as one of the premiere racing organizations for heads up, fast door slammer drag racing, and always looking for a challenge, as well as stiff competition, the Al-Anabi Racing team comprised of world champion tuner, Howard Moon, and driver, Von Smith, have jumped into the fray with both feet.
After using the ADRL Dragstock VI event in Rockingham, North Carolina and Al-Anabi Shootout at Virginia Motorsports Park as a series of in-competition test beds for their brand-new Tim McAmis-built ’68 Chevy Camaro, the 2009 Arabian Drag Racing League championship team made major strides in performance, clocking a 3.69-second, 206.92mph blast down Richmond’s ultra-fast eighth-mile. Punctuating their testing efforts and surely displaying their race-ready status, the 3.6-second blast represented only the second time in history that a suspended, left-hand steer door slammer had turned in such a staggering elapsed time.
Locked and loaded, the Al-Anabi Racing team headed south for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas for the first points-earning event of the 2010 season.
“Our primary goal for 2009 has been, and will always be to defend our Arabian Drag Racing League championship for Sheikh Khalid at the Qatar Race Club,” said Moon in the staging lanes of the Motorplex on Friday afternoon. “Given the difference in climate, the racing season in Middle East doesn’t start until November, after all the American-based organizations have already finished their seasons. Now that we have our feet under us, and we’ve had a season to get organized and make some plans, we’re ready to chase another championship, here in the ADRL.”
Moon continued, “While things can always change, especially considering that we’re preparing to take our current car, the BARWA ’68 Camaro, to Qatar a couple weeks from today, the plan for 2010 is to have another lightweight car from Tim McAmis Race Cars ready for the start of the season next year.”
Even though it likely won’t be the car they’ll campaign next season, Smith took to the track with the beautiful blue BARWA Pro Extreme Camaro, and in typical fashion jumped right to the top-half of the qualifying order with a 3.800-second, 203.98mph lap on Saturday afternoon. The performance, good enough for the No. 6 spot in qualifying, paired Smith with local favorite Gene Hector in the opening stanza.
Smith was off the starting line first, .058 to Hector’s .092, and never looked back as the BARWA Camaro streaked to its quickest and fastest pass of the weekend, a 3.743/205.29mph combination, sending the Al-Anabi Racing to the quarterfinal round against Alex Hossler. Despite an advantageous .025-light, Smith couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Illinois-based racer for the full 660-feet, and was forced to settle for a premature exit from the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals as Hossler used a career-best 3.752/203.40 to best Smith’s 3.854/201.88.
“Well, we were definitely looking for a little bit more this weekend,” said a still optimistic Smith from the pits following the round. “We’ve got to be satisfied with the progress we’ve made, though, and we’ve proven that we’ve got a fast race car that’s going to be very hard to beat overseas, especially now that we’re racing on the eighth-mile there as well. We qualified, went a couple rounds and are in the Top 10 in the points for 2010, and that’s a good step in the right direction. We’re excited for next year here in the ADRL, but our attention is already on doubling up in Qatar, winning another championship for BARWA, Sheikh Khalid and Al-Anabi Racing.”
The veteran driver continued, “I couldn’t be more excited for K.A. Balooshi and the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Nitrous team for winning the championship and a string of incredible runs that earned them both ends of the record. All of us had Shannon [Jenkins] in our thoughts this weekend as he mourns the loss of his father, and I’m glad to see the team was able to do him proud even in his absence.”
ABOUT BARWA
A Qatar-based real estate conglomerate, BARWA has spent the past four years partnered with its home nation of Qatar, developing and constructing new and maintainable environments in and out of the capital city of Doha. Local projects have included the construction of Barwa Al Khor, considered the “mother city” of the nation of Qatar, Barwa Financial District, Barwa City, a one of a kind residential complex, Barwa Commercial Avenue, and the city of Doha’s convention center.
ABOUT AL-ANABI RACING
A result of drag racing’s continually increasing popularity abroad, Al-Anabi Racing is based out of the nation of Qatar. At the heart of the Al-Anabi Racing program is His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, who set a goal of promoting the domestic and international awareness of motorsports in his home country through multiple racing teams competing within the National Hot Rod Association, American Drag Racing League and Arabian Drag Racing League.
For more information on the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Extreme Team please log onto Qatar Racing Club. Details and further information regarding BARWA Real Estate Company can be found at Barwa : The Future is Qatar
After using the ADRL Dragstock VI event in Rockingham, North Carolina and Al-Anabi Shootout at Virginia Motorsports Park as a series of in-competition test beds for their brand-new Tim McAmis-built ’68 Chevy Camaro, the 2009 Arabian Drag Racing League championship team made major strides in performance, clocking a 3.69-second, 206.92mph blast down Richmond’s ultra-fast eighth-mile. Punctuating their testing efforts and surely displaying their race-ready status, the 3.6-second blast represented only the second time in history that a suspended, left-hand steer door slammer had turned in such a staggering elapsed time.
Locked and loaded, the Al-Anabi Racing team headed south for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas for the first points-earning event of the 2010 season.
“Our primary goal for 2009 has been, and will always be to defend our Arabian Drag Racing League championship for Sheikh Khalid at the Qatar Race Club,” said Moon in the staging lanes of the Motorplex on Friday afternoon. “Given the difference in climate, the racing season in Middle East doesn’t start until November, after all the American-based organizations have already finished their seasons. Now that we have our feet under us, and we’ve had a season to get organized and make some plans, we’re ready to chase another championship, here in the ADRL.”
Moon continued, “While things can always change, especially considering that we’re preparing to take our current car, the BARWA ’68 Camaro, to Qatar a couple weeks from today, the plan for 2010 is to have another lightweight car from Tim McAmis Race Cars ready for the start of the season next year.”
Even though it likely won’t be the car they’ll campaign next season, Smith took to the track with the beautiful blue BARWA Pro Extreme Camaro, and in typical fashion jumped right to the top-half of the qualifying order with a 3.800-second, 203.98mph lap on Saturday afternoon. The performance, good enough for the No. 6 spot in qualifying, paired Smith with local favorite Gene Hector in the opening stanza.
Smith was off the starting line first, .058 to Hector’s .092, and never looked back as the BARWA Camaro streaked to its quickest and fastest pass of the weekend, a 3.743/205.29mph combination, sending the Al-Anabi Racing to the quarterfinal round against Alex Hossler. Despite an advantageous .025-light, Smith couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Illinois-based racer for the full 660-feet, and was forced to settle for a premature exit from the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals as Hossler used a career-best 3.752/203.40 to best Smith’s 3.854/201.88.
“Well, we were definitely looking for a little bit more this weekend,” said a still optimistic Smith from the pits following the round. “We’ve got to be satisfied with the progress we’ve made, though, and we’ve proven that we’ve got a fast race car that’s going to be very hard to beat overseas, especially now that we’re racing on the eighth-mile there as well. We qualified, went a couple rounds and are in the Top 10 in the points for 2010, and that’s a good step in the right direction. We’re excited for next year here in the ADRL, but our attention is already on doubling up in Qatar, winning another championship for BARWA, Sheikh Khalid and Al-Anabi Racing.”
The veteran driver continued, “I couldn’t be more excited for K.A. Balooshi and the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Nitrous team for winning the championship and a string of incredible runs that earned them both ends of the record. All of us had Shannon [Jenkins] in our thoughts this weekend as he mourns the loss of his father, and I’m glad to see the team was able to do him proud even in his absence.”
ABOUT BARWA
A Qatar-based real estate conglomerate, BARWA has spent the past four years partnered with its home nation of Qatar, developing and constructing new and maintainable environments in and out of the capital city of Doha. Local projects have included the construction of Barwa Al Khor, considered the “mother city” of the nation of Qatar, Barwa Financial District, Barwa City, a one of a kind residential complex, Barwa Commercial Avenue, and the city of Doha’s convention center.
ABOUT AL-ANABI RACING
A result of drag racing’s continually increasing popularity abroad, Al-Anabi Racing is based out of the nation of Qatar. At the heart of the Al-Anabi Racing program is His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, who set a goal of promoting the domestic and international awareness of motorsports in his home country through multiple racing teams competing within the National Hot Rod Association, American Drag Racing League and Arabian Drag Racing League.
For more information on the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Extreme Team please log onto Qatar Racing Club. Details and further information regarding BARWA Real Estate Company can be found at Barwa : The Future is Qatar
