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Al-Saif, Al-Shammeri surprise leaders

January 15, 2018
Can-Am crew of Saleh Abdullah Al-Saif and Abdulsalem Al-Shammeri leading Hail Rally.
Can-Am crew of Saleh Abdullah Al-Saif and Abdulsalem Al-Shammeri leading Hail Rally.

HAIL — The Saudi Arabian Can-Am crew of Saleh Abdullah Al-Saif and Abdulsalem Al-Shammeri were the surprise leaders of the Ha’il Nissan International Cross-Country Rally, after the opening 3.87km super special stage at Mashar Monday afternoon.

They headed the Saudi driver Essa Al-Dossari and his Emirati navigator Ali Hassan Obaid by just 0.7 seconds. Driving his South African-built Nissan Navara through a new ED Racing Team, Al-Dossari carded a time of 3min 15.7sec and that was 4.8 seconds faster than that set by Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri and that enabled the Nissan driver to head the T1 runners at the overnight halt.

Yasir Saeidan, the current FIA World Cup T2 champion, was fifth overall and first in T2 in his diesel-engined Toyota Land Cruiser. Reigning Saudi T2 champion Muneef Al-Salmani was ninth overall in his Nissan Patrol, while former event winner Ibrahim Al-Muhanna rounded off the top 20 in his Nissan.

Saleh Abdullah Al-Abdulaali wheeled out the Hummer that Yazeed Al-Rajhi has used on two occasions to snatch victory, but the young Saudi sustained mechanical problems in the stage and dropped 29 minutes to the day’s winner.

Forty-two crews eventually took the start on the event laid on by the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF). They were joined on the entry list by two motorcycles and four quads.

The Hail Nissan International Cross-Country Rally is being staged under the patronage of Prince Saud Bin Abdul Mohsen Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Ha’il, President of the Supreme Commission for Hail Development and the Head of the Supreme Commission of the Hail Rally.

On Tuesday, the first of three selective sections through the An Nafud desert starts and finishes at Baqa’a and runs for 189.69km. — SG


January 15, 2018
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