HAIL — The Nissan crew of Faris Al-Mashna and Saud Al-Taimi held on to take a career-best victory in the Ha’il Nissan International Rally after winning the third selective section of 302.08km Wednesday afternoon.
The Saudi pairing began the day with a lead of 3min 40sec and turned that into a winning advantage of 8min 14sec after a superb performance in their Nissan Patrol. Completing a clean sweep of the podium places for the Japanese manufacturer were Mutair and Hani Matar Al-Shammeri in second position and Ahmed Abdullah Al-Suhail and Rashed Muslet Al-Shammeri in third overall.
The victory was a first for a driver from Hail since Rajeh Farhan Al-Shammeri’s victory in 2007 and the third time a local driver was won the event — Farhan Ghaleb Al-Shammeri also won the candidate event in 2006. It was also the third ever victory for Nissan on the event after Yazeed Al-Rajhi’s success in 2009 and Ibrahim Al-Muhanna’s triumph three years ago.
Muneef Al-Salmani hung on to claim the winner’s spoils in the T2 category with navigator Ali Al-Sayari. The pair also finished an impressive fifth overall. Ibrahim Al-Muhanna was delayed on the final stage, but Nissans filled the top eight places in the unofficial general classification.
Only 18 of the original 30 starters in the car category began the final day. Samir Talab Al-Shammeri, Meshal Saud Al-Saeedi, Khalid Al-Rameli Al-Shammeri, Muteb Saud Al-Shammeri and Khalid Eid Nahar Al-Shammeri all failed to start the final day after their own technical issues.
Engine oil cooler woes accounted for firm favorite and five-time winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi on the opening desert stage, while former MERC and WRC driver Rashed Al-Ketbi saw his first ever cross-country outing in a Dodge Viper V8-engined BMW X6 cut short by transmission issues.
Ahmed Al-Nasser held off a challenge from Heshayan Ibrahim Al-Heshayan to win the motorcycle category on his Honda and Yamaha-mounted Abdulmajeed Al-Khulaifi beat Sultan Al-Masoud and Fahad Al-Madhi to quad honors.
The rally was held under the patronage of Prince Saud Bin Abdul Mohsen Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Hail, President of the Supreme Commission for Hail Development and the Head of the Supreme Commission of the Hail Rally. — SG
