CRC Calendar 2022/2023

Event Date Circuit Conditions
Round 1 Fri, Nov 18, 2022 Oasis Day
Round 2 Fri, Jan 20, 2023 Oasis Day
Round 3 Sat, Feb 04, 2023 Oasis Day
Round 4 Sat, Feb 25, 2023 Oasis Day
Round 4 Fri, Mar 24, 2023 Oasis Night
Round 5 Fri, Apr 07, 2023 Oasis Night

GHULOOM AND BIRKIN LOOK TO PILE ON THE PRESSURE AGAINST LEADER KELLOGG

Published: January 02 2012
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The fourth round of the 2011/2012 BIC 2,000cc Challenge takes place today Friday (December 23, 2011) at Bahrain International Circuit, and the series’ top competitors are determined to narrow the gap on current championship leader Stephen Kellogg as action heads into the latter half of the season.

The meeting will be held as part of the National Racing Festival at ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ in Sakhir. Organised jointly by the Circuit Racing Club (CRC) and the Bahrain Drag Racing Club (BDRC) and in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) and Bahrain International Circuit, the festival is also set to feature the third round of the 2011/2012 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship.

Both series are among the most popular local championships that are held each year, and each contributes greatly to the rapidly growing motorsport culture in Bahrain.

In the 2,000cc, Kellogg will be looking to extend his lead on the Drivers’ Championship standings, but top rivals Abdulrahman Ghuloom and Tim Birkin surely have other things in mind. The pair, who are currently second and third, respectively, will be hoping to keep the pacemaker within striking distance and prevent him from running away with the title. Kellogg has so far enjoyed a fantastic season driving his Honda CIVIC in the two-litre series, winning five of the six races held thus far, including four straight in the previous two rounds. Kellogg has also won two pole positions to date, adding to his steady march towards this year’s crown, which is no longer being defended by last season’s champion, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Abdulrahman Ghuloom Ghuloom and Birkin, on the other hand, aim to end Kellogg’s winning ways and are eager to step things up with only half of the season still to go

“I have had a strong championship so far; I didn’t know I would be this competitive, but I am pleased that I am now sitting in second place with nearly half the season gone,” said Ghuloom, who also drives a Honda CiIVIC and who is currently 22 points behind Kellogg.

“At the moment, the guy ahead of me has a faster car, and the only thing I can do is pressure him from behind and hope he makes a mistake. When he does, I will be looking to take advantage of it and try to get ahead of him.

“Right now, I can stay with him around the corners but on the straights he just gets away. But that’s the sport, and if I had a stronger engine than the one I am using now I could be better. But I am very happy to be where I am at. There are still many races to go before the end of the championship, and maybe somehow I will be able to come up with a few surprises in the end, we can never know.”

Birkin, who drives a Honda Integra and is presently just six points behind Ghuloom on the championship standings, commented: “I am working on getting a new engine in my car so I can be more competitive. Now, Stephen and Abdulrahman are too quick, and the only chance I can get ahead of them is if they make mistakes, which they are not.
“They both have more powerful cars and each one is very reliable, but I’m working on putting up a better challenge and hopefully I can get ahead of any one of them this coming round.”
With the intense competition keeping things close amongst the series’ best, Ghuloom and Birkin admit that they are enjoying the battles and are looking forward to even tighter racing ahead.
“I am very, very pleased with the championship so far,” Ghuloom said. “Everything has been going on well and everybody is doing a great job, from the BIC to the CRC to the BMF, there are no complaints from my side,” Ghuloom said.
Birkin said: “The 2,000cc Challenge is a brilliant competition. Although I have yet to meet my expectations for this new season, I find that there is always plenty to get excited about each time we race, and we hope this series continues to grow each year.”
Apart from Kellogg, Ghuloom and Birkin, other drivers expected to suit up for the upcoming round are Alex Longden, Ahmed and Hamed Kuzbar, Abdulla Al Jowder, Hussain Karimi and Hisham Al Othman, to name a few.
All are welcome to attend this weekend’s National Racing Festival and have a fun and entertaining day out with the entire family. Apart from the racing, there will also be plenty of off-the-track activities for people of all ages, especially for youngsters, located along the vending area of Bahrain International Circuit.
Tickets on Friday start at BD3 for adults and BD1.5 for children. They can be purchased at the gate.
For more information on the upcoming event or other activities at Bahrain International Circuit, call the circuit hotline on +973-17-450000 or visit its official website, www.bahraingp.com
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after three rounds): 1 Stephen Kellogg (Honda CIVIC) 136 points; 2 Abdulrahman Ghuloom (Honda Civic) 114pts; 3 Tim Birkin (Honda Intergra) 108pts; 4 Alex Longden (BMW 3 Series) 85pts; 5 Ahmed Kuzbar (Honda CIVIC) 72pts; 6 Abdulla Al Jowder (Ford Focus 2.0) 55pts; 7 Salah Salahuddin (Honda CIVIC) 29pts; 8 Hussain Karimi (Honda CIVIC) 27pts; 9 Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Honda CRX) 25pts; 10 Hisham Al Othman (Honda CRX) 13pts; 11 Hamed Kuzbar (Ford Focus 2.0) 11pts; -- Raed Himmo (Honda CRX) 0pts.