Track temperatures to rise as battles heat up at National Race Day

Manama, Mar. 6 (BNA): One of the biggest race weekends of the year is set to take place Friday and Saturday (Editor’s note: March 10 and 11) at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. Five highly competitive championships will be making up the latest edition of National Race Day, including two regional series that are leaders in their respective classes. These headliners are the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East and the TCR Middle East Series. They will be joined in the packed programme of events by top local championships the BIC 2,000cc Challenge, the Bahrain Superbike Championship (BSBK) and the Bahrain Motorcycle Racing (BMR) 600. Action will take place from 9am until a little after 5pm on both days. BIC’s 2.55-kilometre Inner Track will be the racers’ playground. All are welcome to attend and watch the high-octane competition. Tickets are available at the gate. They cost BD2 each for both days of racing. Meanwhile, those with tickets to the 2017 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix can get in for free. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is the most professional and successful one-make GT series in the region. It has established itself through the direction of Austrian motorsport legend Walter Lechner, who leads head organisers Lechner Racing. With BIC its home track, the series features some of the most talented young drivers in the Arab world. The competitors are divided into different categories, based on their racing experience and skills, thus ensuring an even playing field. The PorscheGT3 Cup will be holding the fifth and penultimate round of its 2016/2017 season this meeting, with one race each day on the weekend timetable. Race one on Friday is scheduled for 4.30pm, while race two on Saturday will be at 3pm. TCR is a leading touring car championship that stages series in various continents. It is affordable for car manufacturers and independent teams alike and it is capable of offering close and exciting races. Some of the world’s most prestigious car manufacturers are represented in the series, including SEAT, Honda, Volkswagen, Opel, Subaru and Alfa Romeo, among others. This year’s TCR Middle East season is the first of the championship. Bahrain marks the third and final round, following events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The weekend’s timetable will feature both TCR races on Saturday. Race one is scheduled for a 12.02pm start, followed by race two at 3.45pm. The BIC 2,000cc Challenge will be holding the fifth round of its season on National Race Day. Established in 2007, the 2,000CC Challenge is the Kingdom of Bahrain’s most competitive local racing championship, as well as the longest-running circuit racing series in the Gulf. Being a low-cost series, it follows very simple regulations and is the ideal venue for aspiring racers to develop their skills. The 2,000cc Challenge will also be having both its races for the round on Saturday. Race one is scheduled to start at 12.46pm while race two begins at 4.26pm. The BSBK is a unique motorcycle championship and a first for the region. It involves 15 racers who have the ability to battle over a season that includes 12 races. Riders compete on identical 899 Ducati Panigale sports bikes. This weekend’s events will mark the fifth and penultimate round of the season. Both races will take place on Saturday, with the first at 10.50am followed by the second at 2.20pm. Finally, in the BMR 600, competition is divided into two categories, including the Superstock Series and the Hornet Series. The Hornets class participants will be in identical 600cc Honda Hornet bikes. Also staging round five of the current campaign, BMR 600 will have both races on the final day of National Race Day. Race one will flag off at 10.25am while race two will begin at 1.55pm. For more information on the upcoming National Race Day at BIC, visit www.bahraingp.com or call +973-17-450000.