The final results of the Kuwait International Rally Championships can be found here.
Several cars did not make it thru the Rally... running out of fuel, technical problems and unfortunately also accidents.
One of the most likable drivers, A Sheik from Oman (Sheik Hammad Althani), had a terrible accident on 'my' stage in which his car flipped over several time and his Co-Driver (Arif Yousuf, UAE) received injuries to his neck and shoulder. As far as I know, both had to be carried to the Hospital for treatment. I don't think he will ever read this blog, but I would like to wish both of them the best for their recovery! The Kuwait times mentioned the accident today with a two line quote without giving any details or names.
Another car flipped causing the total destruction of the car but thanks to the safety gear both passengers got away with no or minor injuries.
"My" team and I had lots of fun helping at the event and taking care of timing, safety and other things for 2 stages of the Rally (Salmi and Mettla).
One rather funny fact of the Rally is that the 0 (zero) car got stuck on the stage in Mettla in a rather bad position. Now the 0 car is the last car of the organizers that is checking the stage for safety and the race is not supposed to start until it reaches the finish and reports that everything is clear. The stage was cleared despite the fact that the 0 car didn't make it all the way to the finish. 4 Rally cars where already on the stage and 1 of them already finished it and just 30 seconds before I was about to start a Kuwaiti team, the stage was closed to get the 0 car out of the way. It took them over 30 minutes to get it out of the deep, soft sand close to the finish. That gave us plenty of opportunity to chat with drivers and co-drivers. We took plenty of pictures with them and in return gave them water and cigarettes (I hope FIA doesn't read this... :P ... No one is supposed to smoke during the rally, specially not close to the cars!). One of the Kuwaiti drivers (I think it was Meshal Alnejadi, a super friendly and like able guy) told me I am his good-luck-charm since i started him on another stage the other day were he drove an amazing time and he asked me if I couldn't start him on ALL the remaining stages...
A British driver (David Scialom) even found the time to invite me to the after party 30 seconds before I started him.
All in all it was a great experience and worth waking up at 4 am in the morning to prepare the stages for 5 days. I got a decent tan, a lot of great memories, met great people and can proudly say that me and 'my' team made this Rally happen despite some organisational problems!
In a few weeks the local Kuwait Rally Championships will be held and I am looking forward to assist again... maybe at a different position this time! :)
P.S. I will post pictures and maybe some videos soon! Just need to collect the good ones first! :)
The organizer, Kuwait Racing Club, put up all information on their website.
Everything you might want to know you will find there incl.:
- Maps
- Time Tables
- Regulations
- Live GPS tracking of the cars
- Results
- ...
Click here to see all the info's.
See you there!
At 4.30 pm today the Kuwait International Rally Championships will start at the Kuwait towers. According to the time table, the 00 and 0 car (kind-a-like test cars) will be on the stage at 15:50 and the first Rally Car is supposed to start at 16:30...
i bet you that it will be quite difficult to find parking... so try to come early!
Today was the first time the drivers and co-drivers were allowed on the first 2 stages of the Kuwait International Rally 2009 in Salmi and Atraf. Each driver was allowed twice on the stage to scout the terrain and to complete their road book (telling them where the can drive how fast and what turn will come next). We were expecting 15-20 cars but 33 showed up. Even the event organizers where surprised by the amount of drivers taking their chances today.
This was the first time for me to be part of an oficial Rally and it was great!
We met very very early at the Kuwait Shooting Club and then left to the Salmi stage. Without getting too technical (and too proud), I am on a position called SSS (Start Super Special) and my job is basically to start the cars! :) You know, counting down form 5 and giving them the "go"!
Tday we didn't do that since it was not a race but a inspection of the stage... maximum speed for the drivers is set to 60km/h.
I met a german fellow (which whom I practiced my german again) who provided GPS tracking systems for each car. With this system Race HQ can see if they used a short cut and the respective speed at any given time and place on the stage. He's been doing this since 6 years in Europe, Middle East and Africa... another dream Job! :)
All drivers and co-drivers seemed really nice and I was surprised by the high number of Brits taking part... (mostly as co-drivers).
At noon we closed all stages and went back...
Tomorrow we'll have the same, just on differnet stages. :)
Thursday is the start at the Kuwait Towers!! Try to be there!!! Bet you I will be nice!
Friday and Saturday is the actual race... I put a time table earlier (here) but I will try to give you some more info on where exactly to go and where you see best!
First of all sorry for being absent for a while and not coming back to all questions asked from my previous entry.
These pictures were taken yesterday afternoon in front of the Kuwait Shooting Club on 6th Ring Road just before the Doha Spur exit. As you can see, some of the bigger teams have already arrived and started preparing their cars. All of them are super friendly and didn't mind me taking pictures at all.
The Qatari Team (picture on the very top and middle) came with a total of 5 cars with mostly young talented drivers. The Abu Dhabi Team showed up with 3 cars (picture at the bottom).
If you pass there today, you will see much more teams with their cars, all busy setting the cars to the stages they will find in this Rally. Go pass by, say hello and wish them luck! :)
This sight pisses me off EVERY DAY !! Standing in the traffic jam going home on 30...
The slow traffic has two reasons:
1. A lot of people going to their homes in Salmiya at the same time
2. Idiots that are driving on the left lane all the way to their exit (most likely 4th Ring Road) and at the last moment cross all 3 lanes and block traffic coming from behind.
And then you have these Idiots shown above... Why are the cops not doing anything against them?!? ITS THE EMERGENCY LANE !!! FOR AMBULANCES / FIRE TRUCKS / POLICE !!!
I guess there are around 5000-10000 cars in the traffic jam and all of us are WAITING IN LINE to pass it... So WHY CANT YOU $&*^@#%$ DO THAT?!?!
I think I need to be more careful about the stuff that I write on this blog!!
First I tell all of you about the traffic in Kuwait and decide to draw just ONE comic about it myself. Then a few days later I tell you about Jinxed... Good thing I skipped the two entries in between!!!
So this is what happened yesterday:
Driving home from work after picking my car up in the morning from service.
I reached 5th ring road on the Fahaheel Express Way (30 for the guys that haven't been here that long) and the usual traffic jam occurs.
I stay on the left lane since I need to go past the 4th ring to get my exit...
Drive 200 meters ... stop ... drive 200 meters ... stop ...
Then I reached the exit to 4th ring road ... I am underneath the bridge still on the left lane. The car in front of me stops. So do I. No squeaking tires or anything like this ... just a stop like all of us on the highway at this point did 20-30 times since passing 5th ring road.
Out of pure curiosity I look into my review mirror and see this car getting bigger and bigger in my mirror...
I let go of the steering wheel .... lean back against the seat ... my head against the head rest ... BAAAAAAANG !!!!
The car behind me failed to brake ... popped open my trunk ... smashed the rear end of my car ... the front end of his ... I drive to the EMERGENCY lane... so does he... 5 guys get out of the car and 3 start walking away (Indian labor) ... he starts telling me stuff in Arabic I don't understand ... but I got something like that it is my fault because I was breaking so hard!!! That's when I asked him if he or his friend speaks English. When both denied I let go a barrage of insults and complaints. he still insisted it's my fault.
A cop car (number 7 in my cartoon and even on the same side of the road as in my cartoon) stopped at another accident that must have happened a few minutes before mine... I wave to the cop and signal him to come over to help us out here.
Another cop car comes and stops in front of us ...
We talk a little ... BANG ... BANG ... BANG ... BANG ... another 5 cars just ran to each other...
After waiting till the cops filled out the initial report, I am off to the Maidan Hawally Police Station. After maybe an hour some mandoob tells me that before I can speak with the detective I need to get copies of all the paperwork. So across the street there's a small INSURANCE company who probably make more money with copies then with insurances.
Another 20 minutes later the detective has a few minutes for me and finds out that me is German. "Danke" he says ... "Bitte" I reply ... asking him if he was ever in Germany. So he gives me that he is really busy with a BIIIIIG case and if it is OK for me to come back tomorrow ... just to pick up my paper work since it was clearly not my fault. Sure thing!
Informed the rental car agency about the incident and they said they can only assist as soon as the police report is done. How nice of National Rental Car to have someone with you in case there are issues at the police or something and to offer the replacement car as mentioned in the contract... I seriously think National needs some ass kicking!!! And so does that imbecile that hit me!
Click on the picture to see it bigger
click on the picture to see it bigger
click on the picture to see it bigger
Got a car and want to participate?
Always wanted to look behind the scenes and assist?
Wanted to wave blue/yellow/checkerd flags??
The organisation team for the Kuwait International Rally Championship 2009 is still looking for volunteers and if you and your car qualifies also for teams to participate!
You can go here and contact Aliaa Hassan or here.
You can also fax a short CV with some notes what you would like to do to 2461 3402
See you there!
Here is what MacaholiQ8 had to say:
The wanate is a corruption (sic) of vanette.
The Vanette was a pick up truck which used to be manufactured by Nissan and is popular with the unorganized market.
See a picture here.