BIC, Sakhir – Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East”, will on Thursday (September 6) night be hosting the first Test and Tune of the new drag racing season. The event has been organised by the Bahrain Drag Racing Club in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation and BIC. It will be held along the Sakhir circuit’s quarter-mile drag strip, which is a member of the prestigious National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Worldwide Network. Around a hundred participants from Bahrain and all over the Gulf are expected to take part in the tests. It will prove crucial to their preparations for the 2012/2013 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship, which flags off next month. BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa commented: “As the temperatures begin to cool down, action on the track is certain to heat up, and we at BIC are all set to begin our new national racing season. “There’s no better way to kick things off than with a Test and Tune night. Drag racing is one of the most popular forms of motorsport here in Bahrain and across the Gulf, and each time BIC hosts an event on our world-class drag strip, more than a hundred entries in both cars and motorbikes categories come out to compete. “I’m certain that it’s going to be another exciting season, especially in the Bahrain Drag Racing Championship, and we wish all our racers and their teams them the very best of luck for this upcoming Test and Tune and for the remainder of the championship.” Thursday’s Test and Tune is scheduled to begin at 7pm and continue until around 11pm. Participants can register for the event on the day itself at BIC, from 5pm onwards. All cars must go through the mandatory scrutineering before being allowed to take part. All are welcome to attend. Tickets will be available at the gate at BD2 for adults and BD1 for children aged three to 15 years old. The first round of the 2012/2013 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship is tentatively scheduled to take place between October 17 and 19. The season is slated to comprise seven meetings, with the championship finale expected to be in April. The competition categories for cars include the Street All-Wheel-Drive, Super Street Outlaw Front-Wheel-Drive, Super Street Rear-Wheel-Drive, Outlaw Rear-Wheel-Drive, Street V8, Super Street V8, Competition 7.5, Outlaw 10.5 and Pro Mod; and for motorbikes are the Street Bike, Super Street Bike and Pro Bike. For more information on the Test and Tune or other drag racing activities at BIC, visit the circuit’s official website, www.bahraingp.com, or call the BIC Hotline on +973-17-450000.