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THE Australian Race is back ... and this time it's bringing a very 'porsche' friend.
This week saw the launch of the run-up to the Australian V8 Desert 400 Supercar race at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
Now in its third year this 'full-throttle, metal-on-metal', flame-spitting spectacular promises an action packed extravaganza over the weekend of November 6-8.
The only V8 race outside Australia, the Desert 400 has gone from strength to strength over the last two years and the 2008 event promises to be bigger than ever with 18 teams competing on a 31-car grid, the greatest number the BIC has ever fielded.
Last year more than 35,000 people visited the track over the three days and, with under 18s going free this year, organisers are hoping for an even better turn-out for what promises to be a real family-friendly, fun-filled weekend.
There's an open paddock where race goers can get up close and personal with the drivers who are always delighted to tell fans, new and old, about their exciting sport.
As well as the action on the track, there's lots of other entertainment including games, clowns, stilt-walkers, music, the Out-back bar and, of course, the ever popular V8 kangaroos.
And, as if all that's not enough, BIC boss Martin Whitaker this week announced that one of the support races for this year's V8 Desert 400 will be the season finale of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia which is coming to Bahrain for the first time.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia was established in 2003, and immediately set new standards in the region. The rich motorsport heritage of Porsche immediately attracted Asia's leading racing drivers, with the likes of former works touring car driver Charles Kwan of Hong Kong and touring and single-seater champion Charoensukhawatana Nattavude of Thailand taking up the challenge.
Its reputation quickly spread, grabbing the attention of European teams and drivers, with British GT champion Jonathan Cocker, former F3 star Danny Watts, touring car ace Simon Harrison and Tim Sugden all keen to make their names with the high-profile series.
As a one-make series, all drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars and there are two separate point-scoring championships within the field: Class A for professional, full-time racing drivers, and Class B for non-professional racers.
Announcing the event, a Porsche spokesman said: "The climax of Asia Pacific's most exciting and prestigious Grand Touring car series, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, will this year take place in the Middle East for the first time in the series' history.
"The exciting season closer will mark the series' debut at the state-of-the-art Middle East facility, and represents an opportunity to introduce the Porsche Carrera Cup concept to a whole new audience."
Porsche Asia Pacific manager - motorsport, Michael Dreiser, added: "This is an exciting opportunity both for the series and for our drivers. For the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia it means that Middle Eastern fans will be able to see the region's leading GT drivers in action for the first time and provides the competitors with an opportunity to race on one of the world's most impressive circuits."
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia regularly supports Asian rounds of the Formula One World Championship, but this is the first time it will feature at a V8 Supercars event.
Mr Dreiser continued:"The enthusiastic following the V8 Supercars enjoy in Australia, combined with vast numbers of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia fans in Asia, will ensure that the Bahrain event draws plenty of attention across the whole of the Asia Pacific region. It is going to be a spectacular and memorable two days of racing."
Also on the race card, providing even more thrills and spills, are the Gulf Radical Cup, the championship for Le Mans prototype style sports racing cars, whose drivers come from a wide range of nationalities but are all Bahrain or UAE residents competing in several separate classes.
And there is also the home grown Batelco 2,000cc challenge.
