Words and photos by Jeff Burk

Before I made this trip to Qatar, I, like many of you, had the mistaken idea that the American racers, engine builders, tuners and drivers who drag race in the Persian Gulf were on some kind of Drag Racing Holiday.

After two days here I can tell you folks with absolute certainty that coming to this region of the world is no vacation for the American contingent. Make no mistake, they're well taken care of by their hosts and employers, but this is still a job.

First, there is the heat (it can reach 120 degrees or more), but mostly it is the wind and blowing sand. It is omni-present and relentless. The sky is blue every day but the hot winds blow sand into the atmosphere and there is the illusion that the sky is overcast. This is the summer season, though, and I’m told that later in the year it is cooler and you need a coat at night.
 But right now the heat and wind make racing during the day not an option.

As for the job of racing, the teams from Qatar, Bahrain, UAE and other countries in the region that bring U.S. talent here pay them well and make them as comfortable as possible, but, like all businessmen, they expect a return on their investment.

Everyone I have talked with, from Gene Fulton to Rickie Smith to Shannon Jenkins, say the teams they work for are serious and when they aren't racing they are working the cars -- and in some cases the garages they work in are without air conditioning! No sir, my friends, the racers and team owners here aren't "Country Club" racers; this is serious business.

Last night's qualifying for today's Qatar Race Club event was as good and any state-side race with two qualifying sessions that went off exactly on time. The crew of experienced track workers that the Qatar Racing Club brought in to prep the track for this Championship event was as good as any you will find anywhere.