Juma’ wins 3rd round of National Rally Championship

DEAD SEA — Khaled Juma’ on Friday was crowned champion of the third round of the Jordan National Rally Championship with the participation of only nine drivers.

With this win Juma’ and co-driver Imad Juma’ inched closer to securing the Jordan National Rally Championship title for the second year after winning it last year.

Juma’ clocked 55m54s, while Salameh Qamaz and co-driver Ahmed Zaidan came second clocking 56m54s, while Ahmed Shaban and co-driver Shadi Shaban came third with 1h02m04s.

Ihab Shurafa and co-driver Hazem Ateyat settled for fourth place with 1h14m17s and Basheer Azar and co-driver Mohammed Azarbeh came in fifth place with 1h14m24s.

Juma’ who reigned over five of the six special stages expressed his happiness of having this precious win saying: “It was a great challenge and a tough rally but we managed to step up during the key special stages and we managed to come in first place.”

The rally witnessed the retirement of Suhail Abu Roos due to mechanical issues while Ziad Meqdad retired due to a technicality in entering the fifth stage.

The only woman driver Lina Hadidi and co-driver Barkev Shadian settled in the seventh place with 1h15m39s. 

“We did our best but it was really challenging. The stages were hard but this is rallying and anything can happen,” Shadian said.

The rally held at the Dead Sea area consisted of six special stages (61km) with a total distance of 182.4km. Drivers had to pass through Bahath, Seyagha and Rama in sweltering heat.