This is an interesting article I came across............
Iraqis seek car racing thrills amid chaos
Reuters
By Omar Anwar
06 June 2005
BAGHDAD - Gunfire crackled nearby but it did not stop Iraqi car racing enthusiasts from revving up their engines and screeching around old tyres in a parking lot.
On the banks of a Baghdad artificial lake once named after Saddam Hussein, Iraqis gather every week at a makeshift racetrack to try to find some entertainment in a country gripped by suicide bombings, kidnappings and rampant crime.
"Young Iraqis have no places for entertainment. They couldn't express the sprit of youth they have until they found this club to have some fun at least," said Mothar Kadori, 28, a carpet dealer with a 2002 white Mustang.
"At first, this race was arranged by a small group of friends, then it spread and we made the club."
Driving to the track can be riskier than the high-speed weaving around tyres -- car bombs explode frequently on Baghdad's roads and carjackings and kidnappings are common.
But some of the racing enthusiasts say the chaos in Baghdad at least means they can pursue their hobby and set up a racetrack without needing permission from the authorities.
"I've loved this sport since the 1960s and 70s," said Adel al-Malak, 60, the owner of a fibreglass shop who helped set up the club. "We used to race in narrow streets in our neighbourhood. What has changed now is that we earned our personal freedom in all aspects and do whatever we want."
Khaled Youssef, the secretary of the club, was inspired by competitions on satellite television channels broadcasting big-money races far removed from the hardships of Baghdad.
BIG DREAMS, BIG RISKS
There are two types of races -- a slalom around the tyres and a quarter mile drag run. But drag races have been barred recently for safety reasons. There are no walls or cushions protecting drivers or spectators from speeding vehicles.
"We don't have a place for our club or a safe track. We need support from the Ministry of Youth to consider us as a sport in this country," Youssef said.
As one car sped around the tyres towards the finish line, it swerved towards a young teenager who just managed to jump out of the way.
There are a few safer tracks in Baghdad but getting there is a problem. One is in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, in an area called the "triangle of death" for its frequent violence and kidnappings.
"In Baghdad, the U.S forces seized the only proper racing track of al-Abid after the fall of Saddam and wouldn't leave it for security reasons," Kadori said.
Insurgents have killed more than 500 people since a new government was announced in late April, and tensions are growing among Iraq's competing sectarian and ethnic factions.
But there is little talk of sectarian strife at the track. When a newcomer navigated his white 1990 Oldsmobile around the tyres, spectators applauded his slalom performance.
"Go faster, go faster. Make the timing," they yelled.
Youssef has big dreams for the club. He wants the sport to catch on in the rest of Iraq, despite the bombings and rampant crime that keeps people focused on security threats, not racing.
One day, he hopes, the drivers who gather in the Baghdad parking lot every week will race abroad.
"God willing, we will reach Arab and international races. We are scared now because we might be hit by a stray mortar or rocket," Youssef said.
Before the racers can pursue their ambitions, spreading the sport in Iraq may prove difficult. When Youssef went to several ministries to ask for support, he found they had different priorities.
"I knocked on many doors. Everyone wants us to exploit racing to make money. We didn't come here for money, we came to develop this sport. We pay for everything ourselves. We pay the parking lot fees," he said.
During one race, some of the drivers gathered beside a kiosk after heavy gunfire erupted in the distance.
Others say they are not bothered. For now, they just want to enjoy the thrill of pressing the accelerator.
"Car bombs, shooting and kidnapping became part of our daily lives, they became normal for us." said Saif Salah, 20, a worker in an automobile spare parts shop. "I don't care about all of that. I only want to have fun."
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Iraqis seek car racing thrills amid chaos
Reuters
By Omar Anwar
06 June 2005
BAGHDAD - Gunfire crackled nearby but it did not stop Iraqi car racing enthusiasts from revving up their engines and screeching around old tyres in a parking lot.
On the banks of a Baghdad artificial lake once named after Saddam Hussein, Iraqis gather every week at a makeshift racetrack to try to find some entertainment in a country gripped by suicide bombings, kidnappings and rampant crime.
"Young Iraqis have no places for entertainment. They couldn't express the sprit of youth they have until they found this club to have some fun at least," said Mothar Kadori, 28, a carpet dealer with a 2002 white Mustang.
"At first, this race was arranged by a small group of friends, then it spread and we made the club."
Driving to the track can be riskier than the high-speed weaving around tyres -- car bombs explode frequently on Baghdad's roads and carjackings and kidnappings are common.
But some of the racing enthusiasts say the chaos in Baghdad at least means they can pursue their hobby and set up a racetrack without needing permission from the authorities.
"I've loved this sport since the 1960s and 70s," said Adel al-Malak, 60, the owner of a fibreglass shop who helped set up the club. "We used to race in narrow streets in our neighbourhood. What has changed now is that we earned our personal freedom in all aspects and do whatever we want."
Khaled Youssef, the secretary of the club, was inspired by competitions on satellite television channels broadcasting big-money races far removed from the hardships of Baghdad.
BIG DREAMS, BIG RISKS
There are two types of races -- a slalom around the tyres and a quarter mile drag run. But drag races have been barred recently for safety reasons. There are no walls or cushions protecting drivers or spectators from speeding vehicles.
"We don't have a place for our club or a safe track. We need support from the Ministry of Youth to consider us as a sport in this country," Youssef said.
As one car sped around the tyres towards the finish line, it swerved towards a young teenager who just managed to jump out of the way.
There are a few safer tracks in Baghdad but getting there is a problem. One is in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, in an area called the "triangle of death" for its frequent violence and kidnappings.
"In Baghdad, the U.S forces seized the only proper racing track of al-Abid after the fall of Saddam and wouldn't leave it for security reasons," Kadori said.
Insurgents have killed more than 500 people since a new government was announced in late April, and tensions are growing among Iraq's competing sectarian and ethnic factions.
But there is little talk of sectarian strife at the track. When a newcomer navigated his white 1990 Oldsmobile around the tyres, spectators applauded his slalom performance.
"Go faster, go faster. Make the timing," they yelled.
Youssef has big dreams for the club. He wants the sport to catch on in the rest of Iraq, despite the bombings and rampant crime that keeps people focused on security threats, not racing.
One day, he hopes, the drivers who gather in the Baghdad parking lot every week will race abroad.
"God willing, we will reach Arab and international races. We are scared now because we might be hit by a stray mortar or rocket," Youssef said.
Before the racers can pursue their ambitions, spreading the sport in Iraq may prove difficult. When Youssef went to several ministries to ask for support, he found they had different priorities.
"I knocked on many doors. Everyone wants us to exploit racing to make money. We didn't come here for money, we came to develop this sport. We pay for everything ourselves. We pay the parking lot fees," he said.
During one race, some of the drivers gathered beside a kiosk after heavy gunfire erupted in the distance.
Others say they are not bothered. For now, they just want to enjoy the thrill of pressing the accelerator.
"Car bombs, shooting and kidnapping became part of our daily lives, they became normal for us." said Saif Salah, 20, a worker in an automobile spare parts shop. "I don't care about all of that. I only want to have fun."
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