Khalelieh clinches season opening Jordan 4x4 Championship win

AMMAN — Jordan Motorsport launched their 2020 season in style with an action-packed opening round of the Jordan 4x4 Championship on Friday, according to the Jordan Motorsport Media Service.

Featuring a solid field of 40 competitors and sponsored by BF Goodrich, it was Palestinian, Wisam Khalelieh, who completed the specially-created track overlooking the Dead Sea in the fastest time during the all-important final round. 

With Hamzah Abu Shamma at his side, Khalelieh clinched the maximum points in a time of three minutes and five seconds, 21 seconds clear of Jordan’s Maen Al Nahar in second. 

Another Palestinian driver, Emad Abu Dabbour, who recorded the fastest circuit in the heats, finished third in a time of 3:40.00, considerably slower than his pace setting best time of 2:48.00 earlier in the day.  Jordanians Haitham Al Abbadi and Yihya Sobar came home in fourth and fifth respectively. 

All 40 crews took on the challenging course once, before the fastest 15 were invited back for the final round to determine the winner.  This is the first of three rounds for the championship, with the next scheduled to take place on September 4.  Next up is the opening round of the National Rally Championship on March 6.