Though he and his Palestinian compatriots didn’t repeat the domination of the season opener in February, Hussein Sheiokhi was nonetheless more than pleased to safe a third-place general end within the second spherical of the Jordan 4×4 Championship. The race was held Friday at Wasfi Al-Tal Forest in Amman.
He and co-driver Mohammed Baghdadi piloted a Jeep Wrangler, ending third outright and within the Professional class behind Thabet and Mohammed Mheirat and Raad Azmaf and Islam Al-Dawaimeh. The Mheirats and Azmaf/Al-Dawaimeh raced Toyota Hiluxes, making Sheiokhi the most effective performing non-Hilux and considered one of two non-Toyotas to attain a podium that day alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee of Beginner class winner Khaled Sowan.
The twenty-eight groups have been naturally closely Jordanian, with Sheiokhi and Baghdadi representing Palestine alongside the Kia Sorento of Amjad and Imad Hanneh, Mohammed Hananah and Mohammed Abu Al-Asal (Toyota Land Cruiser), and Yousef and Samer Qaraira (Jeep Wrangler). Kuwait additionally had a crew courtesy of Suleiman Al-Khudairi and Rakan Hammad.
Palestinians swept the highest 4 on the championship’s first race in February when Emad Khabeis led Hazem Foudeh, Wisam Khalileh, and Hananah. Sheyoukhi completed eighth in that race.
“Alhamdulillah (‘Reward be to God’), we received third place within the race within the second spherical of the 4×4 Problem,” stated Sheiokhi. “It was a greater than fantastic race.
“I got here from Palestine and the West Financial institution in order that we are able to race with everybody. We be a part of all of the races and we make each effort to be current, to make an impression, and to have a job. Might God bless you.”
The Palestinian Motor Sport & Motorbike Federation is headquartered within the West Financial institution, the place many Palestinian racers additionally reside. Though the West Financial institution will not be the focal goal of Israel’s operations in its conflict with Hamas, who relies in Gaza, Israeli incursions and combating within the West Financial institution—each militarily and settler violence—have occurred.
The conflict has additionally spilled over into Jordan, which shares a border with Israel and the West Financial institution. With the battle so shut by, Jordan Motorsport cancelled the FIA and FIM Baja World Cups’ Jordan Baja final November. Jordan maintains shut relations with each Palestine and Israel, however has harshly criticised the latter for inflicting substantial civilian casualties.
Given the international locations’ proximities, Palestinian opponents sometimes head to Jordan to race. Sheiokhi’s podium got here on the heels of one other Palestinian prime three when Tarek Sarsour completed third within the Al-Hussein Hill Climb in late June.
“Regardless of the Israeli conflict of extermination towards the Palestinian folks, and regardless of the bleeding wounds and the wounded homeland, the Palestinian crew continues its journey of success and profitable internationally,” reads a press release from the PMSMF.
The third and last race of the 2024 Jordan 4×4 Championship is scheduled for six September.