KUWAIT CITY (Kuwait): The Basil Salem Al-Sabah Motor Racing Club (BMRC) has announced details of the Kuwait Rally, the second round of the 2015 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, which takes place on March 12-14.

Held under the chairmanship of Sheikh Athbi Nayef Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and in conjunction with the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC), the event returned to the regional series in 2009 after an absence of 13 years and is now one of the most popular rounds of the expanded eight-round championship.

Event officials have decided not to run a timed super special stage on this occasion and the 250.46km of action in a total route of 557.93km will consist of seven gravel desert stages on Friday, March 12 and a further six on Saturday, March 13.

The experienced motor sport consultant Fuad Abu-Arja is a member of the organising committee and will also act as rally director and clerk of the course.

The start and finish podiums will be set up at rally headquarters in the Safir Hotel and Residences in Fintas, while the service park and regrouping area will be situated at the Seashell Julai’a Hotel and Resort, south of Kuwait City.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has the joint record of four Kuwait victories in the 13 years that the event has been a round of the regional rally series between 1984 and 2014. Regional unrest and two Gulf Wars were two of the reasons why the event did not run between 1990-1994 and 1997-2007.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the non-championship candidate event in 2008 and the rally has been an ever present in the calendar since then, with Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah taking his four wins in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and Khalid Al-Qassimi and Khalid Al-Suwaidi achieving success in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday, February 24^th. Reconnaissance of the special stages will be permitted on Tuesday, March 10^th and Wednesday, March 11^th and scrutineering will take place on Thursday, March 12^th.