TABUK: The Saudi trio of Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera and Abdulaziz Al-Shayban set the quickest times in the car, motorcycle and quad categories on the seven-kilometre Prologue stage at the start of the Tabuk Toyota Rally 2024 on Thursday.

Championship leader Yazeed Al-Rajhi and his German co-driver Timo Gottshalk guided their Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux to the fastest time of 5:50 mins in the overall car category and the Ultimate P section. That was comfortably quicker than the time set by their second-placed team-mates Dania Akeel and Stéphane Duplé in a dominant Toyota 1-2.

Abdulaziz Al-Shayban showed a useful turn of speed in Spain recently and the Yamaha rider topped the quad standings in the Prologue with a time of 7:51 mins to beat Hani Al-Noumesi and Abdulaziz Al-Atawi. Abdulrahman Al-Abdullatif failed to finish the stage.

MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi finished behind leading Saudi rider Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera in the unofficial bike results on his Husqvarna Rally. Saudi’s Ahmed Al-Jaber tied with Kuwaiti Abdullah Al-Shatti for third place. Emirati Kove rider Ibrahim Bugla, who suffered delays in the stage, lost over six minutes and slipped to the rear of the motorcycle standings.

Moaaz Hariri teamed up with Kirill Shubin to deliver a potent stage performance in his Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR. A time of 6:06 mins catapulted the Saudi into third on the stage and atop the SSV standings. Abdullah Al-Shegawi was his closest SSV rival.

Saudi Can-Am Maverick driver Hamad Al-Harbi came home in fourth and headed the Challenger category from Dark Horse OT3 driver and series leader Saleh Al-Saif. Maha Al-Hameli was third quickest in the category.

Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh was the fastest of the Nissan drivers in the Ultimate class in 10th place but rivals Ahmed Al-Shammeri and Faris Al-Moshna lost a lot of time with technical issues and plummeted to the rear of the rankings.
 
Mohammed Al-Asiri set the fastest time in the Stock category for series-production cross-country vehicles.

The rider were flagged away from the ceremonial start at King Khalid City in Tabuk by Prince Khaled bin Saud bin Abdullah Al-Faisal, deputy governor of Tabuk province, and SAMF President Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal.

The second round of the Saudi Toyota Championship, organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, attracted a final starting list of  29 cars, 12 motorcycles and six quads.

DHARAMSALA: Virat Kohli slammed 92 to set up a 60-run win for Royal Challengers Bengaluru over Punjab Kings and keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
Kohli, 35, rode his luck and shared two crucial partnerships with Rajat Patidar (55) and Cameron Green (46) as Bengaluru scored a big 241-7 at the Dharamsala stadium.
Punjab paid the price for some sloppy fielding, dropping Kohli twice on zero and 10 off debutant seamer Vidwath Kaverappa.
Punjab suffered their eighth loss in 12 games and bowed out of the competition.
Kohli said he is always aiming to improve his game.
“I brought out the slog-sweep to the spinners. I know I can hit it as I’ve done it in the past,” he said.
“I know I need to take risks. Takes more conviction and to remove the thought ‘what if I get out?’ Means I can improve my strike rate in the middle overs.”
Punjab skipper Sam Curran said it had been a “frustrating and disappointing” end to their campaign.
“A lot of positive signs but not enough to get over the line and get the wins we needed. Gutted but lots to learn.”
Bengaluru bowler Swapnil Singh, who took two wickets, said the victory meant a lot to the side.
“Enjoyed it a lot. The ball was swinging initially, so I looked to swing it. Pressure is less when everybody is (scoring) runs. Mentally it relaxes you,” he said.
Rilee Rossouw gave Punjab a promising start, putting on 65 runs for the second wicket with Jonny Bairstow (27).
Rossouw, who belted his first half-century of the season, looked set for a bigger score but took a hit on his chin and was out the next ball off Karn Sharma for 61.
He hit three sixes and nine fours in his 27-ball innings.
After Rossouw’s dismissal in the ninth over, none of the Punjab batsmen could stand up to the challenge, with the team being bowled out for 181 in 17 overs.
Earlier, Kohli stitched a 76-run partnership with Patidar for the third wicket after Bengaluru were put in to bat.
Patidar looked in fine touch, hitting six sixes and three fours before being caught behind off Curran.
The leading run-getter of the season, Kohli went on to play some delectable shots including an imperious one-handed six over long off.
Kohli also put on 92 runs with Green but fell short of a century after he was caught at deep extra cover off Arshdeep Singh.
He smashed six sixes and seven fours during his 47-ball 92 at a strike rate of 196.
Bengaluru, who registered their fourth win in a row, saw their innings being interrupted briefly by a spell of rain and hailstorm.