Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Anabi Racing owner, revs up his engine during an Arabian Drag Racing League championship, near Doha, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2010. The Pro Extreme vehicle, from Qatar, uses a 1968 Chevy Camaro SS body, equipped with a McAmis chassis. A Brad Anderson 526-cubic inch Supercharged Hemi motor rests under the hood, capable of unleashing almost 4,000 horsepower.

Everyone watch the mechanical power unleash on the race track, which was nestled within the outskirts Doha. Shiekh Khalid, son of the Qatar emir, set a new standard in speed while driving a full-body door car on a 660-foot drag strip January 22, 2010. During that same race, Qatar hosted the first ever side-by-side finish in under 3.7 seconds.

The CEO and president of the American and Arabian Drag Racing Leagues had allowed U.S. servicemembers to walk between the cars as they launched from the starting line. It’s a loud, tear-jerking experience. You’re surrounded by alcohol-based fuel (methanol) exhaust, burning rubber and nitrous being bled out to ensure quick availability for the engine. The moment the cars floor it and shove off, a thunderous rumble further adds to the atmosphere. The top cars exceed 200 mph in seconds, using engines capable of 3,500 to 4,000 horsepower. There is another class of dragsters that harness even more power, but the Pro Extremes and Pro Nitrous vehicles are the fastest full-body variants. In other words, they use frames based on consumer cars.

Financial limitations generally set the governor on American drag racing. With the wealth of royalty pouring into the sport in Qatar, Sheikh Khalid is attracting the best drag racing crews and equipment. More record performances are sure to come.