The Bahrain International Circuit has reacted with delight to the news that the Desert 400 has been named as the best event of the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship season.
The circuit received the accolade in only its second season as part of the V8 scene, with the award being presented at the annual end of season awards ceremony - where Garth Tander picked up his drivers' title after edging out Jamie Whincup by just two points.
Speaking after collecting the award, BIC's CEO Martin Whitaker admitted that he was proud to see the circuit honoured against stiff opposition from some of the best circuits in Australia.
"This is a major award for BIC and for Bahrain," he said. "The team at the circuit and our colleagues at the BMF can be extremely proud of their achievements. To win this award we were up against some of the world's greatest motor racing promoters and circuits where spectator attendance reaches close on 300,000 people per race.
"Races such as the Bathurst 1000 are among the world's greatest motor races and rank along side the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hour race; so for Bahrain to walk away with this award is something very, very special indeed."
Bahrain's round of the 2007 V8 Supercars Championship saw a record attendance and was watched by a television audience of 250 million people around the world, with hopes high the 2008 race will be even more popular.
"We are already working with the organisers of the V8 Supercars Championship to ensure that many more Australians travel to Bahrain and the region for next year's round of the Championship - the Desert 400 - in November," Whitaker continued. "This award will make us all work that bit harder to ensure that yet again we put on an event that people want to attend because of its fantastic racing and entertainment while ensuring that Bahrain is yet again in the spotlight of world sport."
