In six days, some of the Caribbean’s top cars and drivers will converge in Guyana at the South Dakota Circuit for what is being called one of the biggest Caribbean Motor Racing Championships, (CMRC).
President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Aaron Bethune declared that with the Caribbean championship being so closely contested between Barbados’ Mark Maloney and David Summerbell of Jamaica, this year would be one that the public would certainly not want to miss.
“We are anticipating one of the biggest turnouts on Sunday,” the GM&SC president declared, stating that he was happy to know that the region’s finest motor racers are all set to put on a spectacular day of racing for the Guyanese public.
“You know, this is my fist CMRC as president of the GMR&SC and I must let you know that we are very excited about this meet. We have everything in place for it as well. There is Summerbell of Jamaica and Mark Maloney from Barbados who are both fighting each other for the top title of Caribbean champion driver but I think what is going to be interesting to see, is how well our boys, Mark Vieira, Andrew King and Kevin Jeffery will do against the incoming crew from Barbados,” Bethune said.
Summerbell leads the CMRC driver championship with 48 points while Barbadians Mark and Stuart Maloney have 39 and 22 points respectively.
Guyana’s Andrew King sits distantly on 16 points.
“I think the two Marks (Maloney and Vieira) Andrew (King) and Summerbell will give a good show, but I also think that all eyes would be on Roger Mayers and his Ford Focus because trust me, that car is one of the fastest we have in the Caribbean right now and I know that Roger is all excited about coming to Guyana, so certainly, this will be a massive show,” Bethune noted. Mayers, driving his black beastly-looking Turbocharged Ford Focus, wowed the crowd in Barbados with his skilful driving tactics and the speed of his car.
Many motor-racing pundits believe that the Bajan’s car suits the high speed track of the South Dakota circuit and predict that Mayers’ competitors will have their work cut out.
But while Bethune was upbeat about the drivers and cars contesting the Caribbean championship series, the GMR&SC president was just as elated about the Super Bikes showdown.
Bethune said that with the return of Kevin Graham and with local ‘Valentino Rossi’ Stephen Vieira in ripping form, not to mention the participation of bikers from Jamaica and Barbados, this might be just as or even more competitive than the Group 4 cars. He also noted that the lower classes were heavily subscribed with all of the classes being almost filled and he took the time to laud the profound interest shown by the local drivers towards the November meet.
Bethune, who also competes in the Group 2A class, said that in his group, the cars have improved tremendously. ”Guys use to do like 43 seconds now, they are down to like 42 and even 41, so definitely this is going to be hot and expect some thrilling racing. I’m not going to leave out Group 2B and Group 3 and the rookies and also the 125 bikers because they too will do their thing.”
Apart from the races itself, Bethune believes that the sport also plays a role in sports tourism since he said they expect an influx of foreigners for the November meet.
“From Barbados alone we expect approximately 200 persons, and then another 60-70 between Trinidad and Jamaica and then there is the USA and Canada who come to Guyana in their numbers, so we’re looking at anything of over 600 persons for this meet alone. Most persons even if they don’t come to Guyana for the other races, they certainly come for November and most of the time they bring their families and so on,” said Bethune.
Twenty-three events are slotted for the day which will rev off at 9:00 am sharp with the lap of honour being done at 8:30 am. Bethune could not say if President Bharrat Jagdeo will be on hand but he said Prime Minister Samuel Hinds along with Minister of Tourism, Maniram Persaud and Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony will be there.
