It is official.
Trinidad and Tobago has raced away with the coveted country award of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC).
Thanks to skillfully putting pedal to the metal, the ‘Trinbago Soca Racers’ amassed 1481.5 points during the course of the four legs (Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana) which allowed the prized piece of silverware to be wrested from Guyana.
This was confirmed last night during the presentation ceremony and dinner at the Marriott Hotel. Barbados placed second overall on 684.5 points followed by Guyana 648.5 and Jamaica 492.
While Trinidad took the overall honours for the CMRC country championship, Jamaica’s Doug ‘Hollywood’ Gore (Group 4), Trinidad’s Paul Vieira (Group 3), Barbados’ Mark Thompson (Group 2) and Guyana’s Matthew Vieira (Super Stock Motor Cycle) took home the individual honors.
The CMRC race day trophies went to: Group 2- Thompson, Group 3-Paul Vieira, Group 4- Kristian Jeffrey and SuperStock Motorcycle-Bryce Prince. During their sublime runs on Sunday in the finale at the South Dakota Circuit, Jeffrey and Prince broke the lap records for their respective categories.
Jeffrey who was the champion driver during the last two seasons clocked a supersonic 33.977s, while Prince, the 2016 Moto America Superstock 600cc Champion stopped the clock at 33.481s.
President of the GMR&SC, Mahendra Boodhoo labeled the event “successful and eventful”. Boodhoo also thanked the sponsors, competitors, fans and his hard working team for making the grand occasion a success.
Much to the applause of the semi formally dressed crowd at the ceremony, Seaboard Marine’s Peter Peroune pledged his continued support for the fastest growing sport in the Caribbean.
Brief remarks were also made by representatives of Exxon Mobil, Fly Jamaica and Stag Beer.
Jamaica hosts the first leg of the 2017 championships next April. (Emmerson Campbell)