CMRC: Clarke expects fierce competition at South Dakota
By Akeem Greene
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados have seen the 2018 Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) and now it is down to Guyana where it all culminates on November 11-12 at the South Dakota Circuit, which is undergoing expansion.
Chairman of the Caribbean Motor Racing Association, Silbourne Clarke, in an exclusive interview with News Room Sport at Bushy Park, Barbados, recently, revealed that some feisty battles can be expected as competitors look to bring their best to secure the championship crown.
“Everybody is trying to finish-off winning their individual championships and all the countries are trying to make sure they win the country championship. This year the motor cycles will be recognised with their own country championship and that is turning out to be a pretty interesting battle between Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica; it is close and in fact Jamaica is leading the championship, but they have not come to Barbados, so they will drop many points and it well get very interesting going into Guyana for the final leg of the championships,” Clarke explained.
He added, “It is expected that they will be a big team of riders coming out of Jamaica; they are saying between 8-10 persons, which will be great and we are hoping many cars come as well.”
According to a release from Bushy Park Circuit Inc., defending champions Trinidad and Tobago is coasting in the Country Championship with 1,227 points. Barbados, who dominated the third leg, is in second with 677 points; Jamaica third with 526 points; Antigua fourth with 205 points; Guyana fifth with 196 points; CAMS sixth with 80 points; and Cayman Islands in the rear with 32 points.
Rider’s Championship: Matt Truelove 150 points; Matthew Vieira 109; Kiel Abrahams – T&T (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 91; McShane Heslop – JAM (Suzuki GSX-R600) 78; Kyle Reynolds – JAM (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 56; Harry Truelove 54.
Over the last two years, Guyana, through Mohamed’s Enterprise, has fielded British and American riders, who have emphatically dominated the Super Stock Group. Clarke shed some light on what their performances hold for the sport.
“It is pushing some of the locals and it is demoralising some of the others, which is unfortunate. The first event there was none of those riders [international] and it was a really good hard-fought event. The fellas really enjoyed [it] and no one ran away from nobody else so it was very competitive”
“The boys that come from abroad do help to bring the level up, but they are at such a different level including the preparation of their bikes that it difficult for the locals to run on par with them.”
It is understood that the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club is in the process of extending South Dakota Circuit, with the hope of finishing in time for the mega event.
Clarke, who first raced in Guyana in 1968, explained it is a development, long over-due for the short circuit, which has been used for the last 20 years.
“It is great we are going to this new track and increasing the length because it is necessary. The Guyana track was getting far too short for the types of machinery we have. You really can’t get the best out of the machinery, whether it be the motor cycles or the cars,” Clarke asserted.
He added, “It [the track] is really suited to the slower cars [Groups One and Two]. The bigger groups, the cars need a bit more room to stretch their legs; so it is great that this is happening and I’m hoping that track will be ready for November. If it is, it will be fantastic.”
In April, officials from the International Automobile Foundation (FIA) conducted a preliminary inspection to assess the further development needed to accommodate high-level action such as Formula Four cars for the North and Central American Championship (NACAM).