By Akeem Greene
Guyana is the lone English-speaking country in South America, and with deep roots in Caribbean history it is currently bubbling with vast opportunities in the lucrative Oil and Gas sector.
The country is attracting global attention with the economic boom that is anticipated, and to maximise on the opportunities on offer, the sport of motor-racing has outlined some ambitious plans it intends to execute in the coming years.
The immediate plan is to ensure Drag Racing in the Caribbean revolves around Guyana in the coming years through a viable sport tourism package.
“Part of the interest of the club is to make sure we develop sport tourism in Guyana. And to develop sport tourism you have to lift to the level where it can compete to international standards and there is where we are heading because we want to make Guyana the hub for Drag Racing in the Caribbean,” Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Vice-President Hansraj Singh outlined to News Room Sport.
Singh was speaking on the sidelines of the club’s first Drag Race meet in over a year, with well over 10,000 patrons present at the South Dakota Circuit.
However, to adequately meet such a demand and offer a service that matches or comes close to international standards, the Vice-President is cognisant of the need for further investment.
Team Mohamed’s, through its principal Azruddin Mohamed, has led the way with massive investment in track upgrades and cars, and the onus is now on the club to extend such improvements to the wider track for the public to enjoy.
“Like in anything else infrastructure is critical; as the crowds increase we have to get proper seating arrangements, better washroom facilities, and better security…there is another aspect in terms of the competitors developing their machines and the interest they generate in terms of timings,” Singh further elaborated.
In April 2018, officials from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) conducted a preliminary inspection at the South Dakota Circuit to assess the further development needed to accommodate high-level action such as Formula 4 cars for the North and Central American Championship (NACAM).
For the most part, they discussed the current drafts the club has proposed for the expansion and made recommendations on projects that should be implemented for the safety of drivers and spectators.
Pre COVID-19 pandemic, GMR&SC had an illustrious goal to host the FIA Motorsport Games, commonly called the ‘Motor Racing Olympics’ in 2021.
The inaugural FIA Motorsport Games was held in Roma from November 1-3, 2019. It featured GT3-spec cars, TCR Touring Car, Formula 4, drifting, a karting slalom and eSports disciplines.
