Coordinator of the Radical Caribbean Cup (RCC), Kurt Seabra has indicated that the Radical Caribbean Cup could still have a leg in Guyana despite the current schedule having no dates for the country.
In a recent interview, Seabra stated it would be tough to attend the usual season-ending November event in Guyana, but the RCC is open to coming at another date.
Seabra explained that the norm is for the race calendar for Bushy Park Circuit to be set by September 30 in the preceding year.
It meant that when they were in Guyana last November, the 2023 calendar had already been set.
This year, there will be a series out of the United Kingdom, the Caterham Caribbean Cup, which is supported by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
That event is slated for November 24, while Guyana’s International meet is carded for the weekend of November 4-5.
Shipping issues
Normally, the Caribbean series ends in Guyana, but this year when organisers of the RCC released the schedule, which starts May 14 in Barbados, none of the five rounds was listed for South Dakota Circuit.
Issues with shipping is the reason being proffered, as Seabra outlined in a recent interview.
He explained that given the short turnover between the two events in November, they opted not to take a chance to ship the cars to Guyana.
However, he did say, they could look into visiting another period.
“I would say it is probably not going to be November, we probably could consider other months, but not November. It would be too close but that would not affect the club cars,” Seabra explained.
“The club cars will be there,” he assured
While thanking those in authority for getting the cars cleared with urgency when they arrived last November, some issues with shipping meant they only got back all cars in March 2023.
According to Seabra, the late arrival of the cars meant there was a delay in getting the engine of reigning champion, Guyana’s Kristian Jeffrey, rebuilt in time for the event.
That entire process- shipping and rebuilding- takes approximately eight weeks.
“The reason we postponed our event and possibly, having to do it again is because we don’t have his engine as yet and it is almost bringing tears to my eyes. We don’t want to start the series without the champion having a level playing field to defend his crown.”
Two of the five legs will be in Trinidad and Tobago, which hosted last year as well, despite not initially being on the schedule.
“This is not a partisan thing, it is decisions we have to make as to what is best for the series, and it is not best for the series until we know what is going [and] how we can make it better to come to Guyana.”
Jeffrey, the lone Guyanese who competed in the last series, won the title in thrilling fashion at home.
He clinched the title by a margin of just five points from season-long rival Kristian Boodoosingh of Trinidad and Tobago by winning the final race of the season at South Dakota.
The Radical Caribbean Cup is administered by Bushy Park Circuit Inc. (BPCI), which was appointed sole distributor for Radical Sportscars in the Caribbean in 2017.
The Suzuki-powered Radical SR3 sport-racers are considered the fastest race cars in the region.
Radical Caribbean Cup 2023
Round 1 – May 14, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)
Round 2 – June 25, Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway (TTASA)
Round 3 – July 23, Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway (TTASA)
Round 4 – September 3, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)
Round 5 – November 24, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)
