Finally! Paul Jiwanram crowned 2023 Street Tuner 1500cc champion

After years of competing, Paul Jiwanram has emerged champion of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Street Tuner 1500cc Class, powering his Suzuki Swift with great consistency in 2023.

Jiwanram has been competing the Street Tuner Class since 2016 and his best overall finish was getting third once.

This year, he was prepared to put his competitors on notice, and his team worked assiduously to put a reliable car on the track.

In the first circuit race in March, things didn’t go to plan, with two fifth place finishes, but Jiwanram and his team up the ante, copping five consecutive podium finishes to take the championship.

In July, he copped two first place finishes and a second, and in the just-concluded ENet Caribbean Clash of champions, he followed up a victory with a third place finish.

Jiwanram accumulated 128 points to finish ahead of Jorge Ramirez with 108 and Vickey Persaud with 90.

For Jiwanram, success was a direct result of proper planning that led to a reliable car.

“It means a lot,” Jiwanram told News Room Sport after collecting his trophy on Monday night at Parc Rayne.

“I’ve been racing for a long time. We started from the back and whether I bring last or bring eighth, it doesn’t matter to me, because I’m racing for fun. But winning is better, especially closing off this year with the championship, it means a lot to me.”

Jiwanram hailed the fantastic work of his mechanical team, led by Arshaad Hassan, who ensured there were minimal challenges with the car.

“We had a good year, basically it was just minor tweaks to the car, starting in March, then July and then the final race in November. There was nothing major, we just had to fuel up and drive.”

According to Jiwanram, his success was also premised on a change in approach, and not doing the same thing, as in previous years, and expecting different results.

“This year I said ‘this last-minute thing got to finish.’ We got to be ready days before.”

Jiwanram was sponsored by Darthan Investments, Helix Signs, AD Nation Design Agency, XL Energy Drink, Monarch Insurance Brokers, Frames Optical, New Trend Auto, A’s Automotive, I&S Trading and family members and friends.