Rookie Anthony Evelyn among new lap record-holders at South Dakota

Young Anthony Evelyn had a memorable weekend, shattering the Rookie lap record at Round Two of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Circuit Racing Series at the South Dakota Circuit.

Also setting lap records in their individual categories were Adrian Fernandes in the Sports Tuner, Anand Ramchand in the Starlet Cup and Heeranand Boodram in the Superstock Bikes (B Class).

Sixteen-year-old Evelyn, powering his Hand-in-Hand sponsored Toyota Starlet, clocked one minute, 24.883 seconds, bettering the one minute, 25.140 seconds he set earlier in the day.

Evelyn’s times erased the previous record of one minute, 28.109 seconds recorded by Jeremy Ten Pow last April. He also had a flawless day on the track, winning both Rookie races, ahead of Ten Pow and Shivan Raganauth.

Evelyn, the son of race car driver Keith Evelyn, made his competitive debut this year, placing sixth overall at the first round of the Endurance Racing Series in January.

He also competed in the first round of Circuit Racing in April, but encountered mechanical troubles and did not finish.

As such, Sunday’s double victory was a sort of redemption for Evelyn, who hailed the input of his father in the success.

“My dad has been my number one supporter throughout and without him none of this would have been possible,” Anthony remarked.

“Thanks to him everything turned out good in the end.”

Meanwhile, Fernandes, in his Toyota Levin, has the new Sports Tuner lap record, clocking one minute, 28.136 seconds on Sunday.

That time bettered the one minute, 28.334 seconds recorded by Azaad Hassan’s Toyota Sprinter AE91 at the ENet Caribbean Clash of Champions in November 2023.

Ramchand, who blazed to a combined five victories across the Starlet Cup and Group Three on Sunday, now owns the Starlet Cup lap record at one minute, 25.577 seconds.

Powering his EP82, Ramchand lowered Rameez Mohamed’s one minute, 25.807 seconds recorded at the South Dakota Grand Prix in March 2023.

Boodram, onboard his Yamaha R6, lowered the Superstock Bikes (B Class) time, recording one minute, 21.511 seconds.

He also held the previous record of one minute, 21.553 seconds which he rode on Sunday to pip Alain Hopkinson’s one minute, 21.674 seconds effort in April.

How the day went (Click here to read the full report)

Vishok Persaud extended his brilliant run over the last few seasons, clocking the fastest lap time of the day in a dominant Group Four performance.

Powering his KTM X-BOW, Persaud clocked 1.17.366s, coming close to the overall lap record (1:16.691s) he set in November 2023.

Mark Vieira took top honours in the opening Group Four race, with Mohan Rangasammy and Persaud coming in second and third respectively.

However, it was all Persaud in the other two races, as Vieira and Rangasammy were forced to settle for second and third respectively in both events.

Matthew Vieira, onboard his ENet sponsored Yamaha R6, dominated the Superstock Bikes (A) with a clean sweep of the three races, with Kevin Persaud taking second throughout.

Heeranand Boodram also won all three Superstock Bikes (B) races, while Adrian Mohar took the chequered flag in all three Street Class Bikes races.

Raymond Seebarran won all three Street Tuner Group One races, and Shan Seejatan also had a flawless day, winning all three Group Two events.