March 29, 2024

Two major historic achievements were recorded in the annals of Jamaican Motorsports for June 2012, when Jamaica’s second dedicated circuit racing facility at Jamwest Speedway in Old Hope, Westmoreland, had its first exhibition circuit event coupled with the third meet on the drag racing calendar on June 24, in addition to the first sanctioned championship event at the new Farmville track at Thetford Great House in Church Pen, Bushy Park, St. Catherine on June 17. The annual renewal of the Raynor King Memorial Rally on June 24 rounded out the activities for June.

Sprint championship

Thetford Great House (left) and view of the track

Round 4 of the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club’s national sprint championship took place at the Farmville track at Thetford Great House in Church Pen, near Bushy Park, St. Catherine on Sunday, June 17. The event was extensively advertised using TVJ, Irie Social (Asafa Powell’s social media promotions company), the electronic media, thousands of colorful flyers distributed on motorcades and promotions at all preceding motorsports events. Regrettably, inclement weather was to affect his event, as after months of drought, mother nature provided soothing rain for a parched land on the day of the event, rendering what was billed as “Dirtmasters” into what was more accurately described as “Mudmasters”. Nevertheless, the nineteen competitors that took to the course in a variety of vehicles ranging from a 175cc dirt bike to a 2000cc turbocharged 4wd Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution certainly made the most of it.

King, Powell and Gore

Spencer Whittingham was crowned “The Dirtmaster” by virtue of his blistering fastest overall time of 1 minute 24.84 seconds set on his third run which also gave him the win of the JN8 class. The JA2 class was won by Daryl King, the JA3 class by Dean Corrodus, JA4 by Thomas Hall, the quad races by Lenin Thompson and the bike races were a clean sweep for Kyle Reynolds.

Full report here: http://www.facebook.com/notes/dean-a-g-corrodus/dirt-masters-jmmc-sprint-4-report/10151809642795332

Circuit & Drag

The Jamwest Speedway in Old Hope, Westmoreland was abuzz with excitement on June 23 and 24. On the drag racing scene, American Stanley Albritton powered Dean Shaw’s 1,500 horsepower, methanol fed, supercharged V8 Chevrolet Camaro down the quarter mile to beat Bryn Morgan’s turbo charged V8 rail dragster for the win of the 8 second class.

Albritton (left) and Morgan

Other class winners were:

9 sec: Damian Allen -Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III

10 sec: Kenrick Baker -Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III

11 sec: Herbie Edwards -Nissan Pulsar GTiR

12 sec: Kevin Archer -Toyota Corolla Levin

13 sec: Andrew Palmer- Honda Integra

14 sec: Overton Grant -Honda Integra

15 sec: Christopher Sukhu -Honda CRX

16 sec: Darin Virgo -Toyota Hiace Super Custom

Powell (left) and Clarke

Jordan Powell (R & B Auto Parts Toyota Glanza) and Ricardo Clarke (Big Rat Auto Toyota Corolla) took the inaugural wins of the two exhibition circuit races that were held. Competitors Peter “Zoom Zoom” Rae (Peter Rae Motorsports Mazda RX7), Dean “Duct Tape” Corrodus (Automotive Performance Centre Ltd Honda Civic Type R), Dean Shaw and Dieter Wilson (Amsoil Prochallenge trucks), Richard Chan (R&B Auto Toyota Corolla FX), Saeed Mohammed (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III), Peter James (Big Rat Auto Toyota Corolla) and Vivian Mitchell (MAD/Innovative Auto Parts Honda Civic Type R) were the first drivers to officialally test the new 1.8 mile circuit, and along with Douglas “Hollywood” Gore who drove his daily driven Audi A4 Coupe as the pace car, all gave rave reviews of the high speed track. Chief Steward and Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) scrutineer Rajendra Jadusingh also gave the track the thumbs up as safety features outlined by the Competition Sub Committee of the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club were implemented to bring the track up to the specified safety requirements before its first official use. Since then, Marck Carey, president of the JRDC has visited the track and reports that television and photographs do not do the venue justice, as he was thoroughly impressed with the facilities, which include four large, covered spectator stands, restrooms that look like they came from a north coast resort, expanded parking areas, new admission booths and additional food vending areas.

Peter Rae’s Mazda RX7, ¼ mile dragstrip and Damian Allen’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution on the launch pad.

Jamwest Speedway

Rally

The Raynor King Memorial Rally that had been rescheduled from Mothers Day, May 13, was run on June 24 using a single stage location in Lydford, St. Ann. Richard Rerrie/Winston Dawson driving the Leroy’s Auto Glass/Scott’s Auto/Petcom/Advance Performance Parts  Subaru Impreza WRX Sti won the event in a time of 25 minutes 20.709 seconds ahead of Matthew Gore/Raymond Farquharson in the Summer Flex/Tragedy Entertainment Toyota Starlet (26:57.460) and Macklin and Dominique Peterkin in the Valvoline/Kinn’s Auto Subaru Impreza WQRX Sti Spec C (27:07.590).

Rerrie/Dawson

Gore/Farquharson (left) and Peterkin/Peterkin.

Of the nine cars that started the event, seven were classified as finishers, with the teams of Thomas Hall/Dmitre Dawkins (Toyota Starlet) and Peter Jaggon/Victor Handal (Jaggon’s Gases/IGL Subaru Impeza WRX) rounding out the top 5.

Upcoming events:

Driftmasters, the fifth event in the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club’s National Dexterity championship, takes place on Sunday, July 8 at Masterblock factory in Knockpatrick, Manchester, starting at noon.

Multiple dexterity champion Maurice “Wurl Boss” Whittingham, Cleve “Cutta Hype” Ottey, Dennis “Krossbreed” Bicarie, Kingsley “Soljie” Scott and Ian “Big Red Truck” Wright to name a few will be competing for trophies and championship points in five categories.

The sprint event (Overdrive, JMMC Sprint #5) originally scheduled for July 15 has been rescheduled to Sunday, September 16.

The Jamaica Race Drivers Club will stage the third event in the 2012 circuit racing championship dubbed “Summer Heat” on July 28/29. Action will be seen in several categories including Bracket 45, 38, 32 and 27 as well as Modified Production classes 1 to 4 and Thundersport classes 1 and 2.