Taken from http://www.adrenalinesun.com/rally-trinidad-2011-jamaica-jeffrey-panton-and-michael-fennel-untouchable/

RALLY TRINIDAD 2011: JAMAICA’S JEFFREY PANTON AND MICHAEL FENNEL UNTOUCHABLE
POSTED ON 06 APRIL 2011   MOTORSPORTS

After three days of the rally, it was Jamaica’s talented team of Jeffrey Panton and Michael Fennel Jr that carried off the title of champions of Rally Trinidad 2011.

There were 31 cars slated to come under the starters orders but from the onset the grueling rally claimed it’s first victim which was at the opening ceremony at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

RALLY T&T WINNERS JEFFREY PANTON AND MICHAEL FENNEL JR

In the end only 11 of 31 drivers were classified as overall finishers in a rally that had it all.

With stages which more than doubled the length driven in a Barbados event and which saw the top group of World Rally Cars driving flat out for more than six minutes and some just under eight minutes there were plenty thrills and spills.

Even the wildlife turned out in their numbers to witness the action with the birds and some bees which made some of the marshall scamper for cover, with one tractor driver who was preparing the stage before having to seek refuge in the river, there was always something to see.

But none more impressive than Jamaica’s Panton who showed what driving to pace notes was all about. In his ex-Colin McRae Ford Focus he rocketed through the dusty but smooth stages and despite a few mechanical gremlins which threaten to end his reign at the front he was more than able to cruise to an easy victory over the three day event.

His total elapsed time was clocked at  1 hour, 33 minutes 39.62 seconds over the 17 of the planned 18 stages after one was canceled after lunch on the first day.

What has become a signature move with the team Panton set the massive crowd alive with his seemingly effortless donuts at the Major’s Cup in Chaguanas as Fennel waved the Jamaican flag through the co-driver’s window.

Barbados Sean Gill had to claw his way back up the standings after an overheating problem dropped him to third. He was at one stage the rally leader in his Suzuki SX4 but found himself trailing Panton, Gary Gregg and John Powell after six stages.

T&T’S STUART JOHNSON IN DEAN SERRAO’S FORMER IMPREZA

His fortunes changed before the end of the day when his crew seemingly rectified the problem and he was back up to speed. In the seventh stage Jamaica’s Gregg in a 2005 Ford Focus WRC saw his rally come to an end when he tore off the front bumper and sump guard, and despite finishing that stage was put out of the rally on the advice of his engineers who feared for the exposed components.

Gill moved up into third at this stage and in the final day was a man on a mission as he went about reeling in T&T Powell who was not fortunate enough to have his S12 Subaru Impreza WRC ready for the rally and was driving a Group N spec Mitsubishi Evolution X.

Gill accomplished his goal but Panton was too far ahead and he had to settle for second with a time of 1 hour 34 minutes 30.79 seconds. Powell was third and the fastest two wheel drive title went to Jamaican Bobby Marshall in a Mitsubishi Colt.

The Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) had another busy two weeks to end the month of March when on Sunday, march 20, they staged the second tarmac sprint of the 2011 National Sprint Championship series at Dover raceway, followed by the Annual General meeting and elections held at the Liguanea Club on Saturday, March 26, and then Spot Valley Investments capped the end of the month with the third dirt sprint series in their championship on Sunday, March 27.

With support from season sponsors KFC, Tru Juice, and Xsomo International and administrative help from The Automotive Performance Centre Ltd, the national club visited Jamaica’s only dedicated circuit racing facility on the morning of the 20th, running the popular time trials in a reverse direction on the 1.6 mile circuit, with two appropriately placed chicanes to slow down corner entry speeds into what now became the fast left uphill corner in front of the spectator stand and the even faster entry into the downhill right at the end of the front straight.

Chen (left) and Edwards.

Dover regular Charles Chen, at the track to test his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, posted the fastest time of the day in his JC2 class machine, blistering the track in a best time of  3:13.18, followed by Ian “Beastmaster” Edwards in his 2000cc, turbocharged, front wheel drive Ford Laser.

Another Dover regular, Nigel Edwards, was dominant in the JC1 class with his 1700cc, turbocharged Volkswagen Golf GTi, getting the better of Cleve ‘Cutta Hype” Ottey in his turbocharged, rear wheel drive, “Old school” Toyota Starlet and Portland Motorsports Club representative Everette Brady who debuted his EF chassis Honda Civic, sporting a turbocharged B16 motor, but who was even more entertaining with his choice of the car transportation methods he employed.

Kyle Gregg continued his dominance in the JA3 class, posting the fastest two wheel drive time in the process of 3:17.34 in his BD Gregg & Bros. EG chassis Honda Civic hatchback. His father Gary Gregg also shared the car and posted a single run of 3:22.09, which was good enough for 2nd in class. Keith Saunders powered his rear wheel drive Toyota powered Chevrolet Chevette to 3rd in class.

Gregg (left) and Gore

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In the keenly contested JA2 class, Patrick Gore made it two wins from two starts with a 3:19.23 time in his 20 valve, 4age powered rear wheel drive Toyota Corolla, having a whale of a time sliding the car through the corners, yet still able to win the class ahead of rival Maurice Whittingham in his rear wheel drive Toyota Starlet and a recently returned Tarik Minott in a Suzuki Ignis Super 1600 kit car.
The street car class is growing in popularity and had two categories, four wheel drive and two wheel drive. Dover regular Don Thompson in a powerful Subaru Impreza WRX Sti won the former category with a time of 3:35.50, while Pernell Fitz-Coy in the only naturally aspirated car of the field powered his 2zz engined Toyota Corolla Runx to 1st place in the latter class and third overall street class with a 3rd run time of 3:50.81, a 12 second improvement on his best previous time.
The other class winner was Thomas Hall in the JA4 class in a Toyota Starlet, while in the 3 lap championship run, Maurice Whittingham came out ahead of Tarik Minott and Keith Saunders.
Name       Class   Run1   Run 2   Run3
Patrick Gore   Toyota Corolla   JA2   3:27:75   3:29:31   3:19:23
Maurice Whittingham   Toyota Starlet   JA2   3:20:59   3:31:31   3:20:31
Tarik Minott   Suzuki Ignis   JA2   3:26:06   3:22:28   3:21:78
Ivan Lee   Toyota Corolla   JA2   3:28:84   3:28:93   3:22:18
James Marsh   Toyota Corolla FX   JA2   DNF   3:26:31   DNF

Kyle Gregg   Honda Civic   JA3   3:17:90   3:17:34   DNS
Gary Gregg   Honda Civic   JA3   3:22:09   DNS   DNS
Keith Saunders   Chevrolet Chevette   JA3   3:30:96   3:28:68   3:29:96
Dean Corrodus   Honda Integra   JA3   3:44:34   3:30:34   DNS
Alejo Lee   Honda Civic   JA3   3:50:43   3:43:12   3:43:00
Dwain Gayle   Honda Integra   JA3   3:51:21   3:48:71   3:54:40
Andy Williams   Honda Civic   JA3   3:56:68   DNS   DNS

Thomas Hall   Toyota Starlet   JA4   3:34:81   3:21:00   3:28:41

Nigel Edwards   VW Golf   JC1   3:32:65   3:19:50   3:29:75
Cleve Ottey   Toyota Starlet   JC1   3:36:43   3:38:03   3:31:56
Everett Brady   Honda Civic   JC1   4:01:84   4:04:90   4:07:31

Charles Chen   Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution   JC2   3:13:18   3:14:31   3:13:78
Ian Edwards   Ford Laser   JC2   3:23:12   3:35:12   3:31:90

Don Thompson   Subaru Impreza WRX   SC 4WD   3:37:21   3:35:50   3:38:56
Chressmore White   Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution   SC 4WD   3:48:18   3:47:00   3:42:18
Nigel Thomas   Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution   SC 4WD   3:57:09   4:01:62   3:54:65

Pernell Fitz-Coy   Toyota Corolla Runx   SC 2WD   4:02:27   4:02:06   3:50:81
Mark Morrison   Toyota Starlet   SC 2WD   4:08:09   4:01:00   3:55:18
Richard McBean   Toyota Tercel   SC 2WD   4:14:65   4:06:43   4:05:53
Kingsley Scott   Toyota Corolla DX   SC 2WD   DNS   4:14:50   4:15:37

Fastest Overall: Charles Chen      3:13:18
Fastest 2 wheel drive: Kyle Gregg   3:17:34

The club then held its 2011 annual general meeting and election of officers at the Liguanea Club on Knutsford Boulevard in the nation’s capital city of Kingston on Saturday, March 26, and elected the following officers to serve a two year term:

Chairman: Dean Corrodus
Vice Chairman: Rosemarie Jadusingh
Secretary: Marcia Dawes-Lamey
Treasurer: Micheal Fennell Jr.
Directors: Dmitri Dawkins, Peter Clarke, Ibraheem Khan, Marc Evans & Gail Grimes

Spot Valley Raceway capped of the month with an exciting 3rd Gravel Sprint of 2011. The new rally-cross events where multiple cars take to the track for side by side racing were the highlight of the day, with Troy Bernard winning race 1 and Maurice Whittingham having a trifecta of wins in claiming the top prize in Class JA2, fastest 2 wheel drive, and also winning the “feature race” the 2nd rally-cross race of the day, when starting from the rear of the field, he stormed through and one by one passed everyone to cross the finish line first in a thrilling encounter.
Other class winners were Keith Saunders in JA3, Richie Rerrie in JA8, Chippie Addison in JN8 and Mark March in JN2.

The first Rally on the JMMC events calendar Tarmac Rally 1 which was scheduled to be held on April 3, 2011 has been postponed, not cancelled.  The proposed stage venues for the rally are in Manchester, and should remain for the new date which will be announced shortly.

This report made possible with the kind assistance of:

The Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) had a busy weekend when on Saturday, February 19, they hosted their annual awards and prize giving ceremony at the Wexford Hotel in Montego Bay and the following day, Sunday the 20th, in association with the Montego Bay Motoring Club and with support from Miatsu Batteries, Maurice’s Gas and Appliances, KFC, Tru Juice, Wards Power Tools and Equipment Rentals and The Automotive Performance Centre Ltd., held “Tarmac Terror” at the highly popular Ironshore Tarmac track at Montego Park Estates, the first true test of speed on the 2011 rally sport calendar and the first of the six part national sprint championship season.

At Saturday evening’s event, Montego Bay’s Matthew Gore was rewarded for an outstanding 2010 season by being presented with the awards for multiple championships: the National Rally Sport Driver Championship, the Overall Sprint Championship and the two wheel drive sprint championship, in addition to placing 3rd in the JA2 class rally driver’s championship. Other winners were Dion Gardner in the dexterity championship, Raymond Farquharson in the two wheel drive co-driver rally championship as well as the class JA2 co-driver’s championship, Dave Lee and Colin “Stuffy” Chambers in the rally team championship for the third year and Jordan Powell in the two wheel drive stages rally championship. The club also presented Lawrence Henriques, many times organizer’s champion and former competitor, with a lifetime achievement award for his outstanding contribution to motorsports over the years.

Matthew Gore receiving the Driver’s championship trophy from 2009 winner Dean Corrodus.
Lawrence Henriques accepts his lifetime achievement award from Paulette Heron.

The sprint event on Sunday got off to a late start but the action on the track was as hot as the scorching sun, as the cars took to the course in anger to try to post the fastest times in several classes. Mechanical maladies sidelined top driving ace Doug “Hollywood” Gore who was driving the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X for the last time, and as well it just reaffirmed the decision to upgrade his steed to a factory built Audi DTM racecar, due to arrive in the island sometime next month.
New to rally sport competition, young Kyle Gregg (son of two time national rally sport driver’s champion Gary Gregg) could not have asked for a better debut, as he literally “cleaned up” and walked away with all the top prizes: fastest overall and fastest 2 wheel drive. Patrick Gore survived an off in the 1st run to win the JA2 class in his black rear wheel drive Challenger Garage Toyota Corolla powered by a 4AGE “Blacktop” 20 valve twin cam motor while Nigel Edwards won the JC1 class in his turbocharged Liquid Nitro VW Golf Gti.

Keeping the racing action alive on the following weekend was Spot Valley Raceway, who successfully ran their “Clash of the Titans” from this western city on Sunday, February 27, when a total of twenty nine competitors took to the smooth dirt surface in a variety of four wheeled machines, ranging from 600cc quad bikes to 2000cc, turbo charged, 4 wheel drive rally cars.
There was competition in a total of nine classes, with Clasford Woolery Jr. taking the JA1 class in his First Choice Video Mini Cooper, Troy Bernard in the M&M Wheel Alignment Toyota Starlet in the JN1 category, Mark Anthony March in the Spot Valley Investments Toyota Corolla FX in the JN2 class,

Matthew Gore in the Team Mobay Racing/Brit Jam/S&S Liquors Toyota Starlet in class JA2, Dean “Duct Tape” Corrodus in the Automotive Performance Centre Ltd/Tropical Battery Honda Civic Type R in class JA3,

Christopher “Chippie” Addison in class JN8 driving the Kinn’s Auto Parts Subaru Impreza WRX Sti Spec C, Richard Rerrie in the RMS Racing/Leroy’s Auto Glass/”Free Buju” Subaru Impreza WRX Sti in class JA8, Ian “Myer” Edwards in class JC2 and Julian Mair in the quad category.

JA1
Clasford Woolery Jr   Mini Cooper         03:20.64      03:21.89      03:14.30

JN1
Troy Bernard         Toyota Starlet      03:12.64      03:05.85      03:10.02

JN2
Mark March         Toyota Corolla FX   04:24.22      03:04.65      DNF

JA2
Matthew Gore      Toyota Starlet      02:37.02      02:37.07      02:35.94
Maurice Whittingham   Toyota Starlet      02:41.24      02:37.44      02:38.67
James March         Toyota Corolla FX    02:44.35      02:40.16      02:41.00
Richard Chan         Toyota Corolla GT   02.55.00      DNS           02:49.95
Dominic Peterkin      Honda Civic Type R    02:54.79      02:55.25       02:51.78
Kevin Watson         Toyota Corolla       02:58.08      02:53.36      02:55.73
Robert Singh         Toyota Corolla       02:57.61      02:54.22      02:55.60
Tony Fu         Toyota Corolla       02:56.22      03:04.32      02:54.62
Randal Singh         Toyota Corolla       03:20.01      02:55.02      DNF
M Porteous         Toyota Starlet      03:07.19      03:12.26      03:03.85
Kenji Lee         Toyota Starlet      03:31.36      03:22.03      03:11.67

JA3
Dean Corrodus      Honda Civic Type R   02:40.48      02:37.27      02:40.39
Nigel Edwards         VW Golf GTi      02:51.38      02:46.95      02:47.28
Keith Saunders      Chevrolet Chevette   03:03.74      02:52.48      02:53.83
Jerome Jones         VW Golf GTi      02:58.35      03:00.59      03:06.59
Dayne Graham      BMW 2002ti      03:16.06      DNF         03:02.81
Ricardo Scott         Toyota Corolla      03:34.08      03:21.28     03:18.89

JC2
Ian Edwards         Ford Laser      02:51.08      02:49.14      02:52.58

JN8
Christopher Addison     Subaru Impreza WRX    02:39.40      02:31.93      DNS
Macklin Peterkin      Subaru Impreza WRX    2.45.59      02:39.76      02:37.90
Sanjay Singh         Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III02:54.02      DNF         02:52.34

JA8
Richard Rerrie         Subaru Impreza WRX     02:30.02      02:28.20      02:26.67

Quad class
1. Julian Mair            02:31.29
2. Lenin Thompson         02:37.50
3. Maurice Whittingham      02:39.99
4. Cedeni Singh          02:45.14
5. Andrea Andrade         02:47.49

A total of three rally cross races were held, with Kevin Watson just edging out Maurice Whittingham in a photo finish in the second race, when a total of nine cars took the start flag for exciting side by side action.
Jerome Jones had put on a very skillful drive in race one in his Speedzone Auto parts VW Golf GTi, making his way quickly through the field to cross the line far ahead of his rivals.
In race 3 it was Richard Chan who led the way to take the chequered flag first.

The next event in the Spot Valley dirt race series will be held at the same venue on Sunday, March 27, but before that the Jamaica Millennium motoring Club (JMMC) will stage the second tarmac sprint of the season at a venue to be announced, but a likely candidate is Tobolski in Browns Town, St. Ann on Sunday, March 20 to be followed the  annual general meeting of the club at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston on Saturday, March 26 starting at 6 p.m.

This report made possible with the kind assistance of:

Apology to Spot Valley Investments re JMMC Sprint #5

The Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) unreservedly apologizes to Spot Valley Investments (SVI)  for any inconveniences howsoever caused that may be a source of distress to SVI, its associates, sponsors and/or well-wishers, as a result of the change in venue for JMMC Sprint #5 to be held on Sunday September 26, 2010.  As a result of a breakdown in communication between the JMMC and SVI, Sprint # 5 has been relocated with very short notice from Spot Valley Sports Complex to Badda Badda Raceway in St. Ann.

This in no way is a reflection of the JMMC’s assessment of SVI’s ability to host/promote events on behalf of the JMMC. Furthermore, on-going negotiations confirm that both the JMMC and SVI share the common goal of the advancement of motor sports in Jamaica. Thus, every reasonable effort is being made to cultivate a meaningful relationship that meets rising challenges and presents fruitful outcomes.

Spot Valley Raceway will be hosting future JMMC events.  More details will be made available later however please note the JMMC is looking forward to working along with Spot Valley Investments to enhance motor racing in Jamaica.

In the final opportunity to prepare for the this year’s Rally Jamaica 2009, Spot Valley Raceway in St. James came alive on Sunday November 1, 2009 for the second time in as many months. The final event in the Sprint Championship series, Sprint 6 will be remembered for the fierce battle between the JA2 Class competitors, the unforgettable landscape and scenery of Spot Valley Entertainment Complex, the return of one of racing’s most talented rear-wheel drive competitors, and the emerging popularity of Rally Cross.

The event was entered by thirty competitors (5 Quads included), but comprised of thirteen (13) JA2 entrants.  It was void of the fanfare of the last time, as TurnKey Promotions were absent this time around, which led to the JMMC and Dave Lee of Spot Valley taking care of the organizational tasks.  Needless to say, it was a successful event that left many spectators wanting more Spot Valley type venues and more Rally Cross.

Matthew ‘The Magnet’ Gore in his newly acquired Liquid Lightning Toyota Starlet completed the day in sensational form atop the 13 entry JA2 class.  The competition was a potent mix of Montego Bay heavy weights to include Dean Corrodus, Jordan Powell, Maurice Whittingham, Ivan Lee, Richard Chan and the improving Daryl King.  At the end of the second of three 2 lap runs, Mathew fell behind to fourth in class with very little hope of improving on his first run.  He however, made a six second improvement on his first run in the third to win not only the class, but also, two wheel drive honors.  The Magnet finished with a best time of 2:35.808 ahead of Jordan Powell (Toyota Corolla FX - 2:36.824) and Maurice Whittingham (Toyota Starlet – 2:37.960).  The Magnet further went on to finish third behind Junior Barnes (JA8 Mitsubishi Evolution) and Dave Lee (JN8 Mitsubishi Evolution).

Chippy’s Return