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The hot summer months brought sizzling action to race tracks across the island as competitors were at full steam in the disciplines of karting, circuit and dexterity in the months of July and August.

Dexterity

Rounds 5 and 6 of the Automotive Performance Centre sponsored national dexterity championship took place on July 8 and August 25 respectively. The first, dubbed “Driftmasters”, was held in the cool hills of Manchester at Master Block Factory in Knockpatrick, where a block making factory was transformed into a drifter’s playpen. Cleve “Cutta Hype” Ottey triumphed with the fastest time in his rear wheel drive, turbo-charged Toyota Starlet, whipping the crowd into a frenzy every time he changed to 2nd gear and shot over the hill unto the skidpad, all the time holding the car in a controlled slide!

Detailed report here: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/-Cutta–is-king_11931137

Maurice “Wurl Boss” Whittingham was finally beaten into 2nd place by Ottey, with Jamar Kinkaid in 3rd place. Tony Fu won the front wheel drive with limited slip differential class in his Team Challenger Toyota Corolla GT, Matthew Isaacs won the rear wheel drive class in his VW Bug, Richard Chan in the Excel Electronic Security Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV won the 4 wheel drive class and Kirkland Billings in a Nissan Sunny won the front wheel drive class.

The series then moved west for Slidelife, Gymkhana Reloaded, round 6 of the competition, staged at ATL Bogue City Centre in Montego Bay. On a Saturday night that saw the country spared the worst from Hurricane Isaac, the inclement weather still had some effect on the attendance, but bode well for the wetting of the course. Kingston resident Christopher “Teach” McFarlane took the spotlight at this event with a sweep of the top positions: fastest overall, fastest 2 wheel drive, fastest front wheel drive with limited slip differential and fastest in the championship run.

Whittingham took back the top position from Ottey in the Rear Wheel Drive with Limited Slip Differential class at this event, where Ottey slipped to third behind Kinkaid, as the St. Elizabeth youngster moved up a notch in the standings. Jordan Powell drove the ATL Unbeatable VW Polo to the win of the front wheel drive class, with Joel Jackson in the Jetcon Corporation  Mazda Demio 2nd and Kirk Excell in a Nissan Sunny 3rd in class. Following MacFarlane in the FWD with LSD class were Team Mad Dem Racing’s Ameer Johnson in a Toyota Corolla Levin and MacFarlane’s Stewart’s Auto Sales teammate and mechanic Courtney Wilson who shared the rally prepared Mitsubishi Lancer GT with his mentor.

Complete report here: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/Slip–Sliding-Fun_12382342

Whittingham continues to lead the overall dexterity championship points standings, with 4 more events to go.

Karting.

The Jamaica Karting Association also had two meets in the summer months. The first on July 15 and the second on August 19. Both events continued in the successful trend of the association that has seen close competition across several classes. Members of the Homestead Karting Club competed at the July meet and thoroughly enjoyed the Jamaican experience. Thomas Issa placed 2nd in the US Grand Nationals in the Rotax Jr class and has thus qualified to compete in the World Finals in Portugal in November. Notably also Justin Sirgany placed 2nd in the Rotax Micro class as Jamaican Karters gain prominence on the world stage.

See detailed reports here:

July: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/great-action-at-karting-meet_11988688

August: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/Karting-action-heats-up_12336970

Circuit

The Jamaica Race Drivers Club moved its Independence meet forward to clear any possible clashes with the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations across the island, and held a one day meet on July 29. Traditionally the smallest meet of the year, the size of the crowd did not detract from the close competition on the track, as fierce battles raged all day between competitors Kyle Gregg and Alan Chen, Tarik Minott and Gary Barrett, Heath Causewell, George Bayley and Andre Anderson

Detailed report here: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/Total-Summerbell-Racing-takes-Dover-Independence-of-Speed-

Upcoming events

The JMMC Annual General Meeting & Elections will be held on Saturday September 15, 2012 at the Liguanea Club, Knutsford Blvd, Kingston 5 starting at 6p.m. Nominations for officers to form the next Executive Committee for the JMMC to hold office for 2013-2014 are now open. ONLY PAID UP MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO make Nominations and/or to be nominated for positions to the new committee. Nominations will remain open until Saturday September 15, 2012, until the closing of nominations as called by the meeting Chairman. Nominations are to be submitted in writing to the JMMC office at Tank Weld Equipment Building, Ferry Industrial Terrace, Mandela Hwy, Kingston 20 or send in via email addressed to Ms. Nicole Thompson at jamotoringclub@gmail.com. Emails with nomination should read in the subject line “Nomination JMMC Board 2012-2014”. You can also send in your nominations via fax to 934-1288.

The current chairman would like the new executive to be comprised of individuals representing the entire spectrum of motorsport in the island, and as such would like to see motorsports stakeholders join the JMMC and indeed be nominated forand elected to positions on the new committee, to ensure fairness and equity for each genre of the sport. As such, one or two representatives each from karting, circuit, drag, rally, sprint and dexterity are sought to move the ASN into the next term, as motorsport gains momentum through the combined effort of enterprising individuals dedicated to its growth.

Meet #7 for the Jamaica Karting Association is scheduled for Sunday, September 16.

For more information visit www.iriekart.com.jm or their Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/jamaicakarting

The National Sprint Series will journey to the fabled Vernamfield Airfield on September 30 for Overdrive/Vernamfield Rebirth, meet #5 in the six event series. Series sponsor The Automotive Performance Centre in its mandate to spread motorsports across the island will stage a joint meet with a reorganized drag racing fraternity to revive the historic facility that has been the scene of many motoring achievements over the years. Championship Tarmac sprint action will take place starting at 10am intermittently with properly coordinated ¼ mile drag racing between the sprint runs. A fast circuit track will be laid out that will bring out the best in circuit cars prepared for Dover Raceway, as this event is a good test of car setup ahead of the Heroes Day meet.  Expect to see a massive amount of cars turn out for this event as Dover regulars as well as rally/sprint contenders grace the high speed circuit and the tyre wrenching, fire belching high horsepower monsters come out to play thereafter. Admission is $1,000 and gates open at 8am.

Assistance for this meet has been gained from Tank Weld Equipments, Team Mobay Racing & Tragedy Entertainment.

For more information on motorsports in Jamaica, call Ms. Nicole Thompson at 934-1288,  Email the club at jamotoringclub@gmail.com or visit the club’s website at www.jamaicamotorsports.com or visit our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JMMC/178228662233660?bookmark_t=page.

President of the world governing body of motorsport the Federation International le’ Automobile (FIA), Jean Todt, is currently in Jamaica along with a top level delegation comprising regional vice presidents of the FIA including Mr. Jose Abed of Mexico.

Mr. Todt and his party arrived last night by private jet as a guest of the Jamaica Automobile Association, FIA representatives in Jamaica for mobility, and along with the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club, FIA representatives in Jamaica for motorsports, was hosted at a breakfast meeting this morning at the Pegasus along with various stakeholders in jamaican motorsports.

Addressing the gathering were Minister of State in the Ministry of Toursim and Entertainment Hon. Damian Crawford M.P., Mr. John Lynch, Director of Tourism, the Jamaica Tourist Board and Dean Corrodus, Chairman of the JMMC.

Attendees included event host Earl Jarrett, Chairman of the Jamaica Automobile Association, Duane Ellis, General manager of the JAA who chaired the function, Neil Williams, president of the Jamaica Karting Association, Gary Gregg, 2004/2005 National drivers champion and successful circuit competitor, Peter Rae (successful circuit driver), Peter Moodie Jr (2011 Jamaica Karting Association champion driver and former circuit, sprint, dexterity and rally competitor), Hilary Jardine OD, JP,( immediate past president of the Jamaica Race Drivers Club), Errol Anderson (immediate past chairman of the Jamaica Milennium Motoring Club), Winsor Young, (Operations manager in charge of track operations, Jamwest Enterprises) and other stakeholders and club executives from the motorsports fraternity.

The delegation is scheduled to meet with the Governor General of Jamaica Hon. Dr. Patrick Allen, the Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Hon. Natalie Neita-Headley, pay a visit to the Usain Bolt track at UTECH, have lunch with Road Safety stakeholders at the Mona visitor’s lodge before passing by the Palisadoes International raceway before their departure this afternoon for the Dominican Republic, one of six stops on their Caribbean tour.

Text by Dean Corrodus

Photos by Donovan Montaque & Michael Samuels.

Close competition fueled exciting racing on an extended track at the Palm Springs Raceway in Brighton, Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth on Sunday, when the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club hosted the third round of the national sprint championship at the beautiful, palm lined venue.

Class JA2

The highly subscribed JA2 class that has seen the fiercest competition since the season started again delivered on its top billing. Matthew Gore driving the Team Mobay Racing Toyota Starlet finally upstaged Jordan Powell in the R & B Auto parts Toyota Corolla FX who has had a run of three straight sprint victories and a rally victory in the class for two wheel drive cars with an engine capacity up to 1600cc. Gore posted a fastest time of 2 mins.04.44 secs. ahead of Powell in 2.05.080 and Maurice Whittingham in third 2.11.080 driving the Team Mad Dem/Carz Rehab Toyota Corolla Levin. Team Challenger racing’s Tony Fu completed the class in a Toyota Corolla GT, posting a best time of 2.22.045.

Gore with the spoils of victory.

Powell (left) and Whittingham.

Class JA3.

In the next higher JA3 class for 2 wheel drive cars up to 2000cc, Dean Corrodus came out on top for the third time this season in the Maxxis Tyres/Automotive Performance Centre Ltd/ATL Automotive Racing Honda Civic Type R, despite only completing one timed run due to fuel system and driveline problems on the 1st and 3rd runs. Gentleman racer Keith Saunders in “old Faithful”, his rear wheel drive Chevrolet Chevette with a Toyota 7a engine, was again 2nd in class as he has been all season with a best time of 2.13.06.

Two different ways to displace dirt. From the front (left) with Corrodus’ Honda Civic Type R and from the rear with Saunders’ Chevrolet Chevette.

JN8 and JA8

Spencer Whittingham driving the MegaMart sponsored Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V had his second overall sprint event win of the season when he posted the fastest time of the day on his 3rd timed run: doing  2 min. 03.045 sec over the two laps. Richard Chan driving the Team Challenger Racing/Excel Electronic Security Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V was busy having fun and enjoying the track to the fullest on his way to posting a time of 2.08.855 for the top prize in the JA8 category.

Whittingham (left) and Chan.

In the 3 lap championship run, Powell got the best of the entire field with a scorching time of 3.06.065, with Gore losing his front right brake rotor on his 3rd la but managing to place 2nd with a time of 3.06.655. Spencer Whittingham, Corrodus and Maurice Whittingham completed the top 5.

Results

Car   1st run   2nd run   3rd run   Best   Points

JA2

1. Matthew Gore   Toyota Starlet   2.11.530   2.07.955   2.04.44   2.04.44   130

2. Jordan Powell   Toyota Corolla FX   2.12.250   2.07.035   2.05.280   2.05.080   100

3. Maurice Whittingham   Toyota Corolla Levin   2.19.050   2.13.980   2.11.11   2.11.11   80

4. Tony Fu   Toyota Corolla GT   DNF   2.22.045   DNF   2.22.045   70

JA3

1. Dean Corrodus   Honda Civic   DNF   2.10.785   DNF   2.10.785   70

2. Keith Saunders   Chevrolet Chevette   2.18.955   2.15.375   2.13.06   2.13.06   50 

JN8

1. Spencer Whittingham   Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V   2.05.405   2.07.77   2.03.045   2.03.045   50 

JA8

1. Richard Chan   Mitsubishi Lancer Evoltion IV   DNF   2.11.61   2.08.855   2.08.855   50    

Championship Run

1. Jordan Powell      3.06.065            20

2. Matthew Gore      3.06.655            15

3. Spencer Whittingham      3.07.565            12

4. Dean Corrodus      3.10.315            10

5. Maurice Whittingham      3.15.655            8

6. Richard Chan      3.17.843            6

7. Tony Fu      3.18.55            4

8. Keith Saunders      DNF            3

Powell continues to lead the Overall JMMC Rally sport driver’s championship after 4 events now with a total of  510 points, with 2010 Drivers champion Gore in 2nd place on 370 and 2006 and 2009 Champion Corrodus in 3rd on 270.

The next event on the motorsports calendar will be the JMMC Dexterity #3, Blockbuster “We set the trend!” at Meikle’s Block Factory, Spur Tree, Manchester on March 25.

Upcoming events: JMMC Sprint #3, the Brighton River Run 2012 on March 18 set for Palm Springs raceway in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth starting at 11 am

JMMC Dexteirty #3, Blockbuster “We set the trend!” at Meikle’s Block Factory, Spur Tree, Manchester on March 25, starting @ 11 am.

Photos by Omar Munroe, Blista Inc and Marlon Chin

The Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) brought the curtains down on its 2011 motorsports season when in association with the Montego Bay Motoring Club, they staged a successful Wet & Slide Dexterity #5 at the upscale Whitter Village Shopping Centre in Ironshore, Montego Bay on Tuesday, December 27, 2011.

The event got off to a 5pm start, with 27 competitors taking to the track laid out by clerk of the course Pernell Fitz-Coy. The tarmac surface was properly wet before each of the three single lap runs, with the competitors having a reverse grid for the 2nd run and then drawing numbers for the run order of the third. Before the two lap championship run, a 4×1 team relay was run with a merged Team Challenger/Mad Dem going up against Team Westslide in a best of three format.

Top Spot.

Ivan Lee driving the Team Challenger Garage Toyota Corolla SR5 “Blackbird” copped the fastest time of the event, posting a 1.20.78 in his 3rd run. Ivan had flown in from Mexico specifically for the event, and upset 2011 Overall Dexterity Championship winner Maurice “Worl Boss” Whittingham, the latter placing 2nd ahead of Cleve “Cutta Hype” Ottey in 3rd place.

Ameer Johnson in the Team Mad Dem Racing/Cars Rehab Toyota Corolla Levin rally car won the FWD LSD class ahead on Team Challenger’s Richard Chan in a Toyota Starlet.

Multiple Dexterity class champion Christopher “Teach” MacFarlane again copped the win of the front wheel drive class at the event and also won the class championship for 2011, driving a 2012 Mitsubishi ASX, ahead of Dean “Duct Tape” Corrodus in a Toyota Corolla and Kevin “Bruksport Racing” Watson in the fabric Smart Suzuki Swift GTi.

Garth Chin who hails from Kingston got the better of the Munroe brothers in their year-long battle in the rear wheel drive class. Driving a Mercedes Benz 190e, Chin posted a best time of 1.34.49 to outclass his rivals Shane and Omar who posted best times of  1.40.12 and 1.504.92 in similar Toyota Altezzas.

Championship run.

In the 2 lap championship run, Whittingham redeemed himself and won 1st place with a scorching 2.18.68, followed by team-mate Ameer Johnson in a time of 2.20.18 and Ivan Lee in 3rd place a shade behind in 1.20.85.

Wet & Slide JMMC/MBMC Dexterity #5, Tuesday December 27, 2011.

1st run   2nd run   3rd run   Best Time

RWD LSD

1. Ivan Lee   Toyota Corolla SR5   1.26.24   1.31.17   1.20.78   1.20.78

2. Maurice Whittingham   Toyota Starlet   DNF   1.25.50   1.22.77   1.22.77

3. Cleve Ottey   Toyota Starlet   1.26.46   1.24.54   1.23.80   1.23.80

4. Sanjay Singh   Toyota Starlet   DNF   1.38.48   1.25.57   1.25.57

5. Salvador Davis   Toyota Corolla   DNF   1.31.60   1.27.03   1.27.03

6. Dennis Bicarie   Toyota Starlet   DNF   1.28.36   1.27.32   1.27.32

7. Jamar Kinkaid   Toyota Corolla   1.30.24   1.27.66   1.31.80   1.27.66

8. Kingsley Scott   Toyota Corolla DX   1.45.79   1.37.19   1.40.26   1.37.19

9. Patrick Gore   Toyota Corolla SR5   1.41.32   1.38.52   DNS   1.38.52

10. Andrew Hessing   Toyota Corolla SR5   1.39.98   DNF   1.51.03   1.39.98

11. Christopher Scott   Toyota Corolla   DNF   1.45.18   DNF   1.45.18

12. Ricardo Scott   Toyota Corolla    DNF   DNF   1.45.26   1.45.26

13. Jason Shaw   Toyota Pickup   2.16.32   1.56.96   1.50.97   1.50.97

14. Terri Stubbs   Toyota Corolla SR5   1.52.10   2.01.96   DNS   1.52.10

15. Ian Wright   Toyota Tacoma   DNF   DNF   DNF   DNF

RWD

1. Garth Chin   Mercedes Benz 190e   1.53.11   1.41.32   1.34.49   1.34.49

2. Shane Munroe   Toyota Altezza   1.48.74   1.40.12   1.40.20   1.40.12

3. Omar Munroe   Toyota Altezza   DNF   1.54.92   1.58.12   1.54.92

FWD LSD

1. Ameer Johnson   Toyota Corolla Levin   1.36.81   DNF   1.25.07   1.25.07

2. Richard Chan   Toyota Starlet   1.32.80   1.32.46   1.33.14   1.32.46

3. Owen Campbell   Honda Civic   2.27.66   2.04.71   2.01.11   2.01.11

FWD

1. Christopher McFarlane   Mitsubishi ASX   1.29.72   1.30.96   1.26.44   1.26.44

2. Dean Corrodus   Toyota Corolla   1.29.51   1.30.76   1.28.60   1.28.60

3. Kevin Watson   Suzuki Swift Gti   1.41.58   1.32.32   1.39.34   1.32.32

4. Douglas Gore   VW Jetta   DNF   1.33.47   DNS   1.33.47

5. Derrick Shim   Suzuki Swift Gti   DNF   1.53.64   1.52.09   1.52.09

Championship run

1. Maurice Whittingham      2.18.68

2. Ameer Johnson      2.20.18

3. Ivan Lee      2.20.85

4. Christopher McFarlane      2.22.61

5. Cleve Ottey      2.37.32

6. Kevin Watson 2.38.26

7. Kingsley Scott      2.41.63

Fastest Overall and fastest 2WD   Ivan Lee

“Pon di Belly” Lowest car competition winner: Denham Howden, Audi TT.

By Nicola Williams. Edited by Dean Corrodus.

Cool, cool Mandeville, capital city of Manchester, was the venue for the staging of the first tarmac rally for 2011 on Sunday, May 29. The Jamaican countryside is known for its winding roads, lush greenery and hospitable people and the normally sleepy, mid island town lived up to that reputation very well. This rally had only eight entrants, and for most superficial rally fans, not worth the trip, but for the diehard motorsports enthusiasts, it presents an opportunity for a “road trip” filled with laughter, an eclectic combination of foods and most importantly, eye candy of all types, from the beautiful flora and fauna to the cars being expertly maneuvered through the twists and turns but inches from your toes. The look of wonderment in the children’s eyes as the cars pass is priceless, they having never had their sleepy village woken with the sound of loud exhausts and the flash of cars driven at the highest speed possible in the twisty corners.  The sidelines erupted into – “Yes man, Alan a move, yuh hear di turbo” or “baxide Matthew a gwaan tiday doa”. For me, the commentary from the sidelines at any motorsports events is almost as entertaining as the cars and on some days, even more.

Undeniably, this rally belonged to Alan Chen/Marcia Dawes, with their turbo charged Toyota Corolla SR5, and so it should, as Alan is most comfortable in a rear wheel drive car and the hills of Mandeville are his stomping ground. He probably knows every inch of the Melrose Hill stage intimately. The Chen/Dawes duo finished with an overall time of 17 minutes 23 seconds, which included a donut in the middle of the Melrose Hill stage, which both frightened and pleased the fans immensely.

He was followed by Sebastian Rae/Rameses McGregor with an overall time of 17m.27s. in their Mitsubishi Mirage which one normally sees at Dover. On what is thought to be his first rally, Rae roared through the hillside with his JA3 classified car making quick work of the twisty corners and appeared determined to leave an indelible tyre track wherever he went.

Another rear wheel drive expert, Maurice Whittingham, chose to leave that type of weapon at home and field a front wheel drive Toyota Levin in the JA2 class, and was 21 seconds behind the leader with an overall time of 17m.45s. He drove very clean lines with very little of his usual flamboyant, crowd pleasing drifts and slides through the corners. One could hardly blame him, as with a sheer rock face on one side and a plunging precipice on the other, it was advisable to keep it straight. Pity no one sent that memo to Mr. Chen though. Based on the comments heard at the fast right/left switchback across from the bar on the Old Melrose Hill special stage where the spectators gathered, (“doan stan up dehso, Whitty chuck aaf eena di bush right dehso few years back”) it still amazes me the stories and memories that are related on a rally stage, whilst waiting for the next competitor.

The team of Matthew Gore/Raymond Farquharson, a crowd favorite, suffered driveline breakage on special stage 3 before lunch, and his crew could be seen feverishly working on the car to get it back on the road to finish the rally – “Bwaaay, Matchoo a guh hard star, him need some a dem strong axle wha come fram farin”. Luckily for them, Toyota parts are easily procured even in sleepy Mandeville on a Sunday and very quickly an axle was found and installed and he was back in the event. The manner in which he came through the switchback with “blood innah him eye” trying to make up for the time lost, was amazing. They finished fourth overall with a time of 17m.53s. Gore is the reigning Rally sport champion, and it is very clear that he intends to retain the title in the Team Mobay Racing camp.

The real star of the show, was actually the 7th placed contender, in “Rusty” piloted by the pair of Troy Bernard and Roger Brown. “Rusty” hails from Montego Bay and is usually seen at Spot Valley, however they ventured into the Rally arena for the first time to encouraging cheers as he passed through the stages and the shouts shall echo in my ears for a while to come – “Gwaan, Rusty – yuh look pap dung but di engine a run!!” I want to add, Rusty was driven from Montego Bay and back – “No wrecker roun ere!” Well done to Troy and his crew. There is an old adage – “to finish first, one must first finish” and indeed “Rusty” finished his first rally with an overall time of 20m.34s.

Mandeville Rally was “likkle but tallawah,” and a great time was had by all. The awards ceremony was held at KFC Mandeville and the victorious home boy Alan Chen took his machine out on the streets and gave an impromptu drifting display complete with smoking tyres for the large Sunday evening crowd which had gathered in the street.

Overall results - Stage 1 - 7
Pos   Driver/Co-Driver   Class   2WD4WD   Make Car   Elapsed Time

1   Alan Chen/Marcia Dawes   JA4   2WD   Toyota Corolla SR5   17:23.936
2   Sebastian Rae/Rameses McGregor   JA3   2WD   Mitsubishi Mirage   17:27.235
3   Maurice Whittingham/Robert Singh   JA2   2WD   Toyota Corolla Levin   17:45.346
4   Matthew Gore/Raymond Farquharson   JA2   2WD   Toyota Starlet   17:53.666
5   Thomas Hall/Andre Gordon   JA4   2WD   Toyota Starlet   18:05.119
6   Macklin Peterkin/Wayne Chuck   JN8   4WD   Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C   18:11.852
7   Troy Bernard/Roger Brown   JA2   2WD   Toyota Starlet   20:34.560

Dean Corrodus/Gregory Brissett   JA3   2WD   Honda Civic Type R   DNF

The event was made possible with the assistance of  Advance Performance Parts, Catherine’s Peak, Petcom, Seafreight Jamaica Ltd, Tru Juice, Knutsford Court, Just Bet (Supreme Ventures), Seaboard, KFC, Xsomo and The Automotive Performance Centre Ltd.

The next event on the JMMC calendar will be the JMMC Ironshore Tarmac Sprint #3 to be held at Montego Park estates (Morgan’s Property), Ironshore, Montego Bay on June 19 starting at 11am.
For more information about Jamaican motorsports, visit www.jamaicamotorsports.com or call the JMMC office at       934-1288.