VibeShots

By: Dean Corrodus

“Back to Business”, the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club sanctioned Kir-Dex Transportation Services/Tropical Battery Sprint #6 took place at the Badda Badda raceway in Priory, St. Ann on Sunday, September 4, 2005. The sun seemed to be at its closest point to the earth at this venue, as despite being a beachfront property, no amount of sea breeze was enough to cool the temperatures as Jamaica’s best rally drivers scorched the redesigned, one mile track. Outside of the heat, conditions were perfect for a thrilling day of racing, as thirty two competitors took to the track in an effort to post fastest times of the day.

Coming out on top as has now become the norm since the start of the 2005 rally sport season was Gary “The Colonel” Gregg in his Kentucky Fried Chicken/B D Gregg & Bros. /Kingston Industrial Garage Ford Focus World Rally Car, posting a best 2 lap time of 2m 32.500secs. to place himself 0.9 seconds clear of Douglas “Hollywood” Gore in second place driving the Slam Condoms/Motor Sales & Service Ltd/Sandals Resorts/Rick’s Café/Walkerswood Caribbean Foods/Western Wheel Alignment/Amsoil/DMS Distributors/Sherwin Williams Paints Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 (2.33.400). Placing 3rd in class was Peter Moodie Jr. in the NG Racing/KIA Motors/Citrix/Moore’s Business Forms Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 in a time of 2.34.710. Fourth was Leslie Madden in the RMS Racing Subaru Impreza WRX Sti (2.36.230), while Rory King ( Slam Condoms/Rory’s Texaco/Sandals Resorts Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ ) 2.37.920 and Guy Fraser (Value Buys Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6) 2.38.730 were 5th and 6threspectively.

In the JN8 class, the lone competitor was Haresh “Mad Ram” Ramchandani in the Shop smart/China Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, having immense fun while learning the car’s handling and performance, posting a respectable time of 2.41.750.

The JC1 class was again the domain of the Impact Industries Toyota Starlet piloted by Jeremy Groves, who wowed the crowd with his awesome rear wheel drive car control skills on his way to registering a best time of 2.57.220. This competitor was amazing to watch, and no one dared breathe when he was on track. Close on his heels was Team MoBay Racing’s Patrick Gore in his faithful Toyota Corolla SR5 (2.57.990), while third was Ivan Lee sharing the same car. Local boys Ian “Myer” Edwards in a Mazda 323 using street tires (3.03.870), its gas pedal nailed to the floor for what seemed like 99% of the track and William “John” Black in a the Rising Dirt Devil Ford Escort Mexico (3.05.650) represented the St. Ann crew, and did very respectable times compared with the JMMC regulars.

The fastest 2 wheel drive car on the day was the Team Xpress Super Plus Food Stores/Jamaica Electrical Services/Hilton Kingston/Cowan Electrical Mitsubishi Mirage RS of Rajendra Jadusingh who posted an amazing 2.47.800 on his second run, not even bothering to contest the 3rd run as he was so far ahead of the next placed 2wd car. Garth Moodie in the NG racing/Worldtron/Century Wrecking service Toyota Corolla FX was second in 2.54.730, with the Minott Motorsport Toyota Starlet of Tarik Minott 3rd in 2.55.150. 4th was Team Mobay Racing’s James “Doc” Marsh in another Corolla FX, followed by a gaggle of Team Xpress drivers in 5th to 7th (Dion Gardner, David Anderson and Julian Gordon).

The JA3 class saw Christopher “Teach” McFarlane post a come from behind time of 2.50.760 in the Island Motors/Hilton Kingston/NEM Insurance Peugeot 206 Sports wagon, the “Grocery Getter”, to snatch victory from fellow Jamspeed Rally School instructor Dean “Duct Tape” Corrodus in the Brothers Motors/Mr. A/C/Island Products/Straight Edge Construction Mitsubishi Mirage RS. Teach had lost a pair of his rear disc pads on the 2nd run, and was only able to find one piece, which he cleverly modified and with MacGyver style innovations, used waste cloth to form a makeshift second pad. It was this lack of brakes that was used to post the winning time in the class, as he was pretty much only using the gas and steering on that run. These two also shared the commentating duties as is now customary at sprint and circuit racing events, and will both be hosting the new “Speed Talk” radio programme on Power 106, to be launched on September 15, airing 8 pm on Thursdays and Monday. Congratulations Teach, as it was the first time that he was beating Corrodus (who is a past student of his) in any form of head to head racing. Third in class was the class sprint championship leader Jodie Summerbell in the Sweet Craft/B D Gregg & Bros/Fruta Premium Juices Mitsubishi Mirage RS in a time of 2.54.650, while 4th was Maurice Whittingham in the Mad Dem Racing Toyota Starlet in an amazing time of 2.54.670, the fastest rear wheel drive time of the day. Corrodus’ co-driver Pernell Fitz-Coy on his debut event with his newly acquired Maran Supplies/Anya’s Maternity & Newborn/Morgan’s Auto Repair Toyota Starlet placed a respectable 5th in class in a time of 2.55.900, with Michael Bisnott in 6th. Keith Saunders, Omar Dookie, Jamspeed Rally School student Orville Wright (under constant tutoring from Teach) and JMMC regulars Gordon and Derrick McDowell as well as JMMC Executive secretary Marcia Dawes rounded out the class.

Veteran racer Paul Chong brought out his classic BMW 2002 Tii coupe for a lunch time display of how the good old boys did it in the good old days, and wowed the crowd with his symphonic hand movements as he powered his rear wheel drive racer around the track.

In the 3 lap championship run, Gregg again came out on top in a time of 3.44.620, with Moodie snatching second place away from Gore by posting a 3.48.380 to Gore’s 3.49.900, and overheating engine causing him to slow midway through his run. 4th was Ramchandani in 3.59.900 while 5th was Corrodus as the fastest 2wd car in a time of 4.11.820. Moodie (4:16.0800), Fitz-Coy (4:18.380), Whittingham (4:54.670), March (4:27.390) and Fraser (DNS) completed the top ten.

The event was sponsored by Kir-Dex Transportation Services, Morgan’s Hardware, Tropical Battery and H Tech Auto Solutions which also provided the pace car, a Honda Civic with a B20 engine conversion that has posted a 13.9 second quarter mile time. The latter two sponsors also mounted displays in the pit area which were very well received, as Tropical Battery used the event to give away product samples of their new line of Tropical DOT 3 Brake Fluid.

A special driver’s clinic and practice day will be held at the Badda Badda Racetrack on September 18, while the 5th JMMC Dexterity takes place at Vernamfield, Clarendon on the same day, starting at 10 a.m.

The next racing event will be held in Montego Bay when the Montego Bay Motoring Club in association with the Office of the Mayor stages a demonstration race on the streets of Montego Bay, using a temporary road course to be set up on Howard Cooke Blvd to kick off a week long series of activities to celebrate the anniversary of Montego Bay’s city status. A service park will be created in the car park in front of the Pier 1 restaurant and will also see a drifting and dexterity display. The action starts at 10 am and will end at 3 pm with a motorcade replete with marching bands and music, through the streets of the city ending at Jarrett Park, where the second event in the form of a netball competition will take place. This event promises to be one the most exciting ones on the calendar for the entire year, and huge crowds are expected to witness this inaugural event. Don’t miss it!

NAMES CAR 1st run 2nd run 3rd run

Class JA2

1. Raj Jadusingh Mitsubishi Mirage 2:52.050 2:47.800 DNS

2. Garth Moodie Toyota Corolla FX 3:00.970 2:54.730 2:55.010

3. Tarik Minott Toyota Starlet 3:07.580 3:03.140 2:55.150

4. James March Toyota Starlet 3:02.020 2:57.470 2:55.5

5. Dion Gardner Mitsubishi Mirage 3:01.240 2:56.450 DNS

6. David Anderson Mitsubishi Mirage 3:12.930 3:02.780 3:01.800

7. Julian Gordon Mitsubishi Mirage 3:12.600 3:03.840 DNF

Class JA3

1. Christopher McFarlane Peugeot 206 S/W 2:56.120 2:55.820 2:50.760

2. Dean Corrodus Mitsubishi Mirage 2:56.960 2:52.780 2:51.650

3. Jodie Summerbell Mitsubishi Mirage 3:02.850 2:58.010 2:54.050

4. Maurice Whittingham Toyota Starlet 3:01.970 4:25.500 2:54.670

5. Pernell Fitz-Coy Toyota Starlet 3:00.330 2:58.240 2:55.900

6. Michael Bisnott Mazda 323 3:12.120 3:06.980 3:05.800

7. Keith Saunders Chevy Chevette 3:19.720 DNF 3:07.150

8. Omar Dookie Mazda 323 3:13.790 3:07.410 3:24.160

9. Orville Wright Peugeot 206 S/W 3:34.900 3:19.430 3:12.370

10. Gordon McDowell Seat Ibiza 3:22.580 DNS DNS

11. Derrick McDowell Isuzu Gemini 3:44.740 DNS DNS

12. Marcia Dawes Isuzu Gemini 4:32.690 DNS DNS

Tanee Green Seat Ibiza DNS DNS DNS

Class JC1

1. Jeremy Groves Toyota Starlet 2:59.880 2:57.220 2:58.150

2. Patrick Gore Toyota GTS 3:07.140 2:57.990 2:59.870

3. Ivan Lee Toyota Corolla 3:07.590 3:04.060 2:59.990

4. Ian Edwards Mazda 323 3:12.490 3:08.480 3:03.870

5. William Black Ford Escort DNF 3:10.230 3:05.650

Class JN8

1. Haresh Ramchandani Mitsubishi Evolution 8 2:45.840 2:42.950 2:41.750

Class JA8

1. Gary Gregg Ford Focus WRC 2:34.710 2:32.500 2:32.760

2. Doug Gore Mitsubishi Evolution 8 2:35.630 2:33.630 2:33.400

3. Peter Moodie Jr. Mitsubishi Evolution 6 2:37.820 2:36.110 2:34.710

4. Leslie Madden Subaru Impreza 2:41.250 2:37.780 2:36.230

5. Rory King Mitsubishi Evolution 6 2:40.180 2:38.880 2:37.920

6. Guy Fraser Mitsubishi Evolution 6 2:44.110 2:38.730 DNF

CHAMPIONSHIP RUN JMMC TOP TEN

Name Car Best 2 lap time Class 3 lap time

1. Gary Gregg Ford Focus WRC 2:32.500 JA8 3:44.620

2. Peter Moodie Jr. Mitsubishi Evolution 6 2:34.710 JA8 3:48.380

3. Doug Gore Mitsubishi Evolution 8 2:33.400 JA8 3:49.900

4. Haresh Ramchandani Mitsubishi Evolution 8 2:41.750 JA8 3:59.900

5. Dean Corrodus Mitsubishi Mirage 2:51.650 JA3 4:11.820

6. Garth Moodie Toyota Corolla FX 2:54.730 JA2 4:16.080

7. Pernell Fitz-Coy Toyota Starlet 2:55.900 JA3 4:18.380

8. Maurice Whittingham Toyota Starlet 2:54.670 JA3 4:24.250

9. James March Toyota Starlet 2:55.550 JA2 4:27.390

10. Guy Fraser Mitsubishi Evolution 6 2:38.730 JA8 DNS