By Dean Corrodus

The first true test of speed on the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club’s (JMMC) calendar was held on Sunday, February 12, 2006 at the Vernamfield Airstrip in Clarendon and set the stage for an exciting season of racing in the rally sport discipline.

Now, the term abandoned airstrip is somewhat of a misnomer in reference to the place called Vernamfield, as although the US Armed Forces may no longer be present at the strip, thousands of thrill seeking, horsepower loving Jamaicans from every walk of life flocked to what has evolved to become the speed metropolis of central Jamaica to witness the first of six events in the Jamaican National Sprint Championship, this year title sponsored by Kir Dex Transportation Services, TVJ, KFC, Wata and Radio 92 FM. The sun was out in all it’s glory as the high ambient temperature sought to match the scorching times being laid down on the track by the forty two (42) competitors entered in nine different classes on the day.

New faces, some with familiar surnames, emerged to top the leader in several sections of the days event. Young Daryl King of the Rerrie’s Motor Sports carried away top honors in the 2 lap section of the event, posting a scorching time of 1 min. 57.195 secs. in the borrowed Slam Condoms/Sandals Resorts/Rory’s Texaco Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ of his uncle Rory King Rory, who was seen wincing whenever the car came too close to the tire barriers that were used to define the course.

Running in the JA8 class for modified turbocharged 4wd vehicles with a 34mm restrictor, Daryl shared the car with his cousin Andrew, but both were strongly challenged by Sprint racing newcomer but Dover regular Tedroy “Teddy” Burton in the Murray’s Auto Development (MAD) Honda Civic. Now the name on the car seemed not only to be an acronym for the car builder but a fitting description for the driver as well, as Burton set the fastest time of the day 2.00.59 on his first run which stood for most of the event, missed his second run due to a broken axle at the end of his first run and improved his time on his third run to finish with a best of 1.58.905, but was nipped on the line by King who pulled a come from behind effort to take eight seconds off his previous best to take home the first place trophy!

In the JA1 class, it was business as usual for the Golding clan, who finished father then son of the two entries in class, both sharing the same GRD Racing Suzuki Swift.

The JA2 class saw such stiff competition between the top runners, but after a hard fought battle Tarik Minott emerged the winner by a scant 0.5 seconds over close friend Raj Jadusingh, who ironically was the one who loaned Minott his car at this same venue two years ago for Minott to place third then to Jadusingh’s first in class. The immaculately prepared Mi Phone Toyota Starlet of Minott was screaming through its close ratio gearbox all day, and was a pleasure to see and hear. Minott has noticeably improved his driving as well, being a graduate of Jamspeed Rally School and has taken his maiden sprint class win.

One of the major stories of the day was the battle between rally drivers and their co-drivers, as some tables were turned across the board. Finishing third in JA2 was Julian Gordon, co driver for Dion Gardner in the Team Xpress racing Mitsubishi Mirage RS, dropping garner to 5^th. David Anderson, co driver for Jadusingh, was not so lucky however, finishing 6^th in class. These two were separated by Alan Chen in the rear wheel drive Toyota Starlet, now with normally aspirated power, having transferred his turbocharged engine to the car of Jeremy Groves. Gary Ellis got the better of his co driver Oneil Myers, but after going through the finish line on his first run, he lost control of the Toyota Starlet which then flipped at the side of the track and hit one of the concrete safety barriers. Ellis emerged unharmed however, a testament to the safety measures inherent in race car design.

The husband and wife team of Michael and Michelle Delfosse rounded out the JA2 class, sharing an Isuzu Gemini.

The co driver upset continued into the JA3 class as Pernell Fitz-Coy driving the Island Products/Maran Supplies/Anya’s Maternity & Newborn Toyota Starlet claimed his second sprint victory from three starts, sharing his car with his rally driver Dean Corrodus but relegating him to 5^th place. Second in class was Bobby “Billy” Marshal in the PPG/Singer/Motor Sales & Service Ltd Mitsubishi Mirage RS, with Freddy Chin in a VW Golf third. Marshal however was beaten by his rally co driver Thomas Hall who was competing in the JA4 class driving a Toyota Starlet Gt Turbo, who posted a best time of 2.07.02 to Marshal’s 2.09.60!

Andy Williams in the Team Xpress Honda Civic CRX was fourth with team mates Rohan Clarke, Alejo Lee and Marck Carey in sixth through eight. The sole female entrant in the class Tanee Green driving a Seat Ibiza completed the class with a best time of 2.54.08.

Junior Barnes won the JN8 class by a whopping six seconds driving the West Med Pharmaceuticals/ Mekyah Jamaica Spring Water Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 5 with a 2.02.75 time over second placed Haresh Ramchandani in the Shopsmart/ China Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8.

Barnes went on to win the 3 lap championship run at the end of the day, the first JN8 car to do so in the history of the series!

The most thrilling drives of the day seemed to come from the fast JC 1 class for open class cars, as Dover class champion Tedroy Burton debuted his giant killing Honda Civic at a sprint event after years of cajoling from the rally sport regulars. Burton had some contact with tire barriers and resultant time penalties, but this did not stop him from posting the second fastest time of the day and the fastest 2wd time of the meet. Xavier Murray, his car builder and head of Murray’s Auto Development, also drove the car to finish second in class.

The fastest rear wheel drive car on the day was Jeremy Groves’ Toyota Starlet, who set a blistering 2.02.66 to place third in class. Fourth in class was Willy Worton driving Steve Sirgany’s old Dodge Avenger of Dover fame, with Douglas Gore in Jimmy Marsh’s Toyota Corolla FX in fifth and Sirgany in sixth.

The Anderson family dominated the JA4 class, with father Ferdinand finishing on the top step of the podium driving his Mitsubishi Mirage Coupe. His sons Martin and Andre debuted a very clean 1984 Mitsubishi Lancer GS rear wheel drive sedan, Martin carrying it to second (2^nd ) place and Andre to fourth (4^th). Third place was Thomas Hall, while fifth was Peter Forbes sharing Ferdinand’s car.

Noel Golding Jr. exercised his four wheel drive Suzuki Cultus in the JA7 class, picking up the win there and impressing the crowd with his daring and car control skills.

Warren Lamey and Marcia Dawes shared the Meshugata Racing Hyundai Coupe in the JN3 class to place first and second respectively.

The day came to an exciting end with the running of the five (5) fastest rear wheel drive and ten (10) fastest cars overall over three (3) laps. Junior Barnes came out on top, with Xavier Murray finishing second and Willy Worton third. Andrew King, who shared the car with Daryl, made a hard launch and broke a drive train component, putting both drivers out for this run.

The next event on the rally sport calendar will be the JMMC Jamspeed Rally Experience Dexterity Test #2, to be held on Sunday, February 26 at the Advance Driver Training Center on Lakes Pen road in St. Catherine, starting at 10 a.m., with a free instruction course at 7 a.m.

Provisional results.

2 lap section
Name Car 1^st run 2^nd run 3^rd run

Class JA1 [up to 1400cc, 2wd, modified production]

1. Noel Golding Snr. Suzuki Swift 2.17.22 2.16.125 2.15.64

2. Barrington Golding Suzuki Swift 2.21.94 2.23.56 2.20.095

Class JA2. [1401-1600cc, 2wd, modified production]

1. Tarik Minott Toyota Starlet 2.07.81 2.05.95 2.04.425

2. Rajendra Jadusingh Mitsubishi Mirage RS 2.10.52 2.04.985 2.06.855

3. Julian Gordon Mitsubishi Mirage RS 2.21.09 2.11.385 2.08.485

4. Alan Chen Toyota Starlet 2.09.955 2.08.360 2.08.655

5. Dion Gardner Mitsubishi Mirage RS 2.19.735 2.11.42 2.14.66

6. David Anderson Mitsubishi Mirage RS 2.20.115 2.17.845 2.26.695

7. Gary Ellis Toyota Starlet 2.20.980 DNS DNS

8. Oniel Myers Toyota Starlet 2.22.70 DNS DNS

9. Michael Delfosse Isuzu Gemini 2.46.205 2.29.495 2.28.925

10. Michelle Delfosse Isuzu Gemini DNF 2.35.86 2.39.03

Class JA3. [1601-2000cc, 2wd, modified production]

1. Pernell Fitz-Coy Toyota Starlet 2.10.765 2.14.455 2.08.875

2. Bobby Marshal Mitsubishi Mirage RS 2.21.385 2.09.60 DNF

3. Freddy Chin VW Golf 2.15.72 2.13.515 2.14.02

4. Andy Williams Honda Civic CRX DNF 2.14.94 2.14.285

5. Dean Corrodus Toyota Starlet 2.16.50 DNF 2.14.30

6. Rohan Clarke Nissan Pulsar 2.19.735 2.14.345 2.15.91

7. Alejo Lee Honda Civic CRX 2.19.970 2.14.81 DNS

8. Marc Carey Nissan Pulsar 2.16.860 2.18.09 2.16.685

9. Tanee Green Seat Ibiza 2.59.065 DNF 2.54.08

Class JN3 [1601-2000cc, 2wd, standard production]

1. Warren Lamey Hyundai Coupe 2.36.70 2.35.65 2.34.960

2. Marcia Dawes Hyundai Coupe 2.47.41 2.44.14 2.43.47

Class JA 4 [over 2001cc, 2wd, modified production]

1. Ferdinand Anderson Mitsubishi Mirage 2.07.78 DNS 2.04.915

2. Martin Anderson Mitsubishi Lancer GS 2.12.215 2.09.405 2.06.965

3. Thomas Hall Toyota Starlet GT 2.18.325 2.11.69 2.07.02

4. Andre Anderson Mitsubishi Lancer GS 2.11.69 DNF 2.07.705

5. Peter Forbes Mitsubishi Mirage 2.17.605 2.13.91 2.12.405

Class JA7 [up to 3000cc, 4wd, forced induction, restricted]

1. Noel Golding Jr. Suzuki Cultus 2.07.16 2.05.81 2.05.575

Class JN8 [over 3001cc, 4wd, forced induction, 32mm restrictor, standard production]

1. Junior Barnes Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 5 2.04.185 2.05.655 2.02.75

2. Haresh Ramchandani Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 2.11.955 2.09.083 2.08.84

Class JA8 [over 3001cc, 4wd, forced induction, 34mm restrictor, modified production]

1. Daryl King Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ 2.05.71 2.05.405 1.57.195

2. Andrew Lee Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ 2.03.36 2.02.675 2.01.465

Class JC1 [open class, 2wd or 4wd, up to 3000cc]

1. Tedroy Burton Honda Civic 2.02.415 DNS 1.58.905

2. Xavier Murray Honda Civic DNS 2.03.125 2.02.48

3. Jeremy Groves Toyota Starlet 2.04.755 2.08.845 2.02.66

4. William Worton Dodge Avenger 2.11.735 2.04.455 2.04.78

5. Doug Gore Toyota Corolla FX 2.09.545 2.08.015 2.05.50

6. Steven Sirgany Dodge Avenger 2.09.405 2.07.455 2.10.465

7. Al Siddique Alie Toyota Corolla DX 2.25.985 2.21.595 2.21.28

Fastest Overall
Daryl King Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ 1.57.195

Fastest 2wd
Teddy Burton Honda Civic 1.58.905

Championship run 3 laps
1. Junior Barnes Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 5 2.59.015

2. Xavier Murray Honda Civic 2.59.765

3. Willie Worton Dodge Avenger 3.00.050

4. Tarik Minott Toyota Starlet 3.02.045

5. Ferdinand Anderson Mitsubishi Mirage 3.02.42

6. Noel Golding Jr. Suzuki Cultus 3.03.03

7. Teddy Burton Honda Civic 3.11.695

8. Rajendra Jadusingh Mitsubishi Mirage RS 3.16.295

9. Andrew King Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ DNF

10. Daryl King Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 ½ DNS

DNS= Did not start

DNF= Did not finish