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Text: Dean Corrodus

The Montego Bay Motoring Club (MBMC) in association with JAGDYB Friendship Racing and under the auspices of the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) wrapped up the 2007 National Dexterity Championships on Sunday, November 18, when they successfully staged the Grand Finale’ Wet ‘n Slide Dexterity test at the Palisadoes International Raceway in Kingston. With the kind cooperation of the Jamaica Karting Association (JKA) for the use of their world class karting facility, the event ran incident free under the blazing sun. Unlike the 2006 local MBMC series last year, the rains never came to lend much needed cooling to both the high grip surface or the competitor’s temperatures, but the small number of spectators and drivers mostly from May Pen and Montego Bay had a great time at what was once a runway for the Norman Manley International Airport.

Cars lining up to take the start.

The event winner came as no surprise, as Maurice Whittingham seemed as always to be in a class of his own, scorching the track to post a best time of 51.21 seconds on the course laid out with a mixture of tight, twisty sections, two gates and several 360 degree instructions. By winning the rear wheel drive with limited slip differential class and scoring a maximum 150 points, Whittingham once again takes the lead of the National Rally Sport Driver’s Championship, the top title under the JMMC’s portfolio, with only one event left, Rally Jamaica 2007 to be run from December 7 to 9, to score points. Second in class was the person most likely to win a “most improved driver” award if there was one, Henry He, in his immaculate convertible Mazda RX7 in a best time of 58.47 seconds. Third was Ivan Lee in a Toyota Corolla SR5 Turbo in 58.74 seconds.

 

Whittingham doing what he does best.

The rear wheel drive class was headed by the sibling rivalry between the Munroe brothers, Shane and Omar, driving similar silver Toyota Altezzas, with Shane winning the class and the championship by posting a 59.92 second time to Omar’s 1 minute 1.81 seconds. Third in class was JAGDYB’s Keeflyn Wright in a Toyota Townace, driving the course with one hand behind his head and one hand on the steering wheel to the delight of the onlookers.

 

Shane Munroe waiting to be sent off.

 

McFarlane “rinsing out” the borrowed car.

Christopher McFarlane took a borrowed Subaru Impreza to the win of the four wheel drive class, posting a best time of 55.93 seconds to put the owner of the car, Brian Foster, in second place with a time of 1 minute 2.92 seconds. Third in class was last year’s MBMC 4wd champion Gregory Brissett in a Toyota Rav 4 in a time of 1 minute 3.94 seconds.

 

Jordan Powell finding his comfort zone in his 4 door Honda Civic sedan.

Jordan Powell returned to his class winning ways by using his preferred Honda Civic sedan to post the fastest time in that group, 55.48 seconds achieved in his 3^rd run. This pushed championship winner Joel Jackson down to second place, driving a Mazda Demio to a best time of 58.03 seconds. Third in class was event 4 class winner Dmitre Dawkins in a little Geo Metro in a time of 59.32 seconds.

 

Andy Williams’ Honda Del Sol sits on the starting line.

Andy Williams debuted his Honda Del Sol in the front wheel drive with limited slip differential class on a winning note, besting the others with a time of 58.37 seconds. Second in class was Everette Cooke in a borrowed Toyota Corolla GT (1 minute 0.75 seconds) while Ezmond Farqueharson was third in a Toyota Levin in a time of 1 minute 2.06 seconds.

The ladies class was won by Suzette Lawrence in a Honda Civic hatchback, posting a best time of 1 min. 02.64 secs. with Gina Tomlinson a scant 0.3 seconds behind her in 1 min.02.97 secs. and Gail Grimes third in 1 min.06.69secs.
The championship 2 lapper was won by Whittingham in a time of 1.44.13, second was McFarlane in 1.49.64 while Powell followed in third with 1.50.96. Joel Jackson and Andy Williams rounded out the top five.

Whittingham has thus won the Overall JMMC Dexterity Championship for 2007 with a tally of 67 points to second placed Joel Jackson on 65 points and third placed for the second year running Jordan Powell on 48 points. Whittingham has also won the Rear wheel drive with limited slip differential class with 690 points. Everette Cooke has won the Front wheel drive with limited slip differential class with 510 points, Joel Jackson is the new front wheel drive class champion having amassed a total of 670 points, Shane Munroe is the new rear wheel drive champion (390 points) while Stephen Bansie is the new four wheel drive champion (500 points). Congratulations to all the winners, thanks to all who participated in the series in whatever way whether as a driver, event worker, sponsor, patron or competitor.

Special thanks to our event management partner JAGDYB Friendship Racing and advertising partners the Wexford Hotel, Lloyd’s of Montego Bay, Dr. Luscious, The Cascade Group, The Jamaica Karting Association, Castrol Lubricants (Tropical Battery), Pimpjuice, Challenger Garage, JLC Distributors Ltd, The Pelican Restaurant and Linkz96FM.

The next event on the JMMC calendar will be the All Stages Rally Jamaica 2007 to be held from December 7 to 9, starting at the National Stadium on Friday the 7^th, Saturday the 8^th visiting the stages of Reynolds and Lydford in St Ann and Sunday the 9^th the action moves to Bog Walk and New Kingston.