Reigning champion Stephen Vieira poses with his 2008 Suzuki CSZR 600cc motor bike shortly before leaving for a practice session yesterday.
Reigning motor bike champion Stephen ‘Valentino Rossi’ Vieira is leaving nothing to chance leading up to Sunday’s Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club ‘Race of Champions’ Meeting, at the South Dakota Circuit.
Vieira, who allowed Kaieteur Sport a brief interview shortly before leaving for a practice session yesterday revealed that it is important he give a good showing at the upcoming Meet which according to him is two-fold.
“Apart from attempting to maintain my dominance on the local circuit, I’m also using the event to prepare for the second leg of the Caribbean Series scheduled for Barbados in September so what I do on Sunday will tell me everything I need to know about the performance of the bike and what shape I’m in,” he mentioned.
Vieira, who pilots a 2008 Suzuki CSXR 600cc bike told this newspaper that he is now trying to get a feel of the bike, revealing that it is somewhat new to him and the handling and breaking aspects are a bit unfamiliar to him, but expressed confidence that he will get it right before race day.
“At the last Meeting I got the bike just around two days before race day so I was not allowed sufficient time to get to really understand the bike, but I’m hoping for a much longer breaking in period this time around, especially with the Barbados competition so near,” Vieira stated.
Asked who some of the riders to watch are, he mentioned Maurice Menezes, Carlos Rodrigues and Gregory Lopes as among the top contenders.
Meanwhile, Vieira expressed thanks to his sponsors Gizmos & Gadgets and GT&T Cellink Plus, companies who he mentioned has stood in partnership with him over the years.