Chet Singh, the Perfectionist

Nov 01, 2009 Sports

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By Rawle Welch

Engaging in a conversation with local Group 2A motor racing champion Chet Singh is like talking to a consummate professional.
Singh, whose passion for the sport goes beyond skin deep, said ever since he was young, he had a stirring interest in racing and would attend ever Race Meeting and it was not simply to watch the day’s activities, but he developed a special interest in learning all the intricacies associated with the sport.
“When I was much older I became involved in street racing and this was unknown to my father, who eventually found out immediately instituted a ban on me,” Singh told fast Lane Magazine.
He said as he got older, the decision to continue was his and he resumed his drag race exploits, but that would last until he got married.
“The new ‘Sherriff’ in town, referring to his wife, emphatically told me that there would be ‘no more drag racing’ and that was when I decided to enter into the more organised circuit racing, at the South Dakota Circuit,” Singh disclosed.
He pointed out that at first the local motor racing authority had made drag racing official at the Circuit and he completely dominated proceedings in his naturally aspirated Honda Integra 1800cc, during which time he managed to defeat three of the fastest cars.
“They were Mitsubishi Evolution VI including one driven by Edward Vieira and that performance gave me the confidence to enter into circuit racing in 2005,” Singh said.
The local racer, who is a triple-times group champion, added that another factor that hastened his decision to get into circuit racing was when Cyril Angoy stated that due to some drivers’ incompetence, he would have to ban drag racing and being a lover of the sport that left him no other choice, but to gravitate to the more organised format.
Singh informed that in his first Meeting in 2006, he won all three races and that set the stage for more outstanding performances which have seen him reign until now, grabbing the top accolades in 07’ and 08’ and will be going into this weekend’s showdown as the hunted.
Tough Road
Commenting on his illustrious career, the bespectacled speedster said that it was tough at the start, stating that there was no one willing to share knowledge with you, everything that he learnt was off his own more or less.
“I had no one to tell me how to take the turns at various sections of the track, so it was a very tough road to travel at first.
Then there was the added problem of how much money there was to expend on mechanics and spare parts because as you fully know without adequate sponsorship, this sport could soak up all the little money that you have” he acknowledged.
Singh spearheads all the preparatory work that is done his own car as well as his brothers Richard and Raj, who both compete as part of cutting the enormous cost associated with getting ready for a Race Meet.
According to him that includes building their own engines, adding that what it has done is give them the opportunity to know exactly what has been installed and what other modifications are required.
“I’ve always been somewhat of a perfectionist and motor racing has provided me with the chance to display that special characteristic.”
He made special mention of Chief Mechanic Mark Barker, who he described as a valuable asset to the team, offering that nothing substantial could be accomplished in the sport without a good team.
What the sport has done for him-
“First of all, it has become the focus of my life, it is not just racing for me, and it has given me the drive to achieve what ever I set out to accomplish.
You just have to apply the same amount of discipline that is required on the track into your life because you are forced to deal with situations that may suddenly arise and it is through the application of such discipline that could determine whether you fail or succeed,” Singh noted.
The state of racing-
“Racing has become more competitive than ever, guys are spending more money right now on preparations like never before and even though it could create some amount of disparity, it shows that the competitors and managers of the sport are not taking the one most important ingredient that keeps it alive, that is the spectators, for granted.
It has also become more demanding in skills because most of the machines are on par and that means the difference could be in driver skills,” he felt.
Who are his biggest rivals?-
“I would have to say Syed Hassan, Jad Rahaman, Shiraz Roshandin and Barbadian Kenrick ‘Snappa’ Husbands are the ones to watch, but because our group is so heavily subscribed and everyone preparing to the hilt, underestimating anyone on the grid could be to your own peril.
However, having said that, I’m extremely confident in my ability and the reliability of the car and having broken the 41 seconds barrier, they will have to come good to dethrone me.
Syed and Shiraz are both good racers and Jad is exceptional and very experienced, so they are the ones that I will have to keep a keen eye on,” Singh quipped.
What the future holds for the sport-
“I would like to see the focus change in the Caribbean Series to include all categories. The Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) should evolve to the level where all the other groups could vie for top honours and to my mind this is where the future of the sport lies.
Sometimes it is more difficult to drive cars in these lower categories; it is unlike those in the Group 4 division which are specifically built for racing.” He added that here are also some very talented rookies out there and with them the sport has a bright future.
The computer games, according to Singh, are helping them to develop the skills and dexterity of the young drivers.

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