New Body setup to enhance regional motor racing

Mar 17, 2014 Sports

By Rawle Welch
Motor racing across the Caribbean is anticipated to experience a more professional setup following a recent arrangement which saw the creation of the Caribbean Motor Racing Association (CMRA).

Barbados’s Roger Mayers leads the pack during a race in the CMRC in Guyana.

This is according to correspondence received by Kaieteur Sport which indicated that the traditional member countries through their respective representatives have endorsed the idea of a new Body which will be responsible for organizing a four-part Series which is scheduled to commence on July 6th at the recently reconstructed Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados.
Over the past three to four years, the sport has enjoyed massive support from within and outside the diaspora and currently ranks at the top of the ladder in terms of spectator viewership, while also contributing significantly to the tourism pie in the respective countries that the regional competitions are held.
The CMRA governing body is comprised of representatives from Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad with Ray Rahaman (Guyana), Sean Maloney (Barbados), Silbourne Clarke (Jamaica) and Robert Amar (Trinidad and Tobago), being named as the designated officials for their respective local fraternities.
Kaieteur Sport speaking with Guyana’s representative on the Association Ray Rahaman said that while the format of the Series will remain similar to past years, there will be a few new stipulations, informing that countries will now have to submit qualifying information for their competitors since the new configuration will cater for a maximum number of cars on the grid.
He also mentioned that the CMRA is a non-profit organisation setup to encourage and assist competitors taking part in the Series including modified street cars (Group 2) and Superbikes and that they are not required to pay any fees to the association only to their respective clubs or Host Track Organisers if requested.
Rahaman expressed confidence that when regional corporate entities are apprised of the Association’s aims and objectives they will offer their support as was the case in the past, while adding that the major sponsor Seaboard Marine has already signaled its intention to remain on board.
“The clubs in the Caribbean have decided to unite under one umbrella and the entire traditional host countries will have the opportunity to stage their domestic Meets to arrive at their teams following qualifying sessions,” Rahaman said.
The CMRA executive disclosed that each country will have to identify a maximum of six competitors for travelling purposes in each group to compete in the Series.
He pointed out that very shortly most of the countries within the Caribbean that are usually involved in motor racing will complete construction of their tracks so 2015-16 could very well see an increase in the number of race tracks available for motor racing.
According to Rahaman, the FIA has been traversing the Region offering both financial and technical support to upgrade our tracks and safety to the governing body’s minimum of Level 3 requirements.
Barbados will be unveiling theirs in a matter of months when it stages the first round of the Series where racers and fans will be keen to experience their state of the art facilities.
Guyana also stands to benefit from the munificence of the FIA which was promised during the visit of President Jean Todt and NACAM’s president Jose Abed last year.
Rahaman revealed that all of the leading drivers and many new comers in the Caribbean including Guyanese Kevin Jeffrey, Mark Vieira, Andrew King, Paul Vieira, Ryan Rahaman; Jamaicans David Summerbell Jnr, Doug Gore, Peter Rae, Barbadians Doug Maloney, Mark Maloney, Barry Mayers, Roger Mayers among others are in support of the Association.
The CMRA 2014/15 is set to take place on 4 tracks being Barbados (6th July, 2014), Trinidad (24th Aug, 2014) Guyana (16th Nov, 2014) and Jamaica (25th May, 2015).