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Founding member and decorated racer Pat Holder honoured by GMRSC
Patrick Holder, one of the founding members of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMRSC), has expressed delight in the gesture of the current
Pat Holder poses at one of his trophy cabinets at his home which has accolades that are over 50-years-old.
administration of the club to fulfill the wishes of former President John Carpenter to have the club house at the South Dakota Circuit at Timehri named in his honour. After the decree three years ago, the GMRSC had painted over the facility which is done yearly and renamed it boldly after one of their living founding members, Holder, who has contributed immensely to not only motor racing, but sports in general in Guyana. The current President of the GMRSC confirmed the gesture.
The 83-year-old Holder, a decorated veteran cyclist, motorcyclist and powerboat racer, grew up in Queenstown, the same area as Guyana’s current President, retired Brigadier General David Granger, who is currently 72-years-old.
In cycling, Holder shared with Kaieteur Sport that he was the first Guyanese to compete in Suriname when he rode in an 85 mile race there in 1949 at the young age of 15 years. By then, he was the under-16 cycling champion of British Guiana, the former British Cycling Club athlete stated.
In motorbike racing, he competed in the 250cc and 350cc classes and although he was never an overall champion, he had his fair share of victories. Other contributions by Pat Holder, the owner of Auto Electric (automobile company) to the motor racing, besides competitively and administratively, is the fact that his company was the first to introduce the Ducati and Yamaha brands of motorcycles.
After successes in motorbike racing, he tried boat racing in 1960 on a whim after acquiring a 40HP engine at a good price. Holder explained his initial success at boat racing was very lucky. “I’ve lived a very lucky life. Here I was at the Bartica regatta, knowing very little about boats, lost all the races I competed in during the day while toppling over in a couple and had decided that the sport wasn’t for me.” But, after a few drinks and with encouragement from his friends, he entered the final and biggest race of the day and won by a long shot. “So now after losing all day, one victory in a big race made me into a motor racing champion and it was all over the news”, stated GMRSC founding member.
Pat Holder posited that the formative years of the GMRSC witnessed in the 1950’s drag races at the 63 beach every Easter, while meetings were usually held at rum shops and at houses of members. (Calvin Chapman)
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