Daley Jr. leaves his mark at Georgetown Grand Prix Final Showdown

Dec 18, 2017 Sports

Regarded as the number one karter in the Caribbean, Collin Daley Jr. lived up to that billing on Saturday night, turning in an impressive performance to not just amaze fans but stun his opponents into subjection at the season-ending Georgetown Grand Prix Final Showdown at the GMR&SC facility in Thomas Lands.

Collin Daley Jr. on top of the podium. Kristian Jeffrey (left) and Jonathon Law complete the top three. (Akeem Thomas, Newsroom)

The 20-year-old Jamaican, competing in Guyana for the first time, displayed excellent command of the GT Motorsports track, despite arriving in the country only a day prior to the event.
Competing in the Shifter Pro Cup and 125cc Senior categories, Daley Jr. outshone all performers. Also ending the year in outstanding fashion were Jeremy Tenpow, Rayden Persaud, Jonathon Law, Raymond Baksh and Raymond Seebarran. Also enjoying a good night on the track were Darryl Timmers, Dharmendra Dharmo and Ralph Persaud.
Donning a Red Bull-branded outfit and white helmet, Daley Jr. signalled his intentions early, qualifying on pole for the Shifter Cup with a time of 30.916s, faster than Stefan Jeffrey (Guyana) 30.969s, Darryl Timmers (Canada) 31.021s, Kristian Jeffrey (Guyana) 31.254s, Orry Hunte (Barbados) 31.652s and Elliott Vieira (Guyana) 31.690s.
The highly anticipated showdown between Daley Jr. and Guyana’s top Shifter competitor Kristian Jeffrey was a bit one-sided early on with Jeffrey encountering mechanical issues. Daley Jr. also suffered a cut chain in his opening Shifter race just when he was starting to gain momentum.
Jeffrey did test the Jamaican later in the night, in the second Shifter race, which was a reverse grid, Daley Jr. started back of the pack (fifth) and worked his way up to second, just behind Jeffrey.
As the intensity grow and the gap between the two lessened, the crowd’s anticipation of a fantastic finish quickly evaporated as the Jamaican’s attempt to overtake on a turn resulted in a collision and both men spun out. A disappointing end to what was heading to be an exciting climax.
What followed however, was a commendable act of sportsmanship as both drivers rose from their karts and shook hands.
Daley Jr. ended the night with a first and a second in the 125cc Senior and a first in the Shifter Pro Cup. Jeffrey had one third in the Shifter Pro Cup, and a second and two thirds in the 125cc Senior.
Stefan Jeffrey and Darryl Timmers, who was later named champion driver, won the other two Shifter races, while Jonathon Law copped the champion driver accolade in the 125cc Senior by winning two races.
Earlier, Jeremy Tenpow won two of the Sun Burst Kids Cup 60cc races, but Nathan Rahaman was crowned champion driver with a win and two second place finishes.
Rayden Persaud, with two wins and a third, ruled the roost in the 125cc Junior, with Tommi Gore winning the other race, while Raymond Baksh made a clean sweep of the Easy Cup Rookie, and Raymond Seebarran won two of the Easy Cup Light races.
Dharmendra Dharmo won the other Easy Cup Light race and also got a third place finish. That apart, Dharmo managed a second and two third place finishes in the Easy Cup Rookie.
Ralph Persaud also had a good night, copping a third and two second place finishes in the Easy Cup Rookie, and two second places in the Easy Cup Light.