GMR&SC releases tentative calendar

Jan 03, 2020 Sports

By Calvin Chapman

The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC), as has been customary throughout recent years, will begin the local racing calendar with round one of the Endurance championship on January 26th at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Adrian Fernandes (211) speeds down the homestretch during Endurance meet round 1 last year March at South Dakota.

The full details of this year’s Endurance series have not been released by the GMR&SC but late last year it was being mooted for the race to be at least four hours long to test the mettle of the local speedsters as some challenged the level of difficulty in racing for just two-three hours.
Drivers and mechanics alike are getting themselves in order for the battle of durability and all eyes will be on multiple-times overall champion, Adrian Fernandes, of Team Ramchand Wreckers.
Last season, the Endurance championship only had two rounds instead of three due to different circumstances. Round one revved off on March 3 and the event was threatened to be washed out and after five hours of precipitation, the relentless sunshine experienced in the ‘highlands’ dried the track and it was business as usual.
On March 3, 2019, Fernandes tallied 78 laps to narrowly defeat Sean Bacchus who finished with 77 laps, both in 1600cc and overall brackets in the two-hour long drive. The overall results during last year’s competition appeared to be controversial in the eyes of some of the competitors and it was heavily protested before the final consensus was reached.

The highly anticipated International circuit races is set for November 8.

During round one action, the unlimited class was won by Romeo Singh (72 laps) but Motilall Deodass (59 laps) surprisingly finished second ahead of Shan Seejattan. Deodass’ Motor Trend sponsored Starlet encountered problems from the start of the race so he had to race at a decelerated pace throughout the event.
Mohamed Ali (33 laps) was the best driver in the 2000cc class, while Roshan Ali (20 laps) finished second followed by Rafeek Khan in third with 19 laps.
In the 1500cc class, Narendra Mangar (73 laps) won followed by Richard Hamid (70) in second place and Mark Wong (69) in third.
Round two of the championship that was contested on April 28, 2019, was highlighted once again by the dominance of Team Wreckers. Fernandes, who had a much smoother race, followed up his win in that season’s opener with another top performance, registering a superior 81 laps in round two’s three-hour race, behind the wheel of his Gillette sponsored Toyota Levin motorcar.

Bikers will be very involved in the circuit and drag race events in 2020.

Fernandes’ teammate, Anand Ramchand, won the 2000cc class while coming in fourth overall with 72 laps. The 1500cc class was won by Reeyaz and Richard Hamid who completed the race with 71 laps.
Motor Trend’s Deodass was slow and steady to finish the Unlimited class with the most laps; 53.
Seejattan, who registered the fastest lap of day (1 minute 21 seconds), did not finish the race and only completed a meager 17 laps in the unlimited class.
The team of Azaad Hassan and Davin Panday who missed round one, finished second overall and second in the 1600cc class with 79 laps.
Meanwhile, Dawolu Harper in his Kinshasa Bakery sponsored Toyota Starlet was 3rd in the 1600cc and overall category with 77 laps. In round one, he also placed 3rd with an identical 77 laps completed.
Following this January 26th meet, the tentative schedule has the National Race of Champions Circuit showing set for February 16th, while the drag championship boosts off on March 15.

The GMR&SC’s drag championship is set to rev off on March 15th.

Circuit racing returns on July on the 5th with August 16th being the highly anticipated international drag racing meet.
Round two of the Endurance Championship is set for September 13 with the last round of Drag racing set for October 4th.
The highly anticipated International Circuit-racing event is set for November 8. The GMR&SC strongly indicated that each date may be adjusted to ensure all systems are in place for the successful hosting of events.