News From The BKA Crane And Equipment
Round 3
Hotter than July
The temperature at the Bushy Park racing facility this past
Sunday at the Crane and Equipment Round Three of the Barbados
Karting Association (BKA) 2004 Frutee Championship, could
not be hotter than the action on the track.
Twenty karters faced the starter for the third round of the
2004 Frutee Championship and displayed what the Clerk of the
Course Winston Grecia described as the fiercest Karting round
witnessed in a long time.
With
a day marked by frequent passing and costly mistakes, female
driver Krystal Branch (right) set the tone by setting a blistering
qualifying time to take pole position and go on to win the
opening race of the in the 310 Lb Premier Class.
Krystal's fortunes changed for the worse when her kart was
sidelined by engine failure in the second race leaving the
rest of the 310 field to battle for the days honours.
When
the dust settled it was Dane McConney (right) driving the
ex-Ryan Gonsalves Championship-winning Wright Kart who seized
the moment to go on to win the three remaining races and take
first position overall with 91 points, to the delight of his
father and Barbados Rally Club veteran Philip McConney.
Orry Hunt driving the feared number 6 ADO Trading Wright
Kart was forced to settle for second overall and 81 points
after making every available attempt at passing Dane, while
Michael Lambert driving the #39 Gold 355 kart also gave a
good account in thrilling duels with Alan Maynard and Matthew
Staffner to earn third overall with 70 points.
Unstoppable
Sean
Maloney (right) was in unstoppable form as he piloted his
Italian-Made Maranello rotary-valve gearbox kart in the fiercely-competitive
125cc 'Shifter-Kart' class. Only Brett Judd's split-second
launch reaction at the start of the final race to seize the
lead and win the race prevented a clean sweep by Sean who
finished the day with 96 points followed by Brett with 85
points.
Ryan Gonsalves showed that he is coming to terms with the
wheel-to-wheel style of racing in the Shifter class and ended
the day in third position overall with 71 points even as team
manager of the St. Vincent-based Becks Motorsport, Lennox
'Becks' Gonsalves, pointed out that the team is still working
out teething problems with the new machinery.
Despite suffering from mechanical setbacks all day, sensational
challenges came from the seasoned racers Stuart and Mark Maloney
both driving Maranello karts to finish with 40 and 34 points
respectively. Commenting on the day's performance Mark Maloney
lamented the condition of the racetrack and the uncertain
future of the Bushy Park facility, but vowed to continue to
contribute to the sport.
Easy Like Sunday Morning
In
the 250 Lb Yamaha Sportsman class Dane Skeete (right) bushed
aside the field of junior karters to take all races in his
Birel kart and finish with a perfect score of 100 points.
Conor Roach driving a Gold 355 finished second overall with
84 points was able to stave off consistent challenges from
Jesse Kelly in the in the CGM/Herrs #41 Birel who ended the
day third overall with 70 points, ahead of rapidly improving
newcomer Nicholas Blades, with 68 points.
Junior Shifters
For 2004 season the Barbados Karting Association welcomed
a new class of cadet-sized gearbox karts. The class features
nine-year old Joseph Tingey and Scott Parkinson, youngest
of the Parkinson clan following in the footsteps of brothers
Christopher and Jason currently rally contenders.
The next championship round is scheduled for Sunday May 16th
at the Bushy Park racing facility.
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