The Barbados Karting Association (BKA) 2005 Fru-tee Championship season opened with fanfare this Sunday as the club's McEnearney Quality-sponsored Round 1, was featured in the Barbados Motoring Federation Launch of Motor Sports 2005 that took place at the Bushy Park Racetrack.

Against a spectacle of race and rally cars from all motoring clubs, the karters were well represented by 15 starters including several who moved up in class from 2004 competition. Leading the list of graduates were Dane Skeete and Conor Roach who moved up from the 250-Lb Yamaha Sportsman restricted class to rub wheels with the fast karts in the Yamaha 310-Lb premier class, as well as Michael Lambert who migrated from the 310-Lb class by upgrading his the 100cc Yamaha motor to convert his Gold 355 kart into an ICC 125cc shifter gearbox kart.

Proudly wearing the #1 badge--an honor reserved for the reigning Champion Driver, Orry Hunte, was able to get his ADO Trading Wright kart off to a good start by winning the opening race of the 310-Lb class, however a clean sweep was not on the cards for Orry, as Conor Roach drove his #27 Gold 355 kart (right) with commitment to win the second race and finish the day third overall with 77 points. Dane Skeete also showed great promise in his upgraded #12 Citgo/Goodyear Birel by keeping Orry on his toes to finish second overall with 84 points. Dane's Father and local racing ace Roger Skeete was pleased with Dane's performance and reported "I'm quite impressed with Dane's performance bearing in mind he only benefited from one practice session in the new class."

In the 250-Lb restricted class, Jesse Kelly (right) made good his hopes of winning the class championship by taking all races in his #41 CGM/Herrs Birel to finish with 100 points ahead of the 2004 most-improved driver Scott Parkinson, in his #37 Birel who finished second with 84 points.

In the heavy category Sean Downie got the better of Alan Croney to finish in first position for the 330-Lb class with 62 points, while Croney, plagued by setup problems was only able to contest the first race.

2004 shifter-class champion Sean Maloney (right) was racing his 125cc Maranello kart for the first time since returning from the Guyana race meet last November, but the toll taken on his machinery by racing conditions in Guyana and lengthy shipping was evident as Sean was sidelined in the first and second races, but he came back strong to take third overall in class with 41 points. Brother Stuart Maloney was also beset by mechanical problems in his borrowed #19 Tracey kart, but was still able to summon his considerable driving skill to finish second overall with 65 points, behind the day's winner Ryan Gonsalves in the #4 Red Bull Tracey kart who finished with 96 points.

At he close of the day's racing, secretary of the BKA Committee of Management Alan Kelly thanked faithful championship sponsors Fru-tee for supporting the 'cradle of motor sport' for another year as well as the day's sponsors McEnearney Quality for joining the family, and encouraged everyone to return on February 27th, 2005, for the second round of BKA racing at the St. Philip racing facility.

For further coverage and championship results please visit www.barbadoskarting.com.