GMR&SC's November 2 2008 Int meet

Report and Photos from the GMR&SC's International/Caribbean Race of Champions November 2nd 2008, South Dakota Circuit

The main sponsors of the November 2nd 2008 International Race of Champions are GT&T Cellink Plus, Sunburst Orange Juice & CARIB Beer

The war raged non stop on Sunday November 2nd 2008 as the final round of the 2008 Caribbean Motor Racing Championship got underway at the South Dakota Circuit in Guyana. The best cars and drivers of the Caribbean came together to put on an action packed show that will be remembered for a long time to come. By the time the dust had settled, Stuart Maloney of Barbados was walking on cloud nine having been crowned the 2008 Caribbean Motor Racing Champion. With five solid victories to his credit, Stuart Maloney had done enough to clinch this coveted prize putting him in a small group of former champions that only include David Summerbell and Doug Gore of Jamaica.

David Summerbell won the final of the CMRC races and placed second in the other two. In the second CMRC race, he powered his way to a new South Dakota Circuit lap record breaking Andrew King's 35.4 lap record by a split second.

Jamaica was deemed the Champion Country in the 2008 Caribbean Motor Racing Championship.

Local speed ace Andrew King again had his share of fuel problems even after buying a spanking new fuel injection system for his tube frame Mazda RX7. With very little factory information and assistance to map this new application, his team of mechanics were forced to abandon it with just a few day left to the November 2nd meet and revert to the troublesome system he had on previously. Unfortunately their problems continued through race day.

GP4 speed ace Mark Vieira barely managed to get his newly acquired tube frame Mazda RX8 to South Dakota the day before the official start of Nov 2nd race meeting, not enough time to sort out the suspension and motor of this new machine.

In the local events, Ryan Rahaman returned to GP2B with his Ford Escort and dominated all three races, he also competed in GP3 this time with his Turbo Charged Ford Sierra and won all three of those races as well.

Chet Singh outran the competition with two solid victories in GP2A to become the GP2A champion driver. Barbados's Kenrick Husbands surprised the field when he won the fist race and placed second in the two other races for this extremely competitive class.

Two of the three Rookie races were won by Shan Seejattan with Anand Ramchand picking up the other victory.

Charley Henry won the first of the two lightweight motorcycles races. This first race which was started on a very wet slippery track saw a number of riders falling in the clubhouse corner. Henry managed to keep his KTM125 upright and picked up the checkered flag after a very determined effort. Ravi Singh rode brilliantly to pick up the checkered flag in the final lightweight event.

In the big bike showdown, Canadian Kevin Graham proved once more that his superb riding style was too much for the local speedsters to handle, winning the first race and placing third in the other 600cc event giving him enough points to be declared the 600cc champ of the day over closest rival Stephen Vieira.

In the Shiftier 125cc Go-kart class, Stanley Ming snatched the first checkered flag and placed second in the other event and in the process picked up the 125cc Shifter Kart Champion Driver's trophy. Shane Ally won won the second Shifter Kart event.

Race results:
Race 1 (Group 2A)- 1st Kenrick Husbands (B/dos), 2nd Chet Singh, 3rd Keron Rodrigues
Race 2 (125cc)- 1st Charlie Henry, 2nd Vassie Barry, 3rd Ravi Singh
Race 3 (Rookies)- 1st Romeo Singh, 2nd Dawolu Harper, 3rd Vinu Sawh
Race 4 (Group 2B)- 1st Ryan Rahaman, 2nd Gavin Gouveia, 3rd Kurt Thompson
Race 5 (Group 3)- 1st Ryan Rahaman, 2nd Tanko Babolall, 3rd Ravi Singh
Race 6 (Group 2A)- Chet Singh, 2nd Kenrick Husbands, 3rd Keron Rodrigues
Race 7 (Rookies)- 1st Shan Seejattan, 2nd Anand Ramchand, 3rd Romeo Singh
Race 8 (Super Bikes)- 1st Kevin Graham, 2nd Gregory Lopes, 3rd Stephen Vieira
Race 9 (Go-Karts)- 1st Stanley Ming, 2nd Steve Van Dyke, 3rd Shane Ally
Race 10 (CMRC Group 4)- 1st Stuart Maloney, 2nd Doug Gore, 3rd David Summerbell
Race 11 (Local Group 4)- 1st Paul Vieira
Race 12 (Group 2B)- 1st Ryan Rahaman, 2nd Gavin Gouveia, 3rd Oliver Tjin Lip Shie
Race 13 (Group 3)- 1st Ryan Rahaman, 2nd Ravi Singh, 3rd Kem Lall
Race 14 (Super Bikes)- 1st Kevin Graham, 2nd Stephen Vieira, 3rd Mark Meneze
Race 15 (125cc)- 1st Ravi Singh, 2nd Charley Henry, 3rd Vassy Barry
Race 16 (Go-Karts)- 1st Shane Ally, 2nd Stanley Ming, 3rd Jerry Max Gouveia
Race 17 (CMRC Group 4)- 1st Stuart Maloney, 2nd David Summerbell, 3rd Guy Fraser
Race 18 (Local Group 4)- Paul Vieira, 2nd Andrew Morgan
Race 19 (Group 2A)- 1st Chet Singh, 2nd Kenrick Husbands, 3rd John Joseph
Race 20 (Rookies)- 1st Romeo Singh, 2nd Shan Shewjattan, 3rd Anand Ramchand
Race 21 (Group 2B)- 1st Ryan Rahaman, 2nd Gavin Gouveia, 3rd Kurt Thompson
Race 22 (CMRC GP4)- 1st David Summerbell, 2nd Kevin Jeffrey, 3rd Guy Fraser
Race 23 (Local Group 4)- 1st Paul Vieira, 2nd Andrew Morgan


Part of the impressive lineup of race cars and bikes on hand at the South Dakota Circuit

				President of GMR&SC Vishok Persaud escorts Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on his meet the drivers walk

		Minister of Sport Frank Anthony greets CAMS's member Jag Singh and Rupie Shewjattan	The official lap of honour	Start of the first GP2A race

Kenrick Husbands leads off the line	And led all of the laps until the checkered flag was waved at him		Kenrick Husbands of Barbados about to head off on his GP2A victory lap	Team Barbados's manager Kurt Seabra congratulates his winner

Lightweight race 1	Charley Henry survived a very wet slippery track won the first lightweight race	Start of the first Rookie race	You can see how wet it was

camera guys trying to keep the cameras dry				Soren Griffith having his share of handling problems

last lap board shown to race leader Anand Ramchand	Shan Seejattan fights back with just a few corners to go	Shan Seejattan takes over the lead as they head to the checkered flag	Shan Seejattan gets the checkered flag	Rookie cars heading back into the paddock area

Start of the first GP2B event. Sean Tenpow on pole	Ryan Rahaman waste no time in taking over the lead	Ryan with a solid advantage		No one was in the mood to give up any ground easily

no chance of catching the JR Burger Escort	checkered flag for Ryan Rahaman	Ryan Rahaman on victory lap	Start of the first GP3 race. Ryan Rahaman is on pole	Start of the first GP3 race. Ryan Rahaman is on pole

The TLS pace car takes control of this GP3 race	The TLS pace car pulls off with Ryan Rahaman grabbing an early lead		The piston powered Ford Sierra of Ryan Rahaman leads a pack of hungry rotaries

		Tanko leads Seebarran	Raj Boodhoo showing the rotaries who is boss with his turbo charged Civic	Seebarran controls the second pack at this point

Ryan is way out in front	Raj Boodhoo regains his second spot on Seebarran and Tanko	Mazda to Mazda Seebarran and Tanko	Raj loses control in the Clubhouse corner	Ryan Rahaman gets the checkered flag

		Fans of Andrew King showing their support	Gem Nascimento chats with the World's number one track chaser Randy Lewis and Mrs. Lewis	First attempt to start the first CMRC GP4 race on a very wet track

David Summerbell changing his tires	This is how wet it was	And they are all out and following the TLS pace car

David Summerbell started his day on pole position		David Summerbell got the hole shot	Stuart Maloney attacks early

Gore, Vieira, Campbell and Gonsalves		Stuart Maloney took the lead and opened an early advantage

	Stuart Maloney lays a brutal assault on the rest of the field	Stuart Williams fights off Paul and Mark Vieira. Mark's bumper is in trouble		Paul Vieira attempts to pass Stuart Williams

Collection of shots showing the Paul Vieira. Kevin Jeffrey incident	This amazing series of photos tell the tale of the tape

I took these shots using Harold Hopkinson's Nikon D300, what an amazing camera



	Attempt to restart race the 1st CC race but the rain came down in it's glory and the cars returned to the paddocks right after this	Team Fast Lane Magazine. Mensah Fox, Lokesh Singh and Donald Brower	A wild start to one of the GP2A events was also red flagged	Restart of the first CC GP4 race. War in the rear of the pack, Stuart Maloney out of pic leads

Rear pack action	Wider shot show the entire pack with Stuart in the lead		Back runners having their own war	Maloney out of pic, Summerbell in 2nd spot

Gore tackles Summerbell	Mark Maloney and Guy Fraser	Chris Campbell and Kevin Jeffrey	Stuart Williams, Ryan Gonsalves and Andrew Morgan	Collection of pics

Series of photos showing the accident with Andrew Morgan of Guyana and Ryan Gonsalves of ST Vincent

More photos showing the accident with Andrew Morgan and Ryan Gonsalves				Stuart Maloney leads with a massive margin

			Guy Fraser and Mark Maloney in a war of their own	Guy outruns Mark to turn two

GMR&SC president Vishok Persaud and Jamaica's manager Hilary Jardine watches on as Stuart Maloney demolishes the competition			Not a soul in sight, wow	Gore in 3rd, Andrew King in 4th

	KJ, MM, DM		Summerbell & Gore	Summerbell on the outside, Gore on the inside driving side by side thought the clubhouse corner

	Summerbell and Gore still at war in turn 2	Stuart Maloney lapping slower cars		MM & DM, father and son at war

Checkered flag for Stuart Maloney.	The "baddest" man in the Caribbean Stuart Maloney	Stuart Maloney on his much deserved victory lap	Start of another GP2B race	Tight racing, Kemal Rahaman tries to squeeze through

		Ruddi Beekee of T&T losing control in the clubhouse corner	Ryan Rahaman gets the checkered flag	Ryan Rahaman on another GP2b victory lap

The President of Guyana arriving at South Dakota	Start of another GP3 war	The TLS Subaru pace car brings the pack to the start area	And they are off	Red flagged

Restart	Ryan leads	Nice solid field of race cars	It's all Ryan Rahaman at this point	Ryan is victorious, Ravi Singh of Trinidad is in second place