Controversy in Barbados

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

By now, most Jamaican athletes are looking forward to next year's summer Olympics in London. Similarly, the country's top circuit racers are gearing up for a big championship engagement - not in London, but in Guyana on November 6.

It may not be as huge as the Olympics, but it will be one of the biggest and prestigious events on the motorsport racing calendar for the region. The occasion will be the third and final leg of the 2011 Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC).

After a scary situation in Barbados last Sunday, where the Jamaican team of David Summerbell Jr, Peter Rae, André Anderson, George Bayley and Dean Shaw went to contest the CMRC second leg, the team returned home in a sombre mood.

Controversy is brewing over one of the races contested. According to GMRSCNews.Com: "It was madness, totally insane, very dangerous!"

These were some of the statements coming from the drivers after the third and final race of their Round Two series at Bushy Park was held under the cover of darkness.

Racers, fans in shock

Many fans and fellow drivers stood in total shock as the Caribbean's top cars took to the track for a daring final race at the Williams Digicel International Race meet.

The report stated that Summerbell Jr was visibly shaken afterwards and had to be stopped as he drove his Mitsubishi Evolution VIII down the wrong direction of the pit after the race.

Reports are that the CMRC authorities are now contemplating to rerun that race in Guyana during the final leg.

"That is a decision we are going to fight to the end and get them to reverse it," said Summerbell Jr, who is looking good at this stage to retain the regional driver's title.

"They are planning to scrap the race, but the rule says if 75 per cent of the race was completed before it was stopped, then officially it was a race," Summerbell Jr said.

Jamaica is in second position behind Barbados for the Caribbean title.