JamWest meet next Sunday - Gore, Rae to tangle on fast track

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Doug Gore's spanking new-look Audi TT is back in the island and will be on the track next Sunday at the JamWest Speedway in Little London, Westmoreland. In what is expected to be an exciting showdown, Gore will renew his rivalry with Peter 'Zoom Zoom' Rae and his speedy Mazda RX7.

This is the first time the Audi and RX7 will meet since a high-profile incident nine months ago at the Dover Raceway, St Ann. The Audi, which came out much the worse from the encounter, was badly damaged and shipped off to Germany for major repairs. Now it is back to test the 1.8-mile long circuit course, located in the farming community of Old Hope.

"I am coming to shatter the record," a very confident Gore told Automotives on Thursday.

Hungry for action

Hungry for action, Gore said the engineers in Germany have effected some major repairs to the Audi. "The engineers have put in a lot of time and effort. They have even looked at the other competitors and the type cars they compete with. This was in order to prepare the Audi so it can be unbeatable," boasted Gore.

He believes his main competition will come from Rae and Jeffrey Panton, the man who won Rally Jamaica 2012 last December with a WRC car.

However, Gore may have to wait a bit longer to test Panton's mettle. "I am not 100 per cent sure if I will be competing yet," said Panton, responding to questions surrounding his return to circuit racing.

Meanwhile Peter Rae, who is attending the Florida Winter Tour go-kart meet, said he is coming to thrill the fans. "This is a meet worth not missing. Zoom Zoom will be there in all his glory to entertain fans from the west," Rae said.

The JamWest meet is being hosted by the Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) and, according to newly elected president Christopher 'Teach' McFarlane, this is a test for the club. "If it does live up to the billing, then we could have a double-circuit championship this year," McFarlane said.

He said the JRDC was approached to stage the event. "Come next Sunday, we will be having a similar programme to Dover - Modified Production, Improved Production, Thundersport classes and street car races," McFarlane said.