Karting's Second-Season off to a Flying Start

The Alamac Trading Round 6 of the Barbados Karting Association (BKA) 2004 Frutee Championship held this Sunday past, heralded the start of the second half of the BKA 2004 racing season.

With five of the ten gruelling rounds now completed, nine karters rolled their machinery to the grid for wheel-to-wheel racing in an anti-clockwise direction.

Despite wet and windy conditions prevailing at the Bushy Park race track, Orry Hunte (right), son of veteran racing driver Don Hunte, set the fastest qualifying time in the 310-Lb Yamaha Premier class with a blistering 36.86 seconds to continue his quest for his first champion driver title.

Standing between Orry and the coveted prize is Nigel Reece (right), an ex BKA Champion Driver with a penchant for speed, who set the second fastest qualifying time; but in the end it was Orry-exploiting a distinct weight advantage over Nigel, to make clean sweep of all races and earn the maximum 100 points to keep his sights fixed on the title. Nigel finished second overall with 82 points followed by Dane McConney with a well-earned 63 points for the final podium place, despite experiencing clutch problems in his Gunk/Anti Corrosion Technology Wright kart early in the day.

With both karts in the 330-Lb Yamaha Heavy class now up to speed, the battle of the heavyweights featured Sean Downie in a self-sponsored Birel versus John Croney in the ex-Michael Lambert Deavinson Sprint. Sean pointed out at the end of the day that he favoured anti-clockwise racing, and the results cleared showed this; Sean won the 330 class with 76 points followed by John with 67 points.

The early morning showers ensured that driver mistakes would be costly. However, the 250-Lb Yamaha Sportsman class, featuring the youngest of the club's drivers aged 9 through 13 years old, displayed the most consistency as their karts finished all races. The finish order was a familiar one with Dane Skeete (right) taking first podium position in a Goodyear/Citgo sponsored Birel with 100 points, followed by a tie for second with Conor Roach in a Gold 355 and Jesse Kelly in his CGM/Herr's Birel sharing 78 points apiece.

Sean Maloney was the only driver from the 125-cc gearbox class to register for the start, and competed at the back of the 310-Lb grid to gain some valuable seat-time in his Maranello/TKM shifter-kart.

Closing the day's proceeding was Derek Roach member of the BKA Management Committee who thanked BKA sponsor Mr. Ziad Kazan of Alamac Trading, for taking time out to witness the day's proceeding and supporting the club.

Derek also wished the karters a safe an enjoyable summer break as the next 2004 Frutee Championship round is scheduled for Sunday September 19th, at the Bushy Park racing facility in St. Philip.