Conor Roach Out-Karts Dane Skeete At Pro-Auto Race Meet

At the Pro Auto Round 8 of the Barbados Karting Association (BKA) 2004 Frutee Championship held Sunday October 10, Conor Roach (right), son of ex-Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Champion Driver Derek Roach, pulled off a mini-coup by upsetting Dane Skeete, son of current Rally Barbados winner and ex-BRC Champion Roger Skeete, to win the Yamaha 250-Lb Sportsman Class of junior go-karters.

Scoring 96 points, this was the first outright win for Conor (right) and his number 27 Gold 355 go-kart-also being raced in Barbados for the first time, and comes on the heels of nine successive class-victories by Dane, who held a perfect record since Round 5 back in June, but only managed 85 points this round.

In commenting on Conor's performance, father Derek noted that Conor was very consistent all day and his lap-times fell within one-tenth of a second-even when he was well ahead of the field; he also believes Conor has shown that he belongs in the same league as Dane Skeete, Orry Hunte and Jesse Kelly, as Barbados's future champion drivers.

Recording his first podium finish was rookie Scott Parkinson, who capitalised on mechanical troubles that plagued Jessy's number 14 CGM/Herrs Birel, to take third position with 75 points.

Orry Hunte (right) continued his fine form and lead of the Yamaha 310-Lb field, by winning all races to earn a perfect 100 points; following in second position with 78 points was Michael Lambert, driving the Alan Croney number 28 Deavinson Sprint, and in third, Dane McConney, who's turn of bad luck with his number 23 Gunk/Anti Corrosion Technology Deavinson Sprint, left him to take the final podium position with 75 points.

Returning to karting after five years was rally driver Mark Thompson, who was likened to the "scare-dem crew" since the remaining 340-Lb field failed to register for the start, after Mark's menacing performance in the previous round.

The Race of the day went to the always-exiting 125-cc shifter-kart class. Leading the class after three races was Ryan Golsalves (left) with his number 4 Red Bull Tracey kart on 67 points, followed by Stuart Maloney-who was tied on 59 points with eldest brother Sean, both driving Maranellos, followed by Mark Maloney also in a Maranello, a mere 4 points behind. The heavens opened up after the second lap of the final race making steering the powerful gearbox-karts virtually impossible; this situation allowed no less that seven overtaking opportunities through the 'esses" as the drivers struggled to keep their machinery on the drenched track. In the end Stuart, who was on the receiving end for the past three rounds, earned second position overall with 80 points, getting the better of Sean, who finished third on 75, while the class was won by Golsalves with 92 points.

The junior shifters also provided some entertainment as Joseph Tingey finished first overall in the cadet-class with 75 points, followed by Justin Maloney with 60 and Orry Hunte with 22.

Round 9 of the 2004 Frutee Championship is scheduled for this Sunday October 24th, at the Bushy Park racing facility in St. Philip.