The 2009 Motorsports season kicked off today with the Jamaica Karting Association’s Meet #1 at the Palisadoes International Raceway. The Race Jamaica team will be covering all the motorsports news beginning with this, the first meet of the year.
Despite bleak economic outlooks, the 2009 motorsports season looks to be one of the best in years. With renewed efforts from all the Motorsports organizers, this year’s events are being planned more intensely to maximize on entertainment and reduce costs. Look out for the return of several popular drivers such as “Fattaz” on the rally scene and Jeffrey Panton at Dover. Not to mention some well prepared rookies who are going all out for the rally dirt season later in the year.
There will be new events as well, such as the return of “Mug” rallies, where street cars will compete against each other legally on public roads, traversing challenging courses set by the organizers. This event is aimed at training rookies in the art of rally navigation.
The dexterity season is not to be left out either as new prizes and surprises will be used in the 10 events for the year. Specifically the JMMC series will give the chance to compete against Chris “Teach” Mcfarlane for prizes. Expect new venues and new approaches from organizers.
Drag racing is also going to be big this year, following in the footsteps of the “neva satisfied” crew last year, organizers are planning at least 4 events for the year which will be action packed especially with the debut of new, 10 second and under (fast) cars. Last year Jamwest, which is the only local drag strip in operation, had issues with timing equipment, but they have sorted out the bugs as well as improved the facility and are race ready!
Overseas, we are looking to send strong teams to Rally Trinidad and Barbados. Already our friends across the Caribbean are upgrading to help with their defense, but the Jamaican attack has already been planned and is in action. Look for big news and upsets from the regional international rallies this year!
Jamaican drivers Jeffrey Panton – a former winner in Barbados – and Bobby Marshall have each won free shipping and free entry to Sol Rally Barbados 2009 after finishing the recently-contested Rally Jamaica (December 5-7) as the highest-placed local crews in the four-wheel-drive and two-wheel-drive categories.
The awards were presented at the Rally Jamaica Prizegiving at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston by Jeanne Crawford, on behalf of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Sol RB09 executive committee chairman Barry Gale. On her return to Barbados, Crawford noted: “The recipients were very pleased, as were the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) committee; offering these prizes helps to further strengthen the already close links between our two events.”
Gale added: “Using Rally Jamaica to kick-start the regional promotion for next year’s 20th running of our premier event was a great success. I have spoken by e-mail to Jeff Panton, who is already talking about his plans for Sol RB09, and I also know that Bobby Marshall intends to take advantage of his prize.
“With the other interest that was shown by a broad range of competitors while we were in Kingston, all in all, I expect 2009 to be a very good year for Jamaican representation in Sol Rally Barbados.”
Victory in Rally Jamaica 2008 was Panton’s sixth in the event’s 18-year history, and the first in his recently-acquired Automotive Art/Bearings & Seals/Automoto/Jamaica Freight & Shipping Co/Seaboard/Castrol/Barcode/
Active Traders/Maxxis Tires ex-works Ford Focus WRC, in which Colin McRae won the Cyprus Rally in 2001 and the Acropolis in 2002; it was also the second for co-driver Mike Fennell Jnr, who won the inaugural event in 1991 with Clinton McGann in a Mazda 323.
Panton was the first Jamaican driver to finish on the podium in Barbados, claiming second place in his first Toyota Celica GT4 in 1994 (co-driven by Rene McDaniel) and again in 1996 (Rudi Meikle); his victory in 1998, by then with John de Mercado as co-driver, was the first for a regional driver. Jamaica had to wait until 2006 before winning again, thanks this time to Gary Gregg and Hugh Hutchinson in their ex-Carlos Sainz Focus, a sister car to Panton’s.
Marshall finished 11th overall in Rally Jamaica 2008, winner of the JA3 category and highest-placed Jamaican two-wheel-drive finisher, co-driven by Carlington Brissett in the Motor Sales & Service Ltd/Ocean Spray/TGI Fridays/Singer/Auto Source/PPG/Budget Car Rentals/Deryck A Gibson Ltd/Tru-Juice Mitsubishi Mirage.
This was a repeat of their result in 2007, when Marshall was also the JMMC 2wd Driver’s Champion and JA3 Driver’s Champion; in Rally Jamaica the previous two years, with his former co-driver Thomas Hall, Marshall had finished 18th overall and second in JA3 (2006), then 13th overall, third in JA3 (2005).
Although 2009 will be Marshall’s debut as a competitor in Barbados, it will not be his first experience outside Jamaica, as he has rallied in Trinidad; he finished 11th overall and second in Class 2-3 in Rally Trinidad in March this year, then third overall and Class 2-3 winner in Rally Trinidad Preysal in April.
Sol Rally Barbados 2009 (May 30/31) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; both events are rounds of the Virgin Atlantic BRC RallySport Championship.
The FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has announced further technical details of the future World Rally Car.
After meeting today in Monaco, the council reconfirmed that the 2010 World Rally Car will be based on an S2000 specification car.
However, the scope of the removable performance kit, already adopted by the WMSC to bring the car to WRC specification, has been redefined – with no electronic benefits, or similar upgrades, allowed on cost grounds.
Instead, the WRC kit is believed to be limited to a turbo, revised inlet and exhaust manifolds, a quicker gearshift mechanism (with steering wheel paddle shift) and an aero package consisting of a rear wing and front spoiler. The bolt-on kit will cost under 30.000 Euros and should give the cars an extra 50bhp.
The WMSC also decided that the new S2000-based World Rally Car will only be permitted for use on World Rally Championship events, and that the P-WRC will remain open to Group N cars, including the existing S2000 car.
The FIA also revealed that it is in exclusive negotiations with Ralliart Italy to supply and service Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution cars for the Pirelli Star Drivers to contest the designated 2009 and 2010 FIA World Rally Championship events.
After a grueling 3 day rally Jeffrey Panton and co-driver Mike Fennel Jr. have won Rally Jamaica 2008. The rally was very challenging for all involved with many cars falling out due to damage. Jeffrey had two main challengers, Gary Gregg and Paul Bourne. It was a long journey. On day 2 of the rally, Bajan favourite Paul Bourne reportedly had blown his engine and was out, which almost secured the rally for a Jamaican win. The Mexicans in their Peugeot 206 WRC were still in contention, however Richie Rerrie in his Group A WRX was keeping them at bay, posting WRC times in an “inferior” vehicle. Jeffrey was also having his own engine problems, caused by a loose alternator bolt, and arrived eight minutes late to time check, which resulted in an 80 second penalty. This basically handed Gary Gregg the win if he could keep on pace and had no problems. Jeffrey was seen blazing the stages trying to make up on time, but at the beginning of day 3, he was still behind by nearly two minutes. As if by a stroke of luck, on the penultimate stage of the rally, Gary Gregg’s car had engine problems, costing him 6 minutes and handing the win to Jeffrey.
RaceJamaica.com would just like to congratulate Jeffrey Panton, Mike Fennel Jr. and all of Panton Motorsports on their win of Rally Jamaica 2008 beating four other WRC cars and keeping the trophy in Jamaica!
How is it that a race gas drinking, antilag popping, four wheel drive, turbocharged, competition destroying Mitsubishi Evolution 5 can be called Bubbles? Ask Natasha Chang. At Motor Sales and Service yesterday, Jamaica’s Mitsubishi dealer, Natasha launched her new rally car which will be competing in Rally Jamaica ’08. The car with it’s super yellow paint and red decals can be spotted a mile away and for good reason. Guy Fraser, Natasha’s Co-driver, explained yesterday that even though she is a rookie in her class, her driving style is almost spot on. Natasha will be racing “Bubbles” in JN8, a group for close to factory spec turbocharged four wheel drive cars. The class is notoriously competitive since engine modifications are not allowed, giving everyone an almost equal playing field. You can look for Natasha on the different rally stages this weekend at Rally Jamaica, beginning this Friday.
Earlier today Race Jamaica Photographers took some spy shots of what is rumoured to be Leslie “Fattaz” Madden’s new rally car.
For those of you who do not know, Fattaz is a popular Jamaican rally driver who destroyed his previous rally car in 2006 during a rally. Ever since then his return has been eagerly anticipated, with hopes of WRC livery.
His new rally car is a GD Chassis Subaru WRX STI, and word from his mechanic is that it is being built to World Rally Championship Spec. See pics below, no word yet on if this car will be ready for Rally Jamaica this weekend, but we sure hope it will be!
