DESPITE the threat of rain from Tropical Storm Isaac’s outer bands on Saturday night, hundreds of motorsports supporters flocked ATL Automotive Limited in Bogue City, Montego Bay, St James, for Slide Life, Gymkhana Reloaded.

The event — the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club’s (JMMC) sixth dexterity meet for the season — saw the island’s top drivers battling for drifting supremacy.

The night’s intermittent showers served only to keep the track wet throughout the competition, though a water truck remained on standby.

The tarmac glistened throughout the night, reflecting the flashing lights of modified cars as drivers took to the obstacle course one by one.

Christopher ‘Teach’ McFarlane sped to victory in his Mitsubishi Lancer, scoring the event’s fastest overall time of 1:29:80 seconds. Jordan ‘Frosty’ Powell slid into second place overall — and first place in the Front Wheel Drive class — in his VW Polo with a time of 1:31:31 seconds. Driving his Toyota Starlet, reigning Dexterity Champion Maurice ‘Wurl’ Boss Whittingham placed a close third overall with 1:32:76 seconds, a time which also earned him the top spot in the Rear Wheel Drive with Limited Slip Differential class.

McFarlane, who also scored the night’s fastest Two Wheel Drive time seemed pleased with his win.

“The event was very good and the venue is an extremely good one for dexterities. The course wasn’t overly tight or overly free, which means that all classes of vehicles had a fair shot at competing. I came not to win, but to dominate, and it’s not that the competition did not drive well, it’s just that I drove better. Courtney Wilson did an amazing job of preparing the vehicle before the event and we’re very happy with the results,” McFarlane told Auto.

Adam Gomes, event organiser, told Auto to anticipate a more crowd-pleasing event next time around.

“We want to do things a little differently next year; by throwing in more things that will be exciting for the crowd. One thing we’ve been considering is judging competitors based not only on speed but on flair as well. A lot of the rear-wheel drivers have that, and they are really the entertainers,” he continued.

Gomes added that the event was successful in raising proceeds in the amount of $85,000 for the We Care For Cornwall Regional Hospital Foundation, set to be officially presented early next week.

Though not the night’s fastest competitors, among those to trigger the most animated crowd responses were Toyota Starlet drivers Cleve ‘Cutta Hype’ Ottey — who placed third in the Rear Wheel Drive with Limited Slip Differential class — and Dennis ‘Krossbreed’ Bicarie who did not let the rain stop them from putting on a great show. Young gun Jamar Kinkead also demonstrated his skill in his Toyota Levin, placing second in the Rear Wheel Drive with Limited Slip Differential class.

Patrons also had the added bonus of viewing tuner vehicles on display by Skunk Nation, while racers Matthew Gore and Daryl King gave the obstacle course a run, just for fun: Gore, attempting to navigate the course in his Mitsubishi Evolution X, and King driving Gore’s Toyota Starlet.