Jamaicans ready for ROC
JAMAICAN drivers Jeffrey Panton and Doug ‘Hollywood’ Gore will be in action this weekend, December 13 — 14, at the Race of Champions (ROC) to be held at Bushy Park Circuit, Barbados.
Both men will have the chance to show off their skill, collectively and individually, with some big names in international motorsport, over the two days.
“I looked back at some of the older ROC events to get an idea of how it works,” Panton told Auto.
The pair left the island on Wednesday ahead of the mandatory practice sessions today and early Saturday morning. They will be competing in two of the three sections, ROC Caribbean, and the ROC main event on Sunday. ROC Caribbean will be a team battle between Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago. The fastest ‘Bajan’ driver and fastest Caribbean driver from the ROC Caribbean Cup will then join the international stars for Sunday’s individual shootout. Panton and Gore were kept in the dark about the vehicles they will be using until Tuesday afternoon, an Audi R8, an Ariel Atom, and the ROC Buggy.
“I’m looking forward to the R8,” Gore said.
For Panton, the Atom has the most appeal. Both are bullish on their chances of taking the Caribbean Cup for Jamaica, but are at best hopeful about their performances should either make it to Sunday’s individual ROC event.
“I’d like to match up against Petter Solberg,” Panton said.
Gore’s approach is typical of his Hollywood tag.
“I’ve really got nothing to lose, and all to gain,” he joked.
The ROC will see the Bushy Park circuit converted into a two-lane race track with the event’s main feature, a crossover that makes the cars switch lanes.
“I’ve only driven it once for Rally Barbados, but the changes will make it tighter than a regular circuit,” Panton explained.
Having already managed to bring the Top Gear Festival to the Caribbean and launching the Global Rallycross Championship on its shores, Barbados continues to punch above its weight, nabbing the 2014 staging of the Race of Champions.
This is the first time the ROC is being held in the western hemisphere. It began in 1988 and was cancelled in 2013 due to political unrest in then host country Thailand. The last event in 2012 saw F1 driver Romain Grosjean win the ROC driver’s title, while Germany took home the Nation’s Cup with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
Currently listed to compete on the ROC site are FIA World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg, Australian V8 Supercars star Jamie Whincup, and ex-DTM driver Susie Wolff.