LIKE the first, the second staging of Jamaica Karting Association’s (JKA) race meet will have no spectators. The event is scheduled for tomorrow, July 24, at the Palisadoes International Raceway in Kingston.

According to Neil Williams, vice-president of the association, the move is in keeping with the Government’s protocols regarding COVID-19 regulations.

“There will be no spectators. All the Ministry of Health (MOH) protocols will be followed, that includes masks, sanitisation and social distancing,” Williams told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

Despite the lack of a crowd, Williams said this will not affect the level of racing as many drivers were eager to get back on track.

“We will be having a full complement of six classes. Our first time since 2019,” he said.

Williams said there will be 18 races on the cards and he is expecting a full field of, at minimum, 30 karts. The day will also see the reintroduction of the Rotax Senior class, the group above Junior.

“There should be good competition in all classes and we will have the prize giving after,” he said.

As of the last meet, it’s Dylan Smith that leads the Comer 50 with 41.5 points. Brandon Shor heads Rotax Micro Max on 42.5. Rotax Mini Max is led by Luke Spencer as he has 41 points in the class. The June 26 meet saw a battle between Zander Williams and Tommi Gore in Rotax Junior. The two are a mere three points apart with Williams ahead with 38.5 points. There was no Rotax Senior or Master at round one, as there is a minimum amount of competitors needed to make up a class. Super Rotax, the time indexed class that’s open to all racers, sees Dominic Gordon at the top of that leader board with 34 points.

“The competition should be good in the Junior, Mini Max, and Super Rotax classes,” said Williams.

Karting was the first local motorsport to get the green light from the MOH, after more than a year of lockdown due to the novel coronavirus.