Rally driver Jeffrey Panton is now the chairman of Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC). He was elected to the position at the club’s annual general meeting held on Saturday, February 7, at S Hotel, New Kingston.

“The shoe is on the other foot now. I’ve always been a competitor, but today that has changed to both competitor and having governance in the motorsports community, and the responsibility that comes with it,” Panton told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

He takes over from Stephen Gunter, who held the position from 2018.

The new chairman thanked Gunter for his service to the club, especially in strengthening the JMMC’s ties to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the motorsports’ international governing body.

He will be joined by Kenneth Timoll, vice-chairman; Marc Evans, executive secretary; and Samantha Summerbell, treasurer. Directors are Brandon King, Deana Smith, Timothy Spencer, Kyle Gregg, Fraser McConnell, Tommi Gore, and Robert Baker.

Panton said he was spurred into action as local motorsports reached what he saw as an all-time low, as the various clubs that host the different genres have struggled to put on events, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.

While he understood that the JMMC was somewhat handicapped in its ability to directly steer motorsports, Panton feels there is some middle ground left to be explored under his stewardship.

“Number one on the priority list would obviously be to tidy up the accounts. After that, I think we need to sit and meet with each genre of the sport; each organiser that puts on events in these genres, to see what their challenges are, how we can help them mediate, offer assistance, and we also need to look at what’s available to use from the FIA and our local government,” he said.

— Rory Daley