Circuit racing returned full force on Easter Monday, April 18. Fans from across the island packed into Dover Raceway, St Ann, to see their favourite drivers in action and rekindle old rivalries.

“It’s just joy for this race meet. Joy for the racers as you see them out there exercising their talent, exercising their machinery. It was a good day,” Junior Barnes, chairman — Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC), told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

However, according to Barnes it was not a smooth path to success.

“We had some challenges on the Sunday. We had rain for three and a half hours creating a situation with mud, but quick work and thinking from my fellow JRDC administrators sorted things out. I want to thank them, Terry Hamilton, Doug Gore, Donovan Montague, and Douglas McKenzie. We pulled it off. We did it. We’re not perfect, but it only gets better from here,” added Barnes.

He thanked all the event sponsors as well before looking at the future of circuit racing under his stewardship at the JRDC.

“The restarting of face-to-face motorsports is plus for everyone. It’s a plus for the JRDC. It’s a plus for racing on a whole. It’s a plus for Jamaica, that Jamaicans can come out and enjoy,” he said.

And while the financial pressures of not having racing at the renowned circuit have been very public for the club, Barnes explained that his rebuilding plan isn’t yet focused on money.

“We will be able to continue as a club with the current levels or support. Earning nothing, versus earning a little profit is better than nothing at all. However, we’re not watching the numbers just yet. We’re just grateful that people can once again come out and see the hard work the JRDC has put in. Motorsports is never really a numbers game. It’s about the excitement and entertainment it brings forth. And once sponsors see value for their money, that is how this club will grow,” said Barnes.

As for the event itself, billed as the Radical Invasion, with four of them on track, they simply came, saw, and conquered, dominating the Thundersport class 2 (TS2) and the hearts of the eager patrons. Fans may have come to see the Douglas Gore/Kyle Gregg battle continue from 2019, but they got more than they bargained for as the Summerbell name made a resurgence in the form of Senna, son of circuit racing icon David.

Of the four Radicals, he made the most of the day, taking home two dominant victories, and seemed to be headed for a clean sweep in the third and final TS2 race, only to be struck by a slow puncture that dropped him to second.

“The meet went great for me. I didn’t except this level of success as this was my first time out in the car. I really wasn’t focused on tuning the car itself, but my driving,” Senna said.

With international racer Ben Tuck at his side, Senna was able to drop in race laps close to Gregg’s 1:15.767 track record set in 2019. Senna does promise more speed once his car is dialled in, but Gregg, who initiated the influx of Radicals, explained he was also not at his best. He stayed in touch with Summerbell, taking home two second places and winning the final TS2 race.

“The car had issues on race day, which we couldn’t figure out due to the rain all weekend,” explained Gregg.

His team has since then identified the mechanical problem to be sorted for the next meet.

The end results don’t tell the whole story as the other two Radical drivers, William Myers and Collin Daley Jr, were close behind and a threat at every corner. Myers, who qualified on pole for the first TS2 race, wouldn’t finish it, or the third, due to mechanical failure. He did manage third in the second race.

“Qualifying showed that we have the pace to win races. So the season is looking good for us. The car will be fixed and ready for the rest of the season,” said Myers.