Clash of giants set for July

Stuart Williams, driving his Williams Equipment/Hilti Power Tools WHH Racing Lotus Elise, led the top-class field during the recent Easter Race meet at Bushy Park, St Philip.

“His Hotness” Roger Mayers in the Chefette/Delaware Dispensaries/Illusion Graphics Ford Focus. (Pictures by Trevor Thorpe.)

By Trevor Thorpe | Sun, April 29, 2012 - 12:03 AM

Racing fans will have to wait until July for a face off between the two fastest men in local motor racing: Stuart Williams and Roger “His Hotness” Mayers.

That’s because the next scheduled meeting of the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL) will not take place until July 1, and after Caribbean drivers meet to settle Round One of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Champions in Jamaica.

Speaking to SUN SPORT, Mayers said while he was happy for Williams, whom he said was a good friend off the track, it has motivated him to “wake up” and work on the Chefette/Delaware Dispensaries/Illusion Graphics Ford Focus.

“I feel very good that it’s Stuart who broke my record . . . it could not have been done by a better person as our sporting rivalry goes back to our karting days, but his feat will make me work harder,” the 4x4 lap record holder noted.

Saying he was confident of regaining the crown, Mayers said his crew have to work on shedding pounds in overweight the car has and that would be the first order of business, as the competition ahead was not going to be easy for anyone.

The Focus packs a turbo-charged 2050cc engine, and Mayers said the car has the potential to be faster, but it meant a new commitment to the business at hand.

“I am confident that I can take back that the title as the fastest man in Barbados,” he said.

Williams too, was in a happy mood along with crew chief, Peter Hinkson, and the remainder of the team.

“We are extremely happy. The team has put in much work, but we knew the car had the potential from as far back as the last international meeting, but I would have been happier had the group been fully subscribed, but I am looking forward to a meeting with Roger Mayers whenever that time comes,” Williams said.

Williams is now the fastest man in Barbados, holding the overall fastest time at Bushy Park of 40.866 seconds, bettering his old two-wheel drive mark of 41.542 seconds in the process, and the 40.996 set by Mayers for the four-wheel drive cars.

He said from his powerplant, which is an 1800cc turbo-charged unit, it was going to be difficult getting much faster, but it was a work in progress.

The Williams Equipment/Hilti Power Tools WHH Racing Lotus Elise worked well, he added, thanks to his technical crew, and recalled the duel in the final race for Groups 3-4B group with Doug Maloney in the Paint Plus Audi Quatro.

“He got a better start, and we were at each other throughout the opening laps but he seemed to have made a mistake and I grabbed the opportunity offered as we went up the ‘hill’ and slipped by him and went on to win the race. It was a good race and a good day,” Williams acknowledged.

Looking ahead to the CMRC Round One meeting in Jamaica next month, Williams said keeping up with David Summerbell (Jr) and the Jamaicans would not be easy as the Jamaicans would be hard to beat at the Dover Raceway.