Williams meet drawing best

BIKE KING: Canada’s Kevin Graham has won more than 40 races at South Dakota in Guyana.

Thu, August 19, 2010 - 9:10 PM

THE region’s leading race car drivers will share centre stage at this month’s Digicel Williams International race meet (August 28 and 29) with their two-wheeled counterparts.
The clubs behind the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) on August 28 and 29 are working towards expanding the scope of the regional series to include a wider range of competitors.
BARL’s pre-event build-up continues tomorrow with the final weekly after-work lime opposite H&B Hardware at Warrens, St Michael.
Cars will be on display from around 4 p.m. and there will be a chance for fans to hear what Barry and Roger Mayers think about the upcoming International.
Heading the motorcycle entry is multiple Superbike race and title-winner, Canada’s Kevin Graham, one of the prime movers in developing the regional championship.
Graham, winner of more than 40 races at South Dakota in Guyana and the lap record holder, made a big impression at the Dover Raceway in Jamaica, with two wins on the Sunburst Orange Juice Yamaha R6, and a new lap record.
Graham, who first raced in Guyana in 1993, is keen to expand his knowledge of Caribbean circuits in his quest to help regional organisers build a sustainable Superbike championship.
“I am a true fan of Barbados, having visited the island twice before, but I have never raced at Bushy Park. It is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time and I plan to give 100 per cent when I am there, and hope to put the bike on the box at least a couple of times,” he said.
“Having said that, I have full respect for my fellow racers from Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean and I know my learning curve will need to be steep in order to get on the pace at Bushy Park.”
Guyana’s Stephen Vieira will arrive at Bushy Park with a two-point advantage in the standings, after a win and two third places at Dover aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600.
Vieira won twice at Bushy Park last year on the same bike, adding to a brace of wins on a Honda in 2008.
The only other regional entry confirmed is Jamaica’s Halquin Rodney, who will be making his second appearance at the venue, aboard the Money Bike Yamaha.
For Barbados, reigning BARL champions Ryan Beckles and Frank Inniss – they won a race apiece at Bushy Park in July – look set to have suitable machinery available, while Brook Miller and Dexter Small should also be in the mix. (PR)