Andrew Jones upset the much-fancied Duane “Shabba” White as the Barbados Association of Drifters and Dragsters (BADD) held its inaugural event at Bushy Park last Saturday.
Twisted Drag Warz attracted 50 competitors in a cross-section of specially prepared cars who thrilled the large crowd gathered in the clubhouse as well as on the hillside overlooking the startline for the historic occasion on the local motorsport calendar.
Jones, a seasoned campaigner known more for his exploits as a daredevil driver, stunned all present with his reaction time off the startline in the Quix/McEnearneyQuality Inc./Rally&Equipment Ford Escort Mk II.
He clocked the fastest time in his group, 0.60 seconds, as he checked the onslaught of White by winning their first meeting.
White came back and levelled the score on the second run of the two drivers, and as silence enveloped the well-known racing facility in anticipation of the deciding clash, White false-started as Jones stormed off the startline and took the title at stake for the Redline Performance & Imports Stock C title.
On his way to the final White upset the competition’s biggest name, Sammy Cumberbatch in the Digicel/Williams Industries/Hilti BMW M3.
Misfortune also dogged another highly-fancied driver, Geoff Ullyett in the Ullyett’s Machine Shop Nissan 140Y.
After levelling at one-all the clash with Jason King, driving the COT Printery Subaru Impreza, Ullyett developed engine trouble and could not answer the call for the third meeting. As a result, King walked with the Redline Performance and Imports Sportsman Stock A title.
Earlier, Damian Walcott in a Toyota Starlet made a clean sweep in Ultra Oils Stock A, while Kemar Barrow at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Mirage turned in an outstanding performance to win the Ultra Oils Stock B crown.
BADD president John “Tiny” Harrison said he was satisfied with the way the first event was run, but admitted that they were areas which would be addressed before the second meeting of the association on December 4 and 5.
He said having to stage qualifying on the same day as the drag meet had thrown up some challenges for the organisers, but in general the event went well.
“They were a few hiccups, but getting qualifying out of the way would allow for the cars to ‘pre-treed’ and we expect that a few new members whose cars were not ready [would] be ready for the next meeting,” Harrison noted.
Female driver Jackie Linton, at the wheel of a Nissan Sentra, did not live up to expectations and was knocked in her first race. But good drives came from Edward St John, Dirk Gray, Jason Johnson, Paul St Hill, Danny Croney and Ivor Cox, before Andre Waithe in the Twist Mitsubishi Mirage won the Barbados Today.bb Handicap.
