By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterHUNDREDS OF diehard motor racing fans are expected to cram the hilly terrains and grandstand of the Dover raceway in St. Ann, tomorrow for the Emancipation Day "Freedom of Speed" race meet.
"We are expecting more than 40 competitors," executive member of the Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC), Peter Rae, told The Gleaner yesterday.
According to Willie Worton, general secretary of the JRDC, qualifying begins at 8:30 and should be completed by 9:15 a.m. The first event is schedule to get under way at 11:00 a.m.
"We will be running a very tight schedule," said Worton, who also pointed out that only two races will be run in each class. They will include motor bike and bicycle events.
The high point of the event will be the bumper-to-bumper racing and keen rivalry between the Kingston-based drivers and their counterparts from Montego Bay, St. James.
"I am trying to make this into a different ball game," said Junior Barnes, who was still working on his Mitsubishi Lancer (Evolution 8), when The Gleaner contacted him yesterday.
He was in the process of boosting the power of his "racing machine" to match fellow competitors Worton and Chippy Addison, who are all competing in the Modified Production Class 3 event.
At present Addison is on top of the table with 8.6 points, ahead of Peter Rae and Barnes, who are on 8 and 4.6 points respectively.
Another point of interest at the meet will be the debut of Doug Gore's new Mitsubishi Lancer (Evolution 8), which he paraded at Tuesday night's drivers meeting held at the Rib Cage Restaurant, St. Andrew. The multi-talented Gore will also be competing in the MP Class 3 event.
The return of John Ralston could make the difference between the Montego Bay-based drivers and their Kingston opponents. With the inclusion of Ralston, the stage is now set for a big clash between himself and the improving Oliver Townsend of Montego Bay, who has been dominating the Class 1 Improved Production and Modified Production classes.
Charlie Phillips, in his Honda CRX, and Robert Moyston, in a Toyota Levin, will clash in the Class 2 Improved Production and Modified Production events.
