Big push for Sunday’s sprint
SUNDAY’S round of the National Sprint Championship will be a first in Jamaica, according to Wayne Piper, president of the Drivers RallySport Club (DRC).
“The circuit is a cross between a rally stage and dirt circuit incorporating elements of both,” Piper told Auto.
The event — The Tru-Juice DRC Rally Sprint — is scheduled for Bog Walk, St Catherine on Sunday.
The meet will use the famous Bybrook rally stage located in the orchard of title sponsor Tru-Juice. The combination of both sprint and rally elements will see a heightened sense of competition for the drivers as well as the spectators.
“Like a rally, there will be points where the cars disappear from view, and like a sprint the cars will be coming around like a circuit at close intervals,” explained Piper.
Motorsports fans will not have to experience the long wait between each car as they would on a rally, while drivers get a long, complicated course to keep them pushing on the limit.
Currently, Dave Lee leads the sprint series with two outright victories so far. He will have to contend with Joel Jackson, who won the first round and was without his Subaru Impreza STI when Lee took the two wins. In addition, Jackson won the opening round of the National Rally Championship that used the same location for its stages, so his chances for victory are high.
The rivalries also continue in two-wheel-drive class as Daryl King has rebuilt his Honda Civic, ready to do battle with the Toyota Starlet of Matthew Gore. They will be joined by a fresh face, Fraser McConnell. Usually found in karting circles, McConnell will be making his debut behind the wheel of a rally-prepared Mitsubishi Mirage.
The action will extend beyond the cars as off-road bikes and quad racers will join in.
The venue, known for its picturesque setting, will feature an after-party by the Tru-Juice Riverside Deck offering drinks and cocktails from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.