As the clock counts down to the first-ever drag racing event dubbed the “Berbice Drag Invasion” in the Ancient County on Sunday, October 12, several race classes have already been outlined.
This was according to Vice President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC), Shairaz Roshandin, during a recent interview. He stated, “We held a meeting with all the drivers and other stakeholders of the sport, and we have outlined several classes of competition. We also agreed that there will be trophies for all these classes, as well as a few other special prizes to be won.”
According to Roshandin, the classes will be based on engine CC, with action starting from the 1500cc class, followed by 1600cc, 1800cc, 2000cc, 2500cc, 3000cc, and unlimited, along with bikes.
“We’ve also noted that a lot of cars these days come with a forced induction system, whether it be a turbocharger or a supercharger, and for that, we’ve included a multiplying factor of 1.5 to offset this. This means that if you’re driving a 1300cc with a turbocharged engine, you’ll automatically be placed in the 2000cc class. This will also be the same for cars using Nitrous Oxide (NOS).”
Grudge Matches: A Must
Meanwhile, he underscored that class-based action will not be the only treat fans can look forward to on the day.
“Once we complete the classes of action, we have a section for grudge runs. This basically means that if two competitors from different classes, let’s say a 1600cc and an 1800cc, want to have a race, that’s the time when it’s done. We find this to be a crowd favorite because it creates that underdog in a lot of cases, and fans love that. This will, of course, be outside of the actual competition results and will not be for trophies but for bragging rights. And that means a lot to some of the guys here because, within the fraternity, there are a lot of little ‘beefs’ remaining from our last encounter.”
Roshandin added that based on the packed day of activities, organisers aim to start promptly at 11:00h. Tickets for adults cost $2000, while children will be charged $1000 for entry. The event will be held at the Rose Hall Canje Airstrip.
