Budding karter eyes victory

Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

AFTER A successful stint at the Vernamfield Drag Strip in Clarendon, budding star Martin Anderson will be aiming to duplicate those triumphs this afternoon at the Palisadoes International Go-Kart race track, Kingston.

This is the fourth round of the Jamaica Karting Association (JKA) championship and a ding-dong battle is expected between the front-runners in the respective classes. The event is schedule to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The crowd favourite, Timothy Stewart, should give another good performance as at the previous race meet he was one of the most consistent karters. A lot is also expected from Dominic Moore, Ornealla Leahoung, Joel Jackson and the vastly improved Kyle Gregg.

THE TEAM

The DHL Rae racing team, which comprise Peter, Sebastien and the teenaged Tiffany Rae, should give a good account of itself. However, the clever but unlucky Dane Lawson could upset the apple cart if he competes today.

Young Lawson has been plagued by mechanical problems for some time now and if gets past those obstacles he could be hard to beat.

Martin Anderson, the 18-year-old University of Technology (UTech) student, is expected to dominate the Light Class. Rated among the best of the present crop of go-karters across the island, a lack of sponsorship may deny him the opportunity of representing Jamaica at the world championships later this year.

Anderson's biggest challenge may come from his younger sibling, Andre, who was in good form at the last Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) Sprint event held at Vernamfield.

At the moment, all drivers with Rotax karts will be using today's meet as part of their preparation for the elimination process to represent Jamaica at an international meet schedule to be held in Indiana, United States later in the year. Dwight Moore, the president of the JKA, said the winner of this event would qualify for the world finals.

Among the contenders to represent Jamaica are Timothy Stewart, Dominic and Sean Moore, Matthew Smellie and Joel and Sean Jackson.

"We have talented drivers in other classes that could make Jamaica proud, but they need sponsors," the JKA president said.