GUYANESE rider Stephen Vieira is wary of the threat that looms, come September 13 when the third leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) gets going in Barbados. Stephen, the eldest of the Vieira clan (Matthew and Elliot) in the superbike class of the touring contingent, spoke to Chronicle Sport, indicating that he has been in training for the encounter with an eye to getting fit.
He said, “I had the lap record in Barbados but I was told by the other riders that the competition got very strong because they shattered my lap record. So the competition against the Barbadian riders is going to be very exciting.”
According to the Guyanese, the Barbadians have been putting in the hours with a view to turning the tables on the invading members.
Vieira added, “My confidence is pretty good because this is the first time in a long time I’m going with a bike that I actually set up; I didn’t use my racing bike but a ‘B’ class bike that I’m trying with, but I feel very comfortable with it so I expect to do very well.”
Vieira, a Caribbean champion many times over, noted that the battle between himself and Matthew Vieira which commenced on August 9 at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Race of Champions will continue in Barbados.
He has sought to thank Shane Ally and Michael Correia for their assistance in building the bike as well as his main sponsor Sunburst Orange Juice.
Vieira’s comrades for the September 11-14 event, apart from his cousins, are Kevin Persaud and Joel Neblette.
The cars will be driven by Mark Vieira, the father-son team of Kristian and Kevin Jeffrey, and Danny in Group 4 while Persaud will return to fly the flag in Group 3 and Group 2 will have Nazim Gafoor.
CMRC Round 3 will take place at the Bushy Park Raceway in St Phillips, Barbados. (Stephan Sookram)