(By Stephan Sookram in Barbados, compliments of Ming’s Products and Services)

GUYANESE drivers Calvin Ming and Kristian Jeffrey defied their respective qualifying problems to produce podium finishes in the Suzuki challenge series SR3 race cup during the Barbados Festival of Speed yesterday. Debutant Jeffrey picked up a second-place finish in the second race of the day, while a daring Ming tested the damp Bushy Park circuit to finish behind his countryman.

In the final Radical race of the day, the qualifying grid was reversed; however, Ming’s troubles from Saturday persisted in race one, leaving him no option but to switch cars.
In a race against the clock to get the old car re-set, the mechanics were the eventual victors but only just, as they concluded work while the other cars were already on the track warming tyres.
Eventually on the line despite the odds, Ming again suffered problems, this time with his clutch, which saw him leave the line approximately three seconds later than the competition.
Nonetheless, like a man possessed, Ming showcased the F4 class to pass competitor after competitor to finally finish third.
He took full advantage of the late-breaking capabilities of the Radical, and dug deep to bring out what his opponents could not find on a damp track, passing the competition left and right on a hell-bent move to the podium.
On the converse side, Jeffrey, who started second, opted for a more defensive style in Race two which worked to his betterment, securing valuable points and a podium on debut.
In the earlies, the double defending Caribbean group four champion held off the veteran Mark Maloney before the latter’s experience in the radical series kicked in.
However, Maloney could not maintain the run as he eventually spun out, leaving Jeffrey second and race winner James Abbot, untouched and untroubled in Front.
In Race 1, the roles were reversed with Jeffrey, who started at the back of the pack doing the attacking as Ming defended, while pole-sitter Suleman Esuf ran from flag to flag.
Starting ninth, the dual Caribbean champion called on his experience to outwit his competitors as he moved right up to sixth, before a nudge on the exit of corner two pushed him into the gravel, thus causing him to relinquish his gained positions.
In the Suzuki Challenge Swift cup, Jeffrey was on the receiving end of a tough day ending 11th and 12th respectively.
Yesterday’s event was headlined by three- time formula one champion Lewis Hamilton, who thrilled fans with his 2013 Mercedes F1 W04.
He took on former British Superbike Champion Tommy Hill, aboard his BSB team’s Yamaha YZF-R1 motor bike before shifting gears for stints in the novelty races as well as the shifter-karts.
Two lucky fans also had a five-lap session in a Radical with the three-time world champion at the helm.
Other events included the Monster trucks on show as well as a superbike challenge and motor-cross riders.