Timing system malfunction cuts event short

The highly anticipated Tropical Shipping Drag Wars 2.0 lived up to the hype it had generated in the build-up to the event on Sunday last at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Competitors from the twin-island republic of Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname burned rubber against the local rivals who were ready to defend the home turf.

The day got off to an early start and the event was ahead of the day’s schedule, producing exciting races in the slower classes, setting up nicely for the heavy hitters.

However, a major snag in the event occurred when the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) timing equipment started to malfunction shortly after 13:00hrs. Officials and technical personnel, along with help from several race teams, attempted to identify and resolve the issues that were being experienced. And, after several attempts, the equipment was still plagued with several errors which may have produced inaccurate results.

Given the circumstances of the day, the completion of racing in the 12 to 6 second classes could not be done. As a result, the winner of these classes was decided based on which competitor had the fastest dial-in time during Saturday’s qualifying.
The showdown amongst the 6-second cars of Team Mohamed’s, Team Daby and Sheldon Bissessar was most anticipated by fans.
However, according to a release from the club, they mentioned that every attempt for racing in this class to take place was made.
Team Daby’s Toyota Solara faced Sheldon Bissessar’s Spitzer Dragster in the first round since their dial-in times were closest to each other (6.727s & 6.728s respectively). Bissessar emerged victorious over Team Daby in this race and was set to take on the Pro Mod Mustang of Team Mohamed’s in the final. However, this race could not take place immediately since these high-powered cars have cool down times ranging between 30 to 60 minutes. And, with light fading quickly and competitor and spectator safety being of paramount importance, the race could not be run.

As such, the winner was decided in the same way as that of the other incomplete classes, and that is by the fastest dial-in time. Team Mohamed’s Pro Mod Mustang set a time of 6.403 seconds during dial-in on Saturday and as such, that car was declared the winner.

The release noted that, “The GMR&SC apologises to fans that left the event feeling disappointed and we assure you that we will be taking steps to ensure that such a situation does not re-occur in the future. We are committed to enhancing the motorsport experience in Guyana and the Caribbean, and events like the Tropical Shipping Drag Wars continue to serve as thrilling platforms for showcasing the region’s best talents.”

“We would also like to thank our sponsors, officials, competitors and everyone who was involved in putting together this event.”

Full results
– 16 seconds – #923 – Shawn Whyte – Toyota Corolla AE100
– 15 seconds – #94 – Devin Moses – Toyota Starlet EP91
– 14 seconds – #1165 – Akshay Lachninarainsingh – Toyota Crown (Suriname)
– 13 seconds – #300 – Parshuram Ramkissoon – Honda Prelude
– 12 seconds – #1234 – Raghubar Virish – Volkswagen Golf (Suriname)
– 11 seconds – #110 – Raymond John – Toyota Chaser (Suriname)
– 10 seconds – #1166 – Jasvant Bhagikath (Suriname)
– 9 seconds – #1176 – Rabbanie Yacoob – Toyota Verossa (Suriname)
– 8 seconds – #1162 – Michael Namchand – Mazda RX-7 (Suriname)
– 7 seconds – #2 – Terrence Cox (Team Mohameds) – Nissan GT-R (Godzilla)
– 6 seconds – #5 – Victor Florito Flores (Team Mohameds) – Mustang Pro Mod