Motorsports enthusiasts gathered at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground over the weekend for the qualifying round of the Drift and Grip Festival, where some of the island’s best drivers showcased their skills in a series of precision-based activities.
The results for the qualifying round were as follows:
2-Wheel Drive Results – Qualifying Round #1:
- Wyndell Neptune – BMW M2 Competition – 54.06 seconds
- Glenton Evans – Mazda RX-8 – 56.51 seconds
- Wendell Richards – BMW M4 – 56.89 seconds
- Waseem Janoura – Toyota Supra – 58.82 seconds
- Desmond Mc Lawrence – Mazda Familia – 58.97 seconds
- Dane Cenac – Nissan R33 GTS-T – 59.61 seconds
All-Wheel Drive Results – Qualifying Round #1:
- Kyanni Elwin – Audi S3 – 54.83 seconds
- Kenneth Tobierre – BMW G80 M3 – 55.76 seconds
- Brian Evans – Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI – 56.22 seconds
- Dwight Charley – Subaru Impreza S-GT – 57.30 seconds
- Khalifa Vidal – Audi TT – 57.59 seconds
- Donathan Leon – Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart – 61.46 seconds
Ryan St Phor, a member of Octane Group Incorporated which hosted the event in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, described the event on Sunday as “fantastic”.
“Drivers showcase their dexterity in navigating around cones, dealing with restrictions, speed, and handling of the vehicle, as well as demonstrating an overall understanding of the track. This allows them to move on to the next stage,” he explained.
The event comes at a significant moment for local motorsports, as the Vieux Fort Base, commonly known as Caca Bef, which had served as the island’s unofficial hub for motorsport activities, is set to be fenced off.
Organisers are now exploring alternative venues to accommodate the growing motorsport community. However, St Phor expressed optimism about the change.
“We need to continue growing,” he noted. “The transition wasn’t difficult. The drivers enjoyed it. They walked the track, understood it, and for the racing community, especially with autocross and motorsports in general, we usually get excited about new experiences. This is an area we had never raced in before, so we were really excited to try it out.”
Round Two takes place at the Castries Waterfront on February 16, with the final round, featuring participants from other Caribbean countries, scheduled for February 23 at the same location.
The second round will be free to the public, while the final will have a small entrance fee. The winner of the competition will walk away with $10 000 and bragging rights.
‘Some of the island’s best drivers’, that description is not entirely accurate, best at doing what, stunts? Give them a 4WD and let’s see how they handle it off road!