Suleiman “Sol” Esuf is the new “King of the Quarter Mile” among drag racers.
At the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, he set a new time of 10.189 seconds at the Barbados Association of Dragsters and Drifters (BADD) Thickets Thriller, an acceleration Test laid out from Stewarts Hill to Thickets last Sunday.
Esuf, who reached a speed of 130.95 miles per hour (mph), erased the old mark of 10.9 seconds set more than ten years ago by Euclid Brancker in a Ford Mustang.
His outstanding performance survived assaults from all the top-class drivers.
Arch-rival Robert Bishop was second fastest with a time of 10.419 seconds, holding off the efforts of another fancied driver, Anthony-Ramon Archer, whose time was 11.344 seconds at a speed of 127.143 mph.
Jamaal Sobers got the better of Shawn Fields and grabbed fourth spot with a time of 11.344 seconds. Both had a top speed of 114.47 mph, but Fields took fifth place with a time of 11.42.
That performance pushed rookie Jamaal Batson into sixth spot after he turned in a time of 11.67 seconds at a speed of 118.32 mph.
Rounding out the top ten were rookie Sherlock Payne (11.919) with a top speed of 107.97 mph; Jamaal Forde (11.962) at a top speed of 114.22 mph; Andre Waithe (12.414) at a top speed of 116.74 and Bradley Hill, who stopped the clock at 12.509 seconds with a speed of 105.86 mph.
Kelvin “Bird” Daniel, aboard the Bajan Motors Kawasaki ZX10, posted the new fastest time for motorcycles of 9.83 seconds, forcing Learie Carasco into second place with a time of 10.327 seconds, at a top speed of 144.01 mph.
Wesu Wallace was the third fastest with a time of 10.444 seconds at a speed of 141.59 mph, ahead of Kevin Beckles whose time was 10.53 seconds with a speed of 132.88 mph.
Terrence Ollivierre followed with a time of 10.703 seconds at a speed of 125.39 mph which was good enough to keep him ahead of Devon McCarthy after he could only manage a time of 10.978 seconds and a speed of 134.8 mph.
Fifty-three drivers and riders faced the starter.
