DAN JOHNSON was declared provisional champion driver of the Barbados Association of Dragsters and Drifters (BADD) after rain brought an abrupt end to Launch Control 4 at Bushy Park last Sunday.
Johnson, driving the Westfield MegaWatt electric racing car, was the championship leader with 354 points as drivers assembled at the St Philip racing facility for the GoodYear Tyres/Courtesy Garage sponsored day/night event, which attracted 54 competitors.
After free practice and qualifying, the heavens opened and heavy rain sent the massive crowd scrambling for cover before the BADD officials and safety marshals called off the event after drifter drivers tried in vain to dispose of the water from the track.
“We were having a great final event with a record 54 entries and good times, but a heavy shower, soon after eliminations started, put paid to the evening’s proceedings and we cancelled the event. So the points going into the event will stay,” club chairman Jason Downey told the media.
According to Downey, a record 11 drivers had made it to the eliminations in the seven seconds category; something that had never happened in the past and the stage was set for a battle royale.
“We also had seven drivers in the six-seconds bracket and those were the ingredients for some epic battles; but, alas, all came to naught as the elements took over and brought things to an end,” he added.
He said the committee would also review the year’s results and make an official announcement after their next meeting.
“It means that Dan Johnson is the provisional winner of the title for 2017 season. Kudos to him in an amazing locally built machine,” Downey said.
The chairman also praised the quality and standard of drag racing in Barbados, as well as drifting.
He pointed out that new members were added after every event this year, as records were broken in the two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and 4×4 classes.
“The future looks very good for the club. Our Access Arrangement with Bushy Park is working well and the loyal fans are being attracted in their numbers to our events, and the guys are putting together, or bringing in some potent machines and it augurs well for the coming season,” Downey said.
He said the sponsors were pleased with the way things had gone while the acquisition of the new digital scoreboards will continue the upward movement of drag racing and drifting. (TT)
