A fastman from the past is among drivers for Track Attack at Bushy Park today.
Peter Ullyett, the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Hill Sprint champion of 1969, will be donning a new racing suit for the six hours of track action organised by the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL).
It is not a race meet, but the first event of the league at the redesigned racing facility since it reopened four years ago, and Ullyett, who will be driving a 2.0 litre Kia Cerato, said returning to racing had been lingering on his mind for a long time, but fitting new spark plugs and noted the marked improvement on the performance fired up his resolve to get back to the sport that he loves.
“From the Kar Parts Store, I fitted new NGK Laser Iridium premium spark plugs to the car and they made a difference since the old plugs were gapped at 40 as against 25 with the new plugs and I will be putting them to the test at Bushy Park,” Ullyett said.
But he was quick to point out that he is going out to learn the track first and not looking to beat anyone or win anything, since the event was organised in that manner.
“It is going to be good to get back to the action, although some of the competitors that I will be up against were not even born when I was racing. But life goes on and it is a new day and I am looking forward for it,” he added.
BARL chairman Stefan Hinds, speaking ahead of the briefing meeting, said Steve King at the wheel of the Kings Auto Parts Nissan Skyline GTR, Tyrone Martindale in a Honda CRX and Danny Croney in a Toyota Starlet are among the early entries, but said most of the drivers had been playing a wait-and-see-game since it was the first time that BARL would be using new Bushy Park circuit and wanted to make sure that it would actually come off.
“We are at BARL are happy to be able to use Bushy Park, and thank Bushy Park Circuit for allowing us to use the track. But there is still much work to be done before we can put a season in place, as we have to see how ready the members are and the preparedness of their respective cars. We are taking it one step at a time as we have also been given a track day in February,” Hinds noted.
Pointing out that an access arrangement was still to be worked out with Bushy Park Circuit Inc (BPCI), Hinds said that BARL had also been invited by the Vaucluse Raceway to partner with them in their rallycross series, but they had to study the motorsport landscape as they prepare for the new year.
“Our Wheels and Heels series has been our saviour, and we be holding a dexterity test on December 10 at the Gymnasium on the card where most of the fellows who will be driving on Sunday (today) will also be taking part. They will have a practice day next Saturday to set the tone for that event,” he added. (TT)
