Gregg, Gore spar ahead of big showdown

"What would you say if I beat you at Dover?" Kyle Gregg jokingly shouted across the showroom to Doug Gore.

With a broad grin, Gore told the scores of diehard motor-sports fans that he would respond to Gregg's question when they clash at the Dover Raceway, St Ann, on Monday.

Both drivers were among a large turnout at the launch of the Carnival of Speed race meet, which is scheduled to take place on Easter Monday. The launch was held in the main showroom of the Kingston Industrial Garage (KIG), Spanish Town Road, Kingston, on Monday night.

After posting a 1:19-second lap time during a recent practice session - with his newly acquired United Kingdom-manufactured Radical race car - Gregg has become an overwhelming favourite to upstage Gore and David Summerbell in the Thundersport II Class.

This showdown has been generating a lot of interest because it is the first in a long time that so many well prepared, highly competitive cars will be participating in the stellar event.

"The car is nice and I am looking forward to Dover," said Gregg, who up to four months ago was concentrating on rallying, until he got bitten by the bug and went shopping for a new circuit-racing machine.

Gregg, in a previous interview with The Gleaner, sent a stern warning that the lap record at Dover may be erased at this meet

Gore was not amused and has since brought down a first-rate mechanic, out of the Czech Republic, to assist with the final preparation of his Audi.

TRUMP CARD

At Monday night's launch Gore, who sat beside his old rival, David Summerbell in the front row just kept smiling. He had already indicated that he has a trump card up his sleeve.

"I will be doing all my talking on the track," Gore told his rivals.

Dubbed as 'King David', the usually high-spirited Summerbell was in jubilant mood and told his fans that as the king of circuit racing he is not ready give up his throne.

"I am going to make sure that my sponsors, Total Lubricants, is proud of me. It is going to be a great race meet," said Summerbell.

Organiser of the event, Dean Corrodus, said there will be 21 races and the meet will get under way at 8:30 a.m. on Easter Monday.

"We have expanded our parking area, renovated the road surface leading to the entrance, plus the police will be exercising tighter traffic management controls," said Corrodus.

Newly elected president, Monique Gibbs, said the meet promises to be a thriller, as apart from the high expectations of the top drivers, the 'Bracket 45 Class' is back and this she said will be used as a strategic development for circuit racing at Dover.

Howard Henry, marketing manager of the title sponsor Total Lubricants, said he anticipates a great race meet and his company is committed to the development of motorsport in Jamaica.