Meet gets thumbs up

Immediately after Jonathan Law crossed the finish line ahead of Joshua Sirgany in one of the Rotax Mini Max events on Sunday, his driving coach, Peter Moodie, pressed the button on his stop watch, then grinned broadly.

"Looking back at where he is coming from, it was pleasure watching him out there and how he has improved, not only in his driving, but all-round," Moodie told Automotives on Friday.

The occasion of the Jamaica Karting Association (JKA) international race meet, held at the Palisadoes Raceway, Kingston, which attracted competitors from the United States (US).

Law won one of the four Mini Max finals on the weekend. While Sirgany won two and the United States' Sebastian Siera, one.

Moodie, who is regarded as one of the legends of motor racing in the Caribbean, gave the JKA thumbs up for what he described as a good race meet.

Races very competitive

"Though the competitors were few in numbers, the races were very competitive. This goes to show why we perform so well when we go overseas. Everybody who took the chequered flag on the weekend did well," said Moodie.

The top performers for him were Law and Collin Daley Jr, who won three finals in the Rotax Junior Class, and, Sirgany and Thomas Issa, who he believes did extremely well.

"The fact that he (Thomas) was competing in the Rotax Junior Class for the first time and did so well, shows that he is going to be very strong in the class," said Moodie.

Issa's father, Christopher, who was one of Moodie's rivals at the Dover Raceway, more than 15 years ago, was kept busy, moving between the paddock and trackside, ensuring the budding star's kart was in good shape.

Another father, Ricky Sirgany, stuck to his son's side (Joshua Sirgany), just like Sammy Law's eyes were glued to Jonathan's (Law) kart. Everybody wanted to take the chequered flag.

The 12-year-old American twin, Annie and Toni Breidinger, competed, but were no match for the Jamaicans in the Rotax Mini Max Class. The anti-clockwise, 1,200-metre track, which has 13 challenging corners, was an obvious challenge for the girls who were racing on Jamaican soil for the first time.

It was another American, Sebastian Siera, who is rated the among the top 10 drivers in US, that provided a challenge for the young Jamaicans. He was able to take the chequered flag once. His fellow countryman, Carlos Duenas, proved to be a handful for the Rotax Senior drivers.

Though he did not win any of the finals, Matthew Williams demonstrated he is still one of the country's leading and matured Rotax Junior karters. Mike Simmons, undoubtedly the oldest competitor at the track, took on Garth Genus in the Rotax Masters Class, and the two did put on a show for the crowd.

Results of last weekend's international go-kart meet (Sunday)

Rotax Mini-Max Class1. Joshua Sirgany