Overseas experience meets local challenge - Second JKA meet at Palisadoes today

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Thomas Issa, Joshua Sirgany and Collin Daley Jr are all rising go-kart stars who are the three most popular Jamaican drivers currently competing on the North American circuit.

Their skills and strategies will be tested at the Palisadoes International Raceway, Kingston, today, by their old rivals, some of whom are in high spirits and a no-nonsense mood, ready and hungry for action.

At least 25 karters are expected to turn out for this second race meet of the Jamaica Karting Association (JKA) National Championship. The meet is scheduled to get under way at 11:00 a.m.

"We will be using a new brand of tyre and nobody knows how this new brand will hold out on the track, so it sort of creates a level playing field for everybody," president of the Jamaica Karting Association JKA, Neil Williams, told Automotives on Thursday.

He futher explained that the JKA
executive's introduction of a new tyre is an economic strategy, meant to
reduce the cost of go-kart racing locally.

William
Myers is expected to lead the challenge against Issa in the Rotax Junior
Class, while Matthew Williams will have Daley to contend with in the
Rotax Senior Class. Joshua Sirgany, who stunned a large gathering in
Florida two weeks ago, will have his cousin Justin Sirgany and friend
Mark Anthony Eaton to deal with in the Rotax Mini Max
Class.

The 12-year-old Joshua Sirgany was highlighted
in the Florida press as one of the quickest karters on the American
circuit and the driver to beat in the Mini-Max Class of the FKCS
series.

The story on the
PSLKarting.Com website reads in part: "From the very
first session, Rotax Mini Max pilot Joshua Sirgany was the driver to
beat in the category. As one of the quickest drivers on the national
karting scene, Sirgany and his PSL Karting/CRG flexed their muscles
throughout the FKCS weekend. Taking the Saturday morning pole position,
the up-and-coming talent scored the prefinal win and pole position for
the main. Looking to make it a perfect day, Sirgany quickly jumped into
the lead of the Mini Max final and raced his way to the checkers. With
the hat-trick of results, Sirgany also added fastest lap honours in the
process."