AMS TA1 Sets New Track Record in Guyana, South America

Last weekend I flew down to Guyana, South America to assist David Summerbell (better known in Jamaican racing circles as King David)at the final race of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship. We ended up with 2nd place in the championship but were able to break the track record at the South Dakota Raceway in Guyana. This particular weekend we placed third, second and then first consecutively. Here are the details of the weekend.

Qualifying

After much practice on Friday and a frantic transmission change that night after forth gear lost some teeth and destroyed the gearbox, David drove TA1 to a very quick time of 35.4 to claim pole position. Second, two tenths back was local favorite Andrew King (who held the track record of 35.07 set early in 2008 in his tube framed RX7) and a little further back in third is Stuart Maloney in his seriously quick EVO 6 with a time of 35.8 he set with a misfiring engine.

Race 1

Race 1 was a debacle from the start. TA1 was ready to go to the grid when the skies opened up with rain. Davids team quickly went to work to prepare the car for a wet race by putting on a set of rain wheels and disconnecting the sway bars. He positioned himself on pole to begin the race but was held there for ten minutes due to the weather. The race was stopped and the cars were sent back to the pits.

Once the race was started the track was wet but drying and TA1 went out on Advan slicks with the suspension set back for a dry track which proved too aggressive for the conditions. TA1 was lose in the corners and couldnt put the power down. It didnt help that he got a puncture and was fighting a slowly deflating tire to the end of the race where he finished third.

Race 2

With the weather and track conditions slowly returning to what TA1 qualified in things were looking good to challenge the previous race winner Stuart Maloney in his EVO 6. On went a new set of hard compound tires and a few more suspension tweaks. David started in the third spot on the grid but was in second position by the first corner. TA1 had the power to hang with the leading car but couldnt get off the corner fast enough to capture the lead and finished second to Maloney.

In Davids efforts to challenge the leading car David set the fastest time of the race meet and broke the track record with a 34.98 second lap!!!

Race 3

Now starting second to Stuart Maloneys EVO They came to the line in a rolling start to begin race three. David immediately pulled ahead of Maloney and just beat him to the first corner. The two EVOs fought hard for the next four laps with David pulling away. It was then that Maloneys car slowed in a shower of sparks as his ex-WRC titanium Driveshaft let go and slapped against the ground. David cruised to victory with Doug Gore in second place ten seconds back.

I didn’t get any pics of the final race that David won. But heres a good video on You tube of it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLWrrBseiQk

It’s been a real eye opener to race in the Caribbean, with some 15,000 people at the track on race day the passion and excitement for motorsports is intoxicating. This was the last race of the season for David and TA1 and what a season it was. It’s been very satisfying to see the car continue to set track records abroad and for AMS to continue to be part of its success.

Pics from the weekend.