Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

Family members relax on their pickup truck at the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club and the Montego Bay Motoring Club Spot Valley Million-dollar Challenge Dirt Sprint Number Five motor racing. The event took place at Morelands Raceway in St James last Sunday. - Photo by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dust billowed high into the air, as race car drivers and bikers made laps around the tracks at Morelands Raceway, in St James, last Sunday.

It was the Spot Valley Million Dollar Challenge Dirt Sprint Number Five put on by the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) in conjunction with the Montego Bay Motoring Club.

Drivers and riders vied for the top spots as the engines revved loudly throughout the day. Spectators found the activity amusing and entertaining and many pledged to return for another treat next year.

When the dust cleared shortly before 6 p.m., renowned driver Jeffrey Panton ensured that he remains the 'leader of the pack', clocking a time of 2:22.22 - the fastest in the championship run.

Panton raced in Class JA9 and collected three trophies overall, winning in his class, the overall championship run and also the fastest overall time of 1:34.

Trophies

Richard Rerrie, who won first place in Class JA8, also placed second in the championship run, with a time of 2:22.315. Panton, Rerrie and many other drivers were presented with trophies for winning in various categories. They include Jordan Powell, Warren Walford, Jeremy Groves, Macklin Peterkin, Doug Gore Dion Gardner, Maurice Whittingham Jr, Alan Chen, Patrick Chambers, Andrew Forsythe and David Lee.

And members of the Kawasaki Quad race team cemented their mark on the tracks, sporting spanking new KFX 450cc and KFX 700cc series, among others. President of the Jamaica Motorcycle Association (JaMa), Ian Gibson, said, "Kawasaki is now leading the way in promoting quad racing."

And 16-year-old Neil Andrade Jr was the talk of the day, outrunning all his adult competitors in the Quad-Class category. He won in the Kawasaki KFX 450cc Class, as well as the championship run. The Quad races were sponsored by ACE Super Centre and Kawasaki.

The only two females in the competition were Michelle Delfosse and Michelle Laidlaw. Delfosse, who represented Team Mack Attack, took the top spot and said she was elated and would continue racing. Gordon Brandon, 66 years old, was the oldest entrant. He returned with a bang after representing Jamaica on several occasions at the, regional and international levels.