Jamaica yesterday domin-ated the pre-lunch period of the Caribbean Karting Carnival international race meet, which got under way at the Palisadoes International Raceway, Kingston. The two-day event concludes this afternoon.

Richard Lechler, Thomas Issa and Mario Mair were successful drivers for Jamaica during the pre-lunch period, each winning once. Issa returned in the post-lunch period to take the chequered flag for a second time.

The Canadian PSL team, which has looked very impressive so far, won two of the pre-lunch events, through Jesus Rios Jr and Fritz Leesmann. America's Carlos Duenas was only other winner in the pre-lunch period.

The Comer 80 cc race kicked off the meet, with a ding-dong battle between Joshua Sirgany and Lechler. The rivalry injected some life in the crowd, which cheered them on. In the end, Lechler won in a very close finish from the fast-finishing Sirgany.

comfortable winners

Issa and Mair were comfortable winners, likewise Rios and Leesmann. The highly rated Brazilian, Pietro Fittipaldi Da Cruz, could only manage third place behind Issa.

"He was experiencing mechanical problems," a spokesman from the Brazilian camp said.

Meanwhile, Rios Jr was very happy with his victory.

"I came here with high hopes to win, but I believed the race would have been closer, had Phillip Myers not dropped out," said Rios.The competition in the Rotax Junior Class was very fierce. A spin-out in the first of the three races saw Myers losing the lead to Rios, who won easily from Colin Daley Jr.

The activities was marred by a minor incident on the track during the running of the first Rotax Senior event. Barbadians David Evelyn and Luke St John were forced out of the event.