Vieira heads for SR3 Cup at Bushy Park Barbados

Multiple Guyanese circuit racing Champion Mark Vieira returns to race at Bushy Park Barbados this weekend (March 28/29), as two exciting new one-make motor racing championships are launched at the Valvoline Glassesco John ‘Tiny’ Harrison Memorial Race Meet, organised by Bushy Park Motor Sports Inc (BPMSI).

The Suzuki Challenge Series comprises the SR3 Cup, in which Vieira will race his recently-acquired Suzuki-powered Radical SR3 RS sports-racer, and the Swift Cup, which will be the subject of its own media launch later this week. Three inaugural races for each series will feature at the weekend, alongside BPMSI’s categories for cars and bikes.

When the Radicals do true race battle for the first time after extensive use in non-competitive Track Days in recent months, Vieira will face a quality field. The entries include Mark Maloney, a familiar adversary from the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC), former kart champion Ryan Gonsalves from St Vincent & The Grenadines and American Jim Parr.

Vieira, who has won numerous Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) Group 3 & Gp4 titles in rotary-engined Mazdas, was most recently seen in action at the St Philip facility in ROC Caribbean last December. He has been a regular visitor to the island since 2003 and is a race-winner and former lap record-holder at Old Bushy Park.

Gonsalves, whose father Becks was a familiar face at Bushy Park in the 1970s, last raced in Barbados in the 2008 CMRC in a Mazda RX-7; before that, he had won the Barbados Karting Association’s (BKA) Overall Championship in 2003 & ’04, going on to claim the Shifter Kart title in ‘05, beating Maloney’s brothers Sean and Stuart. Both brothers – Stuart was CMRC Champion in 2008 - are also entered for the SR3 Cup’s opening round, along with local drivers Allan Kinch and David Simpson.

There will be nine race meetings in the Suzuki Challenge Series, each with three races on the 2.01-kilometre Bushy Park International Circuit, with an annual Championship of six rounds, plus a three-round Winter Cup.

Suzuki Challenge Series - SR3 Cup

No - Driver (NAT)

7 - David Simpson (BAR)

12 - Jim Parr (USA)

16 - Stuart Maloney (BAR)

22 - Sean Maloney (BAR)

58 - Mark Vieira (GUY)

86 - Mark Maloney (BAR)

tba - Ryan Gonsalves (SVG)

tba - Allan Kinch (BAR)

Bushy Park Barbados briefs:

• the Valvoline Glassesco John ‘Tiny’ Harrison Memorial Race Meet (March 28/29) will also include the opening rounds of BPMSI’s 2015 Championship for its Clubman, Modified Production, Supersport and SuperModified classes, plus three races for Motorcycles, along with end-of-day Hilti Handicap races for cars and bikes • the end-of-day Prizegiving will be held in the pit canteen, at which all are welcome. The tunnel gates will be opened after racing to allow all spectators access to the pits.

• the VIP Lounge will now be open, on Sunday only: tickets are Bds$150, which will include mid-morning tea, coffee, turnovers and fruit kebabs, a buffet lunch, and mid-afternoon tea, coffee, cup cakes and cookies. Bottled water is also included in the price and there will be a paying bar.

• Sunday’s raceday admission tickets will have a value even after the weekend: a 15 per cent discount is being offered on all car care products, tyres and wheels at Automotive Art on presentation to the cashier of a Bushy Park ticket for this weekend’s race meet, for up to one month after the event.

• tickets are on sale on-line at www.bushyparkbarbados.com, from the Circuit Office, all Automotive Art outlets, Glassesco and Sol Warrens and Speightstown.

Saturday, March 28: Admission free. Qualifying - noon Sunday, March 29: General Admission (coolers and food allowed, no glass bottles) - Bds$20; Clubhouse (food and drink on sale), Bds$40; children 12 and under free. 4 x 4 Hammer Zone - vehicle pass Bds$25, plus General Admission pass (Bds$20) for each occupant. Gates open - 7.00am, racing - 8.00am