Radical Carnival launches new Bushy Park Barbados season

The third Radical Carnival, which coincides with the British race and road car manufacturer’s 21st Anniversary, will launch the 2018 competition season at Bushy Park Barbados over the last weekend of this month (January 27/28). Organised by Bushy Park Motor Sport Inc (BPMSI), the race programme will run under the all-arena lighting on Saturday evening, with a day-time schedule on Sunday.

  The weekend also marks the end of the Suzuki Challenge Series, with the Prizegiving for the third and final season on Sunday afternoon, where 2017 Champions Suleman Esuf (SR3 Cup) and Barry Gale (Swift Cup) will be recognised. The regional competition has run its projected course of three years, attracting competitors from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, St Vincent & The Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago, along with those from Britain and the United States, who raced in the Radical Carnivals.

  Suzuki Regional Marketing Manager Simon Willis said: “Since launching the first-ever regional one-make race series back in 2015, we have achieved all of our aims. From nearly 60 competitors, including the Winter Cup in the first two years, our Champions have come from Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago – I congratulate Kristian Jeffrey, Ryan Peyrau and David Summerbell Jnr from around the region and our home-grown Champs Sol Esuf, Barry Gale, Sean Maloney and Ryan Wood.

  “Not only has there been some spectacular on-track action, in wet and dry conditions, and more recently under lights, but the media coverage around the region and beyond has resulted in some impressive statistics, particularly across our social media platforms and on television. With the new-model Swift introduced last year, this was always to be the cut-off point from our perspective, but I am glad to see BPMSI offering our competitors a home for the future.”

  Now renamed the Radical Caribbean SR3 Cup, the competition for the Suzuki-powered Radicals SR3 sports car will continue under the wing of BPMSI, running at each of its four meetings on the 2018 calendar, with the races at Radical Carnival representing rounds one and two. Discussions are currently under way to incorporate the cars from the Swift Cup within BPMSI’s existing class structure.

  Radical Carnival is the first race meeting in the island featuring Radicals since Bushy Park Circuit Inc (BPCI) was appointed sole distributor for Radical Sportscars in the Caribbean; based in the East Midlands city of Peterborough, Radical has built more than 2,000 cars, progressing from the iconic Clubsport model revealed in early 1996 and which established the company’s reputation, to the SR8, which brought Le Mans Prototype pace to the UK national racing scene.

  During the build-up to Radical Carnival race weekend, the visitors will have access to open pit-lane testing at Bushy Park from 11.00am on Tuesday and Thursday – spectators will be welcome at no charge - alongside the chance to enjoy the social side of Barbados, with a trackside BBQ and island tour. Over the past two years, Radical Carnival has attracted visitors from Britain and the United States to race against drivers from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

Radical International

Saturday, January 27, 5.00 to 9.00pm: viewing from Open Air Suites only, access through Gate 1 (opens at 4.30pm) - $10. Sunday, January 28, Noon to 4.00pm: viewing from Open Air Suites only, access through Gate 1 (opens at 11.30am) - $10. Tickets available on the gate, on-line at www.bushyparkbarbados.com and at the Bushy Park Circuit Office