Drag Racing : The ¼ mile comes alive at Jamwest this weekend

Vengeance 4

It is said that if something is too good to be true, it possibly is. In some instances, however, whatever it is, it can be genuinely good and there is no gimmick .A good example would be this drag racing series dubbed Vengeance. For one reason or another, Vengeance has been consistently good. It has managed to maintain the high quality racing we have become accustomed to. This series continues to entertain us and a feature of the event is the large number of cars present which are capable of ripping low elapsed times. Capital city Kingston and its environs have no official drag racing facility. At least in Mobay they still have their little strip at Ironshore, so their need for speed is addressed from time to time. For the rest of us unfortunate petrol heads, who live for the 1320 ft of pavement or asphalt, communicated to by a series of lights, we wait patiently and look to the West, all the time hoping that an event will be held shortly. We begged for it and it is now here. We will willingly make the trek to Jamwest this Saturday and Sunday (26th and 27th) for the next round of battles in a series that delivers the goods and satisfies even the most insatiable beasts in the stands.

Entertaining Acts

If you are a newcomer (you will be going to Jamwest for the first time) travel with an open mind. At times some of the most entertaining acts may be man powered – of the bicycle type – as the youngsters in Little London, the area in which the track is located, have an abundance of skill and if a major stage is presented, they are more than willing to demonstrate how adept they are at doing ridiculous stunts, using 1 man-power.

The bikers may be thrown into the mix to keep the adrenalin pumping during drivers meetings or lunch. Mackie, Gitchie and company may pass through and remind us that bikes (sportbikes) can actually carry 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 6 persons if necessary! Balls of steel I tell you and the ladies on the bikes – I don’t know what they have!

Do not be misled into thinking that when qualifying is over and the real ‘gungo’ begins you will regret spending your hard earned ‘chump change’ to gain entry to the venue. The classes are stacked with high performance machines, which are all quite capable of bending time and rewriting the record books, as it relates to how much power may be forced fed from a tiny Japanese four cylinder motor. Ask ‘Spoon’ or Craig Lue, they will tell you about the monsters they have created with massive turbochargers controlled by high tech engine management systems. Time travel is a feat which some cars have accomplished, because only that can explain how they are able to complete the 1/4 mile in the few seconds which will elapse before you see the flashing light indicating the winner of the race.

Hotly Contested

Truth be told, Vengeance 4 will be about the continuation of previous rivalries and initiating new battles with project owners who will show up with pristine machines which were being built from the previous government allowed the importation of machines from the land of the rising sun! There are some classes which are so hotly contested the devil will step aside to avoid the heat! I am talking specifically about the 11 seconds class. I did not realize that we had so many 11 seconds machines in Jamaica. We are fully aware of the ‘Ochi’ war between ‘Spoon’ and Seymour but they were thrown aside last meet as Audie ‘Lizard’ Cowan stamped the Pulsar on everything, until he was the last man standing. Noel ‘Spi’ Rhone has been busy sending threats but, whether he receives the ‘slicks’ or not, he will have to be at his best, plus 10 more pounds of boost to dethrone ‘Lizard’.

Craig Lue is aiming to crack into unchartered territory. He has achieved consistent nine seconds passes and now he wants more. His new target – an eight seconds pass! Say it aint so. No I cannot, that is what he said. Brinn Morgan may unleash another of his twisted creations – possibly a twin turbo on anything unusual he can find.

In a nutshell, no, in a piston or in a connecting rod, are you a fan of drag racing? Are you usually at home on Saturday or Sunday twiddling your thumb waiting for Haley’s comet? If your answer to any of the two questions is yes or even if the questions do not apply to you, treat yourself to the races this weekend. I can assure you, you will be entertained beyond belief. You will be talking about it for days and weeks to come, until Vengeance 5.

Nb. It is always good to say the special prayer and hope it does not rain!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-line Writer