Kyle ‘Speedy’ Gregg – No circuit racing in 2015?

Kyle ‘Speedy’ Gregg must be giving his father hell! I can see his proud dad, Gary ‘The Colonel’ Gregg, an accomplished race-car driver himself, wearing a puzzled look as he contemplates extending his mansion to create adequate space for all of Kyle’s motorsports trophies! Boy just keeps winning!

After a minor earthquake which threatened to rupture rallysports’ structure, Kyle and his co-driver were declared winners – officially this time – of Rally Jamaica 2014. Gary has found a spot for that trophy! Prior to Kyle’s attack on the stages at Rally Jamaica, he etched his name permanently elsewhere – on the wall of champions at Dover Raceway!

The 2014 circuit racing season was no bed of roses for Kyle. He will state that he had to overcome several challenges during the course of the year and his drive to, not only win, but conquer all the drivers at Dover, was somewhat muffled by the rule changes which saw him running a smaller, but still M.A.D-built  motor. Kyle is a prominent member of the merciless trio of warriors known as TOTAL Summerbell Racing (TSR) and inorder to reign at Dover he had to defeat everyone – including his teammates!

Andre Anderson

Kyle drove the obstacle-laden route in 2014 and heading into the final round, in October, he trailed his teammate Andre Anderson. In motor racing ‘any card can play’, it is never over until it is over! And fate decided to intervene. At the Heroes of Speed (October) race-meet, despite a majestic display of courage and determination (overcoming mechanical pit-bulls), fate had an ego-slaying blow planned for points-leader (at the time) Andre Anderson.

Andre fought valiantly, but when his machine came to a halt close to the Pepsi Hairpin, Kyle Gregg’s camp went scurrying for the champagne! It was not presented on a platter, but with Andre’s exit, Kyle’s entrance to Driver-Champion status was all but confirmed. So, at the Kia Motors Showroom, in October 2014, Kyle was officially crowned Drivers’ Champion.

Four months have elapsed since that beaming smile and picture-snapping moment at Kia. Kyle’s repertoire has expanded to include rallysport mastery. What with his – down but not out – return to flog everybody – performance at Rally Jamaica 2014. The rumor mill is now rife with assertions that circuit racing will lose Kyle to rallysport. Suggestions that he has lost interest are as abundant as hope on the rock! I cannot settle for hearsay. I visited the JRDC’s 2014 Champion at his family’s new facility on Maxfield Avenue (B. D Gregg and Bros Ltd)

Kyle is a – what you see, is what you get – type of individual. Always jovial, a sociable character who is obviously enjoying life. When I asked him about his plans for 2015 something became blatantly obvious. This is not news.This is a reminder. Kyle’s ‘David’ – his M.A.D.-powered, Moodie-prepared Honda Civic is for sale. Why ‘David’? Try, you might be successful. Explain how a naturally aspirated machine (at its maximum, 240 whp from 2200cc) could accomplish 1:22s around Dover’s 1.6 miles of ecstasy. If you are in the know, you will be familiar with a car-dealer’s stock of machines, I will call them Goliath – all wearing limitless horsepower and boasting supersonic speed, but they can only have dream about 1:22s!

‘David’

This is news. A buyer for ‘David’ is on the horizon and chances are the machine will set sail before Dover’s opening round of competition. So will Kyle be at Jamwest for Speedwest Weekend. No. Will Kyle Gregg compete at Dover Raceway in 2015. Yes. But and there is always a but! Kyle has no circuit racing machine if ‘David’ is sold. So what will Kyle compete in at Dover for 2015. Kyle is still trying to connect those dots – “I might use the rally car for the first round”.

Rest assured ladies and gentlemen of the circuit racing world, Kyle Gregg will be present at Dover in 2015 and he will willingly distribute his brand of forceful, consistent and fierce brand of motor-racing as he defends his 2014 title.

Incidentally – what became blatantly obvious? When I asked Kyle about rallysport and if he intends to continue ralllying in 2015, it was as if 12 HID bulbs were introduced to a dark St Mary road at 2am! The room was suddenly illuminated! He came alive when he said – “Definitely”. Even if he wanted to, there was no way Kyle ‘Speedy’ Gregg could have created a mask around his passion for rallysport!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer