DRAG RIVALS 4 : A 150-SHOT OF NITROUS CAN FIX DAT! Part 1

Ken – T Racing has started the countdown. We are now few days away from the ultimate celebration of the internal combustion engine – racing! But, if the truth is relevant here, we will admit that the countdown to Drag Rivals 4 (DR-4) began exactly one second after Drag Rivals 3 ended !

MARLON CHUNG

I passed through Kingston’s dyno recently. As expected it was glowing with activity. Renaldo Thomas – the red 11 seconds Evo on the DR-4 flyer – and his Evo associates were in the building finalising their DR-4 assault.

And guess who was also in the building? A legendary tuner, a man who was undeniably, an integral component of Honda’s transformation in Jamaica, from a chick-magnet / economy machine to a giant-slaying-drag-racing- assassin – ‘Chungy’ aka Marlon Chung. Don’t know him? You should. Mandeville enjoyed an era when they dominated proceedings at ‘church’. Ask Mandeville about him!

DRAG RIVALS – 3

At Drag Rivals 3 (DR-3), held in July (2019), drivers and their machines who were yearning for sustained pedal and metal intimacy, flooded the southern coastal town of Little London. Jamwest was a buzzing hive of relentless activity. Ken-T Racing was forced to maintain a realistic cap on the more populated classes.

Drag racing is not only alive in Jamaica, it is living its best life!

SPOON

Significant milestones were achieved by several drivers and their teams. Waylon Simmonds’ frenetic, Oliver ‘Spoon’ Villiers-built EG, left an indelible mark. He should still be beaming, thanks to his 10.3 seconds pass – first time competing in the machine! Waylon has a new target. Will we see a significant lowering of the time accomplished at DR -3 ?

At DR-3, the Audey ‘Lizard’ Cowan-built, Delano Fraser-driven EK-machine was a rambunctious beast. Wild it was – hostile even. And even in its blatantly deviant and excessively, aggressive state, it slammed a 9 seconds pass. Will it be present? How will it perform at DR-4?

At a recent event, an individual who instills palpable fear in his opponents, revealed a machine which screamed promise and imminent blistering performance. The owner/builder/driver stirred an obvious level of discomfort within the St Ann drag racing fraternity. Words were hurled around flippantly. He was not amused. Not a man of many words, he stood his ground and the little he said was potent. Wisdom.

But, on the 1320, we all know words retain no significance. Reputations are on the line. The St Ann-based 9 seconds class King was present at Jamwest, at DR-3, but m.i.a. from the grid. Will he resurface and redeem himself at DR-4?

The owner/builder/driver mentioned earlier, stated that his accomplishments speak rather loudly. If he achieves his current goal, he will occupy rarefied air. Is the self-proclaimed 9-seconds King on the same level as the owner/builder/driver who operates from Red Hills Road? Will the Diamond Star machine attend DR-4? We hope it does!

We would want to mention a specific machine which is referred to in King of the Jungle terms. But, we will not. Fans of the machine will continue to hope and pray – repeat – hope and pray  that its debut will materialise before commercial flights to the moon begin.

We stand ready to document, what we are confident that the noble ruler of the jungle can accomplish. But, to claim any drag racing accolade, the machine must be present at the light! JPS did what?

It goes without saying, that Jamwest will be a rocking colosseum of speed on October 12-13. Machines which profess egregious speed will be trapped in an e.t.-chasing assignment. They will, as they did at DR-3, incite unrestrained excitement at Jamwest Motorsport and Adventure park. Clearly you must be present!

DAMION ‘BAM BAM’ DAVY

Incidentally, while I was at the dyno, Damion ‘Bam Bam’ Davy’s red EG was undergoing surgery – led by lead physician SPECS. During the interaction with the rolling road, the machine would happily pierce the damp, but cool, night sky with awe-inspiring notes, triggered by the directives from SPECS’ laptop.

The climax of the combustion-built intercourse came when the piston and rods choir met high rpms and the omnipresent solution for all speed problems was introduced. The machine would grab the power-adder and simultaneously transition from a domesticated feline to a Game of Thrones fire-breathing trio of dragons!

A 150 shot of nitrous will always make the world a better place. You simply cannot help yourself – nitrous makes you smile! How will Bam Bam’s red EG perform at Jamwest? When he sees his opponent at the ‘tree’, will he ooze confidence and think – A 150 shot of nitrous can fix dat! We will see.

Want to revisit Drag Rivals 3?

DRAG RIVALS 3!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer