HEROES OF SPEED : KYLE ‘SPEEDY’ GREGG WILL NOT BE CROWNED KING? Part 1

The narrative that money does not grow on trees is being challenged by the Eucalyptus tree. In parts of Australia, there is evidence to suggest that the leaves of the Eucalyptus tree may contain minute quantities of gold!

DOVER RACEWAY

The Heroes of Speed event at Dover Raceway was the final battle of the 2019 circuit racing season. It was a highly anticipated event for several reasons. The possibility of seeing Doug Gore’s machine finally sorted and ripping around Dover’s 1.6 was enough to have fans salivating!

We all knew that in the heavy artillery bracket – Thundersport (TS) – relentless firepower would be unleashed at  Kyle ‘Speedy’ Gregg. But, we surely were not prepared for the forest fire that raged and ravaged the 1.6!

The on-track, Earth’s-core-like inferno, triggered a tsunami of spontaneous adrenaline which had the fans reveling in unbridled ecstasy!

LUEBOYZ

Opinions will differ, but the significance of the LueBoyz on the Jamaican motorsports scene can neither be denied or overlooked. At the Heroes of Speed, the LueBoyz proved, yet again, that they are a game-changing force.

During qualifying, Kyle Gregg remained at the summit of the TS2 combatants with a 1:16.081. Nicolas Castillo, the LueBoyz’ hit-man, despite being a newcomer to Alfred Chen’s vision, sat at P2 with a 1:17.142. William Myers completed the top 3 with a 1:17.713.

NICOLAS CASTILLO

Despite being on pole for TS Race 1, Kyle was served an ominous plate of climate-changing exhaust. He was forced to chase Nicolas Castillo to corner 1. Nicolas led exiting corner 1 and despite incessant hounding and occasional contact from an obviously startled Kyle Gregg, Nicolas remained steadfast, resolute, focused, immovable, neither shaken nor stirred.

Kyle ‘Speedy’ Gregg was at home, in front of fans who he would call his own. Talk floated prior to the event. David Summerbell Jr. is still enjoying his self-imposed exile. The throne is vacant. Is Kyle the new King? Aboard what is obviously the dominant machine in Jamaican circuit racing at present – the Radical – Kyle Gregg is without doubt the King of the Hill. But is he the King?

KRISTIAN BOODOOSINGH

At Jamwest, in May, the LueBoyz brought a Trinidadian sharpshooter. Kristian Boodoosingh was what Doug Gore’s machine wants to be – a BEAST ! The Lueboyz supplied Kristian with weaponry which was similar to Kyle’s. But somehow, it appeared as if a racing wand was waved and the Lueboyz’ machine was a Howitzer at a stick-fight! Kyle sought, but found zero answers for Kristian’s scorching pace.

Kyle was ultimately fed an insipid defeat. Kyle, obviously disoriented, some would argue, dipped into a bag of reckless tricks and employed underhand tactics to defeat Boodoosingh. Fast-forward to October 21st. TS Race-1, Kyle, after several laps, was again entangled in defeat’s web. Time was running out. Embarrassment loomed.

The laps were disappearing. Nicolas led. Kyle chased. The crowd was an active volcano. Eruptions – cheers- screams – whistles – horns – an endless blend of sustained jollification. The atmosphere could supply St Ann with power for a month – it was electric!

We did not see the pass, but the audible explosion from the crowd conveyed the message long before our eyes confirmed. The Radicals buzzed their purposeful distance-slaughtering note. When they came into full view along the start-finish straight, Kyle was ahead. The fans who saw Kyle in front – in the lead – at the same time we did, separated themselves from their minds. The roar of approval was deafening! Minds were discarded everywhere!

A gaggle of drivers and fans who were watching the race from the area where the race-cars were once weighed ( the gap between the 2 spectator areas adjoining pit-lane) descended into youthful folly – they invaded pit-lane! Someone grabbed my arm. I was pushed and pulled repeatedly, by a driver, a fan, who was obviously  overwhelmed by the moment.

The battle was now at fever pitch. Both machines sped towards corner one. Our necks strained, we jostled, our brains employed the no-blink protocol – all eyes zoomed in on corner 1!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer