Bahamas Speed Week Report Dec 1-8th 2013

[briansa3]

Bahamas Speed Week, December 1st -8th 2013.
Brian Malin


This report is just to give some of our exploits on the event.
Proper Press releases have been written and sent to various publications. These are still available along with press release photos from our Chairman, Tony Brinkworth. landtbrinkworth@talktalk.net



30 club members and family with 21 karts joined around 40 forty cars to make the 2013 Bahamas Speed Week Revival a little bit special.
Although modern karts from the Formula Kart Stars attended in 2012 our historic karts seemed much more in keeping with the spirit of the event.
We came with the aim of getting fully involved, interacting with the local people and having a lot of fun. The week for us started with unpacking our karts which had all arrived safely at the paddock. There was plenty of help to get them out of the crates and up and running, although this was not without some issue of re-jetting carburettors due the local fuel and atmospheric conditions – lots of sun and very warm! The atmosphere at the paddock and the surrounding Fish restaurants set the scene for what will long be remembered as fun-filled days of Speed Week. The Bahamians have their own way of doing things to make everyone feel relaxed and at home.

The next morning was a chance to meet the students and teachers involved in the Edu-karting schools scheme. With the karting World Championships being held in Nassau during 1959/60 and 61 we were able to show the students some of the karts that were about in the day and so bring out the history of karting. Our first event of Speed Week was a joint one with the Edu-karting students on the specially laid out circuit around the car park for the new sports stadium. A most relevant venue as it is also close to the site of the original Oakes Road track used for the World championships. It was a very long day as we had to load and transport all our karts from the paddock at Arawak Cay (pronounced key) to site and back again but it was well worth it. For the students, who were driving concession karts that had arrived from the UK, it was the first time they had driven on a race circuit and they loved every minute. From the start everyone worked well together and a good day was had by all.

The opening on the Wednesday at Arawak Cay proved very enjoyable with some demo drives to excite the crowds. This was accompanied by lots of pomp and ceremony and music provided the Bahamian Military band. The static display on Friday evening at the same venue also drew the crowds.

The enthusiasm from the local people was amazing and some of the most enjoyable times were spent just talking to people on the bus to the paddock each morning. As soon as they realised we were competitors it “broke the ice” and they all wanted the latest news about upcoming events.

The highlights were the Fort Charlotte Hill-climb on Saturday and the Arawak Cay Sprint Circuit Challenge on Sunday. The venue, track layouts and the special on-site structures, such as the pedestrian bridges across the track, made them such a pleasure to drive with both events exceeding our expectations. Racing alongside the beach next to the sea wall with the cruise liners in the background then back past rows of palms trees, 18th century cannons and spectators was quite surreal. It think what really made the difference was that if a problem arose, everyone got involved to solve it and make the event happen, the students from the Edu-karting system deserve a special mention for helping to start and move our karts around.

All too soon it was the closing ceremony and our chance to thank everyone involved. How special, was speed week? Very special, difficult to put in words, I might have them for the newsletter.

I have attached a few photos. I will put a few more on later along with some captions.

Brian

[bobalong]

Well done brian yours bob phair.

[briansa3]

hi all

there is an article in issue 2 of Vroom UK magazine. there is link via its parent magazine, Vroom Italy. (click on vroom UK when on the site).
http://www.vroom.it

Brian