Tanko too hot to handle

TOP Trinidad and Tobago motor racer Tanko Baboolall recently returned from Guyana with his reputation enhanced as one of the leading drivers in the region.

Baboolal of San Juan, in a Shell Maxda RX-7 scorched the track at the South Dakota Racing Circuit in Timheri to emerge the overall champion at the Guyana International meeting two weekends ago. Baboolall dominated his Group-2A Class races roaring to victory in his four events to make him the undisputed choice for the Garvin Narine Challenge Trophy. Narine was a top Guyanese racer who was killed by bandits and the trophy was donated by his wife for the most outstanding driver of the meeting. “It was fitting that I got the trophy because I was Garvin’s mechanic when he was a racer. It was a special moment for me to get the award,” said a proud Baboolall. He said the meeting attracted leading race drivers from throughout the Caribbean including Barbados and Jamaica; as well as the United States and Canada.

Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Baboolall and Ravi Singh of Chaguanas driving a Third Generation RX-7. However Singh encountered engine problems with his car and had to sit out the competition but nevertheless gave Baboolall his whole-hearted support. And Baboolall rose to the challenge on the highly competitive ten-lap events in the fast three-quarter mile asphalt circuit witnesed by over 12,000 enthusiastic motor racing fans. The ace Trinidadian replaced Guyanese Ryan Rahaman as the new Group-2A champion who retired from the track after encountering mechanical problems. Because of the large number on entrants in the Group-2A Division, the competition was divided into two with Baboolall emerging from the first group and Sean Tem Pow dominating the second group which included Keith Evelyn and Andrew Morgan.

The clash between the Shell Mazda RX-7 of Baboolall and the Honda of Tem Pow brought the massive crowd to their feet and they received a treat in the final with the Trinidadian proving his mettle. Baboolall said the South Dakota track is very testing, though bigger than the Waller Field circuit on which he is accustomed racing. “There are four major turns and one gooseneck. It is very quick and Trinidad and Tobago drivers have excelled on this track breaking the 39-second barrier for the past six years,” said Baboolall. He has been racing since 1986 in Guyana and was the first to crack the 39-second barrier which stands as evidence of his skill and the speed of his car. Baboolal said that his next big assignment is to capture the “Champion Driver of the Year” honours in the final meeting organised by the Trinidad Automobile Sports Association on November 23 at Waller Field. Currently he holds  an almost unassailable 20-point lead on Singh and is set to put the icing on the cake with another indomitable performance in front of his home fans.