Gregg and Radical RXC confirmed for Williams International

 Jamaica's Thundersport 2 Champion for the past two years, Kyle Gregg, is today (Tuesday) confirmed for the Williams Industries International Race Meet at Bushy Park Barbados, where he will share a grid with both Kristian Jeffrey and Andrew King of Guyana for the first time. The highlight of the facility's 2019 circuit racing season, the August 31/September 1 meet is organised by Bushy Park Motor Sports Inc (BPMSI) and staged with additional backing from Digicel Barbados and the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC).

  Although the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC), which this annual Race Meet has hosted since 2008, no longer exists, a number of the region's leading drivers are signed up to face off for the first time this year. The Williams Industries International Race Meet will run on the 2.01-kilometre International Circuit, with practice and qualifying on Saturday afternoon and racing from 11.00am on Sunday; the schedule will also include the third round of the Radical Caribbean SR3 Cup, along with races for BPMSI's own Championship classes.

  In common with father Gary, who won Rally Barbados in 2006, Gregg has been a regular visitor to the island, although he has competed on both race track and rally stage, most recently in 2017, when he finished second in the opening CMRC Group 4 (4wd) race at Bushy Park, before mechanical issues with his Radical RXC intervened to bring his day to an early close. Despite that, he finished second in the Group at year-end to King (Mazda RX-7), one place better than his 2016 result, when he finished behind fellow-countryman Doug Gore (Audi TT RS) and Jeffrey (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII).

  Having first raced karts in Jamaica and the United States, Gregg switched to cars 10 years ago, winning the Jamaica Race Drivers Club's Modified Production 1 Championship in 2009. He successfully defended the title the following year, before moving up to MP2 for 2011, when he won the class and JRDC Champion Driver titles in his most successful season to date.

  Further successes followed in his Honda Civic, including at Bushy Park, where he contested the first CMRC race meet run on the redeveloped circuit in July 2014. After failing to set a time in Qualifying, he fought through from near the back of the grid to the front of the rain-affected Gp2 race on Saturday, which was then red-flagged, so he had to do the same all over again in the re-started race on Sunday morning. After then finishing second to Mark Thompson, he won the day's other two encounters, going on to end the season fourth in Gp2. He won the JRDC MP2 Championship the following year, after which the Civic was sold.

  Twice the winner of the loose-surface Rally Jamaica in an Evo IX (2014 with his father's long-time co-driver Hugh Hutchinson and then 2018 with Marcia Dawes), Kyle's first tarmac outing in the car was in the Shakedown Stages in Barbados in 2015, where he finished second in Group N, co-driven by local ace Sean Gill. He went on to finish third in the Sunday Cup after issues on the Friday night stages of Sol Rally Barbados 2015 dropped him out of the overall running, despite which he set a couple of overall top 10 times, with Hutchinson on the notes.

  BPMSI Chairman Sean Maloney, who will be hosting a Media Briefing next week at which more details of the Club's plans for the weekend will be announced, says: "Hearing that Kyle is now confirmed is great news, another competitive and determined Champion from the region, ready to go head-to-head with another 'Young Gun' Kristian Jeffrey and the veteran Andrew King from Guyana. By the time we add some more names into the mix, we look set for a fantastic weekend of racetrack fireworks."

Williams Industries International Race Meet details:

Saturday, August 31 (Gate 3 opens at 12.30pm) - Practice & Qualifying: admission free Sunday, September 1 (gates and ticket booths open at 9.30am) - Race Day: General Admission, Bds $20; Clubhouse (food and drink on sale, no coolers allowed), Bds $50; 4 x 4 Zones, vehicle pass Bds $25, plus General Admission pass for each occupant. Children aged under 12 and are free of charge in all areas