Unfinished business in the RCC for Boodoosingh and T&T

Thursday 11th May, 2023

Kristian Boodoosingh of the Fast Parts Caribbean team heads in to the fourth season of the Radical Caribbean Cup (RCC) knowing there is unfinished business both for him as a driver and his home country Trinidad & Tobago. The first of five three-race meetings for the Suzuki-powered Radical SR3s is at Bushy Park Barbados on Sunday (May 14), where the Trinidadian has been a race-winner in the past.

Since the regional championship was created in 2018, after the Bushy Park-based Suzuki Challenge Series finished its three-year run, ‘Boodoostig’ is one of only three drivers to have contested more than 30 of the 36 races run. He has won four times, six if you include finishing second twice to guest driver and FIA Formula 3 Vice Champion Zane Maloney last year, and has 14 further podium finishes, more than any other driver.

Last year, despite those two defeats at the hands of Maloney, Boodoosingh scored maximum points at the Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway in T&T, so headed in to the final three races at South Dakota in Guyana, home turf for his year-long rival Kristian Jeffrey, leading the title chase by 15 points. While he extended his lead in the first race, a water pump failure in the second resulted in a dnf, then Jeffrey won the final encounter, and claimed the title by just five points.

Ahead of flying into the island last night (Wednesday), Boodoosingh said: “I'm really eager to get back on track and make sure we are right where we left off, and on the pace; once all goes to plan this weekend, we hope to be fighting at the pointy end of the field and start off the championship with some podiums.

“Our main techs are already there and have been hard at work getting the car prepped. The team and I have been putting a lot of effort into our local races as well - so far, we have won all the races we have entered, led every lap and even secured a new lap record at Wallerfield in Group 2.”

While that five-point margin of victory was the closest for the Champion Driver in the RCC’s three seasons, the inaugural Nations Cup was even closer-fought, Guyana beating Barbados by a single point. Jeffrey followed Stuart Maloney of Barbados (2018) and Jamaica’s William Myers (2019) as RCC Champion – two seasons were lost to the coronavirus pandemic – so three of the four participating territories have produced a Champion Driver. Over those three years, Boodoosingh has finished fourth, third and then second, so hopes this year will follow the trend.

Boodoosingh has Barbadian brothers Ahmed and Suleman Esuf as team-mates in the Fast Parts Caribbean outfit; while Ahmed is a relative newcomer to the RCC – he first raced in the series at Bushy Park in August last year – ‘Sol’ is an experienced all-rounder, who first came to prominence as a successful drag racer. With 12 wins and 16 further podium finishes within 48 races, he won four Championship titles in the Suzuki Challenge Series SR3 Cup.

Already confirmed and looking forward to his RCC series debut is Jamaican teenager Tommi Gore, while 2018 Champion Stuart Maloney returns, alongside brothers Mark and Sean, who was the inaugural SCS SR3 Cup Champion in 2015/16. Completing the field is Justin Maloney, who finished an impressive fourth in RCC 2022, losing out on third place to his uncle Stuart in a best-results tie-break.

Sunday, May 14

Gate 4 will open at 11.00am for access to the Clubhouse and Hammer Viewing Zone and qualifying is scheduled to start at 11.40am; tickets will be available at the gate and admission is Bds$10, with children aged 11 and under free. Food and drink on sale, coolers welcome (no glass bottles)

Racial Caribbean SR3 Cup, round 1

Entry list

14 Suleman Esuf – BAR (Express Imports/Fast Parts/Garage 61/RawPower Motorsports/Motul/Techpoint Tuning/Adon Group/HB4 Consulting/Richtune Radical SR3 RS)

16 Stuart Maloney - BAR (VP Fuels/Chevron/Sign Station Radical SR3 RS)

17 Kristian Boodoosingh - T&T (Fast Parts/Garage 61/RawPower Motorsports/Motul/Techpoint Tuning/Adon Group/HB4 Consulting/Richtune Radical SR3 RSX)

22 Sean Maloney - BAR (Bushy Park Barbados Radical SR3 RS)

23 Justin Maloney - BAR (Bushy Park Barbados Radical SR3 RS)

41 Ahmed Esuf – BAR (Express Imports/Fast Parts/Garage 61/RawPower Motorsports/Motul/Techpoint Tuning/Adon Group/HB4 Consulting/Richtune Radical SR3 RS)

86 Mark Maloney - BAR (Rock Hard Cement/Bushy Park Barbados/Sign Station Radical SR3 RS)

244 Tommi Gore - JAM (Emperor Beer/Amsoil/Sandals Barbados/Mobay Freight Services Radical SR3 RSX)

Provisional Timetable

11.00–11.15 Practice 1 - Radical Caribbean Cup

11.20–11.35 Practice 2 – BPMSI Championship

11.40–11.55 Qualifying 1 – Radical Caribbean Cup

12.00–12.15 Qualifying 2 – BPMSI Championship

12.20–13.15 BPCI Track Day Cars Demonstration 1

13.20 Race 1: Radical Caribbean Cup, round 1, race 1 (10 laps)

13.40 Race 2: BPMSI Championship, round 1, race 1 (8 laps)

14.00–14.55 BPCI Track Day Cars Demonstration 2

15.00 Race 3: Radical Caribbean Cup, round 1, race 2 (10 laps)