FRIDAY, MAY 11: Race action started on a high note for the Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club (BMRC) during their season opener on Sunday, May 6, 2012.
The club was graced with clear blue skies and an electric atmosphere providing a perfect backdrop for what was to come.
Motorcycle riders contended for top honours within six race categories throughout the event.
With several past champions and top competitors watching from the sidelines and overseas the remaining competitors were geared up to battle for their chances at the top step of the podium.
Hailey Place was the lone female rider of the day competing in the GP80 class.
She piloted her “911” race prepped machine to victory in all three heat races as the 2011 champion Jazari Caisey looked on from the side lines.
2011 Super Scooter champion Ricardo “Ricky” Wade fought off challenges from Dean Jones to take the win and maximum points for the day.
The sports entry-level classification deemed as the “Street Bike Class” had one new entry — Ryan Resendes — during the first event of the season.
The rookie was thrown in to the deep end of the pool as he mixed it up with both the GP 80 and Scooter riders piloting a Yamaha DT- 50.
The smile on his face at the end of the event said it all! He will be back with a new bike for the next event and challenges other members of the public to come and give it a try.
The GP125 class kept the spectators on their feet in all three race heats with a three-way battle for the lead between the 2011 champion Bruce Degrilla Jr. fighting off challenges from Cyril Whitter III and Keanu Wilson.
Wilson and Whitter both made their return to the GP 125 class after competing in the Superbike 600 class in previous years.
Wilson rode a tactical race from behind to take the win in race one whilst Degrilla took victory in heats 2 and 3.
Wilson and Whitter suffered a few issues throughout the event, which played right into the favour of the 2011 GP125 Champion.
The Supermoto/Formula classes featured Kewuan ‘Fluff’ Gilbert and Peter ‘Pistol Pete’ Terceira. The pair swapped paint and battled it out lap after lap to take a share of the top step of the podium.
Fresh off a victory overseas at the Homestead Speedway in Florida, Cody Souza-Saints dominated the super bike class in all three race heats of the event.
2011 Champion Shannon Caisey watched from the sidelines as young Saints carved through the field with precision and control.
Rookie Jacob Souza made his debut in the Superbike class in the season opener. Souza spent the day adapting to his new bike and adjusting to the intense race pace set by his nephew Cody.
The BMRC will be hosting its 2nd race event of the 2012 National Championship Series on May, 20, 2012.
For more info go to www.bmrc.bm or on our Facebook Page BMRC.
Dianna Costa is in charge of the marketing committee for the BMRC.