Karting all along the Clocktower

The stage is set for the first-ever two-day Dockyard Grand Prix.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Clocktower area will  be abuzz with karts as a packed field negotiate the street track.

It’s the first time the Bermuda Karting Club has hit the island’s streets  since they raced around Hamilton 11 years ago.

It’s a one-off trophy day, featuring practice session, heat races and the final Grand Prix on Sunday.

Racing takes place from 10am-5pm on both days, with the Grand Prix expected to get started around 1pm on the final day.

Drivers will earn points from their placings in the heat races, which will act as qualifying for the main event.

Entry is free for fans and the event has been designed as a family day out.

Bonefish has a stall, as do Pizza House, while there will be a fun castle and face painting for the children as well as candy and ice creams stalls.

Club president and driver Scott Barnes told the Bermuda Sun: “The track is fine and ready to race.

“It’s a very tight, very small track, so racing should be close and it should be very good for the spectators.

“This track has never been raced before, there’s never been any motorsports in Dockyard before, so we are the first.

“We are the first two-day event when it comes to motorsports too, so it should be a good weekend.”

The event cost around $30,000 to stage and Barnes knows it is important to put on some excitement for the fans over both days.

He said: “Anytime we can get a bunch of spectators we love it. 

“There’s people that haven’t come out for while who will for this race – hopefully it will lead them to coming out more often.

“On a regular Sunday we don’t get a lot of spectators, so we’d love to put on a show for everyone.”

He added: “We haven’t been on a street race here since 2002 – 11 years – and back then we used to get thousands of people there.

“Back then we had a bigger club too. This will grow the sport here again — we’re trying to get it back to what it was.

“If this all goes well we want to approach Hamilton to do something at the end of our season — around April and May. This is about getting our sport on the map — there are a lot of people in Bermuda who don’t know what go-karting is all about.”

With two Trophy Series races and two Championships Series race days already held this season, the Dockyard Grand Prix stands alone as a one-off exhibition race day.

“Everyone’s pretty much on an equal playing field when it comes to this race,” said Barnes.

“We have 14 shifters looking to start this race and that’s a huge field for this type of track so there will definitely be some good races.” 

He added: “I’ve missed the past two race days as I was on vacation so I’ve only raced two so far. 

“I’ve had a few problems tuning my karts but all the kinks are out — I’ll be ready. 

“I want to win both classes that I’m in.” 

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Shifters

Juniors