Clean sweep for Skitchy

In a superb clean-sweep performance, Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes won six out of six races at the recent Bermuda Karting Club Championship race day.

Barnes, defending champion in both the TAG and Shifter 125 classes, set a blistering pace at the Southside track to leapfrog his rivals and take over top spot in both sets of standings.

Arguably the most tense racing came in the TAG class when he went toe-to-toe with main rival David Barbosa, a driver desperate to get his hands on the winner’s trophy after a number of championship runner-up finishes in recent years.

‘He wants it bad’

Barnes, who is also president of the Karting Club, told the Bermuda Sun: “David wants it bad. Stephen Corrado is racing up the front but in the terms of the championship it’s me and David battling it out. 

“David’s fast and racing really good — there’s definitely going to be a battle.

“When you’re racing that’s definitely in the back of your mind. You have to race smart and ease off when necessary but part of you is always looking around to see where he is.”

With half of the season to go there is plenty of action left and with Barnes leading the TAG class by just eight from Barbosa and the Shifter standings by two from Corrado, there is plenty of fuel left in the season.

However, Barnes, who benefited from no motor problems at the weekend, said he knew he had to make a move to stay in contention.

Racing against rival Barbosa, he says, brings the best out of him, although the memory of when Barbosa took out the front row in a race at the Dockyard Grand Prix is still fresh.

“I was behind in both classes so I knew I needed to race hard and make something happen,” Barnes said. 

He added: “Me and David have been racing since I began — not a lot in the same class but since I started in the TAG we’ve done a lot of racing together.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a huge rivalry but I enjoy racing against him, he’s a very clean driver.  It was uncharacteristic of him [at Dockyard]. He took out the front row — that’s in the back of my mind, a little payback for that!”

The Shifter also promises plenty of drama, with Stephen Corrado in the mix and Brandon Franks claiming three second places at the weekend. Barnes said: “The competition in the Shifter Class is definitely stronger than last year. Shannon Caisey has a new kart, Stephen Corrado is young but definitely fast and Brandon Franks  has come back out.”

The junior programme also received a boost, with a  new driversinvolved at the weekend, Lucas Bridges doing particularly well. There was also a new driver in the TAG line-up, Andy Pereria, while new children enjoyed trying out the rental karts. 

Rental karts are available on race days for $50. For more details go to www.bermudakartingclub.com, the club’s Facebook page or email president Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes at [email protected]

Championship
standings

TAG Sr Class

1 Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes 473 2 David Barbosa 466

3 Stephen Corrado 418

4 Corey Lewis 386

5 Bobby DeCosta 215

6 Jehan Durrant 208

7 Jeff Sousa 205 

8 Al.Seymour Jr. 165

9 Harrison/Ingham 143

10 Patrick Ingham 127

11 Andy Pereira 64

12 J. ‘Skuzzie’ North 47

125 Shifter Class

1 Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes 451 

2 Stephen Corrado 449 

3 Jason Smith 313

4 Brandon Franks 300 

5 Shannon Caisey 292 

6 Ed Stowe 239 

7 John Carreiro Jr. 238 

8 Che Stowe 208

9 Kevin Daley 178 

10 Devon Durrant 148

11 David/Mark Selley 146 

12 Michael Fontanetta 123

Junior Clone Class

1 Zavier Smith 407

2 Blake Horseman 356

3 Lauryn Burgess 342

4 Ryan Burgess 220

5  D’Niko Durrant 202

6  Zanardi Daley 159

7 Lucas Bridges 76