The 2017 motor racing season officially opens with the first International Drags scheduled for 19-21 May, at the Pearls International Speedway, St Andrew. This information was shared by the Grenada Motor Club (GMC), as it held its media launch on 26 April at the Excel Plaza, Grand Anse.
Angus DaBreo, President of the GMC said, “The GMC has scheduled 4 test and tune sessions to take place during 2017, as well as 2 international events to be held in May and November. Amongst the exciting new activities for 2017 is our official invitation to motor racing clubs throughout the region, to join us here for our racing events, and to book our dates into their plans nice and early. This has resulted in acceptance to join Grenada’s events by racers from St Croix and St Maarten, alongside long-term supporters from Trinidad & Tobago, Anguilla and St Vincent.”
Other new elements to the May event are the addition of a soca concert to be held on Saturday at close of racing, and a VIP section on Sunday.
In his address, GMC PRO Ian DaBreo highlighted that the sport is enjoying continued growth in Grenada. “We are working hard at developing International Drags into a major annual event for Grenada’s Sports Tourism sector. We have seen significant growth in racing visitors and their entourages, in tandem with an ever-growing interest in our beautiful island, with the events generating over a quarter of a million dollars spent in the country”.
Barbados Sporting News reporter, Trevor Thorpe, was pleased to include a radio broadcast interview with Ian DaBreo in the Barbados news and promised to attend the May event, giving a helping hand in spreading news of Grenada’s events into the region.
Also in attendance at the launch was the new CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, (GTA) Patricia Maher. She noted that “the GTA is particularly pleased to note the fitting synergy between the aims of the GMC’s annual racing events with our recently launched ‘Free to Wonder’ campaign, which seeks to highlight Grenada’s special brand of natural beauty, hospitality and friendly people, as well as the safety of our islands for our visitors and residents.”
The GMC took the opportunity to emphasise their strong safety message to the driving population — ‘Drive on the Road, Race on the Track.’ They encouraged all in attendance to ‘keep it clean’, and assist the GMC, by taking personal responsibility for their garbage and making proper use of bags and receptacles provided during the event. The GMC encouraged the Grenadian public to come out in their usual numbers, acknowledging that their support has been invaluable to the survival and growth of motor-racing in the tri-island state.
What’s the entry price?