Maloney leads SR3 Cup from newcomer Myers

Mark Maloney of Barbados is the early leader of the Radical Caribbean SR3 Cup (RCC), following two race wins in Monday's (April 29) opening round at Bushy Park Barbados. While his brother Stuart, the reigning RCC Champion, won the second race, Jamaican newcomer William Myers ended the day second on points, after an impressive three podium finishes on his debut in the regional series for Suzuki-powered Radical SR3s.

 

  The 21-year-old double Jamaica Race Drivers Club MP2 Champion signalled his intentions in the first of two Free Practice sessions, leading the field with a time of 59.388s, one quarter of a second up on Mark Maloney; promising a good day's competition, Trinidad & Tobago's Kristian Boodoosingh and Sean Maloney of Barbados completed a quartet of drivers covered by less than half a second.

  While Sean topped the second FP session times, Mark was fastest in Qualifying, adding a ninth Pole Position to his record, with Myers, Sean and T&T's Luke Bhola all within three-tenths of pole. Bhola's time was later disallowed, as his SR3 was found to be underweight, so he dropped to the back of the grid behind Stuart Maloney, Boodoosingh and the second series newcomer, Jamaica's Horatio Brown, making his car racing debut.

 

  Starting from the southern grid, pole man Maloney powered downhill into the ÔW's to take a lead he was not to lose in the first 15-lapper; while he was never challenged, his brother Sean came under constant pressure from Myers, having passed him on the opening lap, the Jamaican seeking any opportunity to pass. The fastest lap changed hands from Myers, as he closed in on Sean, to Maloney as he fought back, then finally to Mark Maloney, increasing his record of fastest laps to 22. After passing Brown just after mid-distance, Bhola chased down a six-second gap to Stuart Maloney, to finish just feet behind him, while Boodoosingh retired when his ECU lost power.

  Brown and Bhola sat on the front row of the reversed grid for the second race, Stuart and Sean Maloney on row two, with Mark Maloney and Myers at the back, Boodoosingh out for the rest of the day. When the lights went out, Bhola did not move, the rest flooding around him left and right, Stuart and Mark Maloney surging ahead, initially with Sean in third place. Myers found a way past Sean on lap two, these four becoming a high-speed, nose-to-tail train for the remaining laps; the spread across the four cars was never more than 2secs but, despite a number of attacking moves, the order remained the same. Stuart Maloney's victory was his 18th in the SR3 Cup, while Sean's fastest lap was his 10th. Once Bhola got started, he hunted down the yellow SR3 of Brown, but spun in his attempt to pass, handing Brown his best result so far.

  

  Based on points scored in the first two races, Mark and Stuart Maloney were on the front row for the day's final encounter, with Myers and Sean on row two, Bhola and Brown at the back. Another perfect start from the pole-sitter saw him edge away from the trio behind him, Stuart, Sean and Myers battling for second place; when Stuart spun on the exit of the W's, Sean and Myers were through in a flash, Bhola and Brown also benefitting while Maloney recovered. Mark Maloney's margin of victory was the biggest of the day, at a little over 3secs, but it was Myers who came through in second place, clocking the day's final fastest lap, having passed Sean Maloney on the last tour, while Bhola finished fourth, equalling his best SR3 Cup result to date.

 

Radical Caribbean SR3 Cup, round 1

Bushy Park Barbados (April 29)

Qualifying:

Pole - Mark Maloney (BAR) - Rock Hard Cement/Bushy Park Barbados Radical SR3 RS, 50.097s, 122.443kmh/76.08mph

2nd - William Myers (JAM) - KFC Radical SR3 RS, + 0.189s

3rd - Sean Maloney (BAR) - Bushy Park Barbados Radical SR3 RS, + 0.283s

4th - Stuart Maloney (BAR) - Bushy Park Barbados Radical SR3 RS, + 0.472s

5th - Kristian Boodoosingh (T&T) - CR Boodoosingh & Sons Ltd/Fast Parts/Torco Race Fuels/Richtune/Garage 61/TechPoint Tuning Radical SR3 RS, + 0.712s

6th - Horatio Brown (JAM) - Fast Parts/Torco Race Fuels/Car Boutique/Redline Oils/

Richtune/Bhola's Marketing Radical SR3 RS, + 1.389s

Luke Bhola (T&T) - Bholas Marketing/Fast Parts/Torco Race Fuels/Richtune/Garage 61/TechPoint Tuning Radical SR3 RS * time disallowed, underweight

 

Race 1 (15 laps): 1st M Maloney, 17m 06.403s; 2nd Sean Maloney, + 1.560s; 3rd Myers, + 2.087s; 4th Stuart Maloney, + 14.257s; 5th Bhola, + 14.612s; 6th Brown, + 33.130s. DNF Boodoosingh. Fastest lap: M Maloney, 59.431s, 121.755kmh/75.66mph Race 2 (15 laps): 1st Stuart Maloney, 16m 05.567s; 2nd M Maloney, + 0.560s; 3rd Myers, + 0.899s; 4th Sean Maloney, + 1.376s; 5th Brown, + 16.272s; 6th Bhola, + 34.866s. Fastest lap: Sean Maloney, 59.404s, 121.810kmh/75.69mph Race 3 (15 laps): 1st M Maloney, 16m 18.015s; 2nd Myers, + 3.043s; 3rd Sean Maloney, + 7.265s; 4th Bhola, + 9.479s; 5th Stuart Maloney, +20.263s; 6th Brown, + 20.413s. Fastest lap: Myers, 59.221s, 122.186kmh/75.92mph

Points after round 1: 1st M Maloney 68 points; 2nd Myers 48pts; 3rd Stuart Maloney 47pts; 4th Sean Maloney 45pts; 5th Bhola 30pts; 6th Brown 26pts; 7th Boodoosingh 6pts

 

Qualifying rounds: Apr 29, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI); Jun 10, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI); Aug 31/Sep 1, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI); Nov 9/10, South Dakota, Guyana (GMR&SC)

 

For media information only. No regulatory value

 

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