GREAT BAY--The St. Maarten Drag Racing Association (SXMDRA) is celebrating a strong regional showing after its team returned from the King Ocean Services Grenada International Drags with two first-place finishes, a third-place result and competitive performances across several racing categories.
The results were also recognized on the floor of Parliament by Member of Parliament Dimar Labega, who congratulated the association and its racers on their performance in Grenada. Labega said the accomplishments are a testament to the hard work being carried out by the group despite the limited resources available to local motorsport.
Labega had publicly supported the association ahead of the trip and recently facilitated a meeting between SXMDRA representatives and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs to discuss the future development of motorsport in St. Maarten, including opportunities involving young people, mechanics, automotive skills and organized competition.
St. Maarten was represented in Grenada by six cars and one motorcycle at the international event held September 26 and 27 at Pearls International Speedway in St. Andrew. The Grenada Motor Club event brought together racers from St. Maarten and several other Caribbean territories. According to SXMDRA, the wider competition featured 106 cars and participation representing 26 countries and territories.
Leading St. Maarten’s results was Sebastien Baronnier, driving the Audi RS7 known as “Twin Trouble,” who captured first place in the 11-second class.
Baronnier was joined on the podium by fellow St. Maarten competitor Raphael Borelli, whose Audi TTRS “Blackie” secured third place in the same 11-second category.
St. Maarten recorded another class victory through Humbert Flanders, driving the Monte Carlo “Dutty.” Flanders took first place in the 12-second class, giving the delegation its second victory of the competition.
The motorcycle division also saw St. Maarten represented, with Luciean Benscop advancing to the quarter-finals of the 9-second bike class before being eliminated.
Roberts Carty competed in the 14-second class and progressed through the competition before exiting in the third round. Carty recorded a 13.78-second run, which resulted in a breakout from the 14-second category.
Flemming, competing in the 11-second category with the Ford Mustang “Nemesis,” was forced to end his competition early because of mechanical issues.
The delegation also featured Jame Richardson with “King Kruger” in the Outlaw class. With no other Outlaw competitors entered, Richardson was unable to participate in a head-to-head elimination contest. Instead, King Kruger performed an exhibition pass for the spectators. SXMDRA said the run drew a strong response from the large crowd attending the event.
The Grenada appearance represented the culmination of weeks of preparation by SXMDRA, led by President Dennis Gibs. The association conducted local training and test sessions in preparation for the international event and has continued working to maintain competitive drag racing despite St. Maarten currently lacking a permanent drag racing facility.
The association has also been pushing a broader vision for motorsport that extends beyond race events. Discussions have included creating opportunities for young people to become involved in mechanics, automotive technology and engineering, as well as exploring organized school activities and other initiatives that can connect motorsport with technical education.
For Labega, the results in Grenada reinforce the argument that the motorsport community has continued to develop talent and represent St. Maarten internationally even without the infrastructure and financial resources available to competitors in some other jurisdictions.
He has previously called for a more structured discussion involving Government, racing organizations and the private sector on the future of motorsport, including appropriate infrastructure, regulations, youth development and its potential contribution to sports tourism.
For SXMDRA, however, Grenada was first about competition, and the team returned home with tangible results.
Two class victories, a third-place finish, a quarter-final appearance and representation across several categories gave St. Maarten a visible presence at one of the region’s major drag racing gatherings and provided another platform for the association to demonstrate the level of local motorsport talent.
