Preparations are going apace for Sunday’s 25-race Mashramani Motor Racing Championships sponsored by telephone giant GT&T, and Ansa McAl, distributors of Carib Beer at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Officials of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) introduced the sponsors at a ceremony at the Georgetown Club Tuesday evening where ace driver Andrew King’s car sponsored by GT&T Cellink Plus was unveiled to the public.

President of GMR&SC Vishok Persaud disclosed that the Club would stage four major events this year and said Sunday’s event was the first of what was expected to be a competitive year for motor racing in Guyana.

He thanked GT&T and Carib Beer for their support and noted that GT&T’s sponsorship had tripled since 2005.

According to Persaud, a new category, which is the Group Four, has been created which is designed for cars with the capacity of 4000cc or more that are either four-wheel driven or have tube-framed chassis which are specifically built for racing.

“This development will bring us in line with the rest of the Caribbean, thereby giving our local drivers the opportunity to be more competitive against the best of the region,” he added. GT&T’s Marketing Executive Wystan Robertson said his company was proud to be associated with motor racing and promised his company’s continued involvement in the future.

According to Robertson, GT&T was teaming up with the best in motor racing – King – who will be racing under the Cellink brand.

King expressed his gratitude to GT&T and acknowledged the splendid work done by his mechanics in bringing the race car into top shape.

Ansa McAl marketing representative, Ravel Sears, said his company had been in the forefront of sponsoring sporting events in Guyana including football, hockey, cricket and now motor racing.

He added that the Ansa Mc Al’s sponsorship was more critical in helping the development of sports in Guyana than commercial needs. Sunday’s 25-race programme will feature races in Groups One to Four in the motor car category in addition to the 125cc and Super Bikes events.

Former motor bike and car champion Kevin Jeffrey is making a return to the track in a Mitsubishi Evolution 8 car he recently acquired.

Andrew Morgan, Mark Vieira, Jad and Ryan Rahaman, Keith Evelyn, Rupie Shewjattan, Ernesto Choo and Syed Hassan will all be looking for championship honours.

There is also expected to be keen rivalry in the motor bike category with Stephan Vieira and Canadians Kevin Graham and Craig Atkinson being among the top contenders.

Starting time is at 09:00 h.