Local super bike champion Stephen ‘Valentino Rossi’ Vieira says he is fully prepared to face the overseas challengers expected here in November for the third and final leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC).

Vieira believes that his riding has improved tremendously even as he expects to face a tougher group of foreign riders at the South Dakota Circuit. “Well Craig (Atkinson) is a joke, I’m not worried about him, but I’m ready for Kevin Graham this year, yeah, the big man is coming. Also, I expect to come up against Jamaica’s bad man Stefan Chin and David Brooks from Barbados. As you know he had some problems in the first race the other day but when he comes it would be a big war with us you know,” he said.

Like Rossi! Stephen Vieira during one of his winning rides at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados. (Rawle Toney photo)

the second leg of the championships, Vieira, after finishing third in the first race returned to ride what would turn out to be his best race at the Bushy Park Circuit to win the other day races.

His ride thrilled the 16,000 spectators who all rose to their feet to hail his victory. “You know that was my second time racing in Barbados and I think it was my best race ever so far because the guys [over] there really came out hard and after I got over some problems I had in the first race I was good to go. Also it was the best my bike has worked since I got it, so people you can look out for Stephen at his best come November,” an enthused Vieira said.

Asked how the bike is running since returning from Barbados, he said so far so good but he is more concerned about a knee injury that has been hampering him lately. Vieira said he has not been able to prepare as much as he’d like yet for the November show and as recently as Sunday he “couldn’t take the turns properly or like I wanted too.” However, the champion rider said he intends to seek medical attention and start practising again next week.

The November 8 event has been the most talked-about in the CMRC’s 19-year history. The championship will be closely contested by Mark Maloney of Barbados and Jamaican ‘King’ David Summerbell who leads the points standing.