PHILIPSBURG—Model car racers from Team St. Maarten will be competing in the Florida Winter Nationals from February 7 -13, Rudolph Nicholson disclosed. The event will be broadcast live on www.winternats.com.
Then later in June St. Maarten will host the 2010 Soualiga R/C Championship.
"It promises to be a weekend of surprises," said Nicholson. "St. Maarten can expect to compete with the best from the Caribbean. Taking part will be top drivers from France, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Aruba, USA, Brazil, and Barbados. We are still hoping to have a website up in time with all the information on this event."
Nicholson added one of the goals of the St. Maarten R/C Foundation was to promote its first event.
"We are asking the St. Maarten business community to help with our expenses. By attending theses races we can show that St. Maarten is ready and can host such an event. We are predicting over 150 drivers who will visit the island in June."
Nicholson and Gary Beauperthuy last weekend competed in the 11th Grand Prix International held at the Cedryan R/C race track in Lamentin, Martinique where the team won Best Body and Performance. Due to unfortunate issues with sponsors and flight availability they arrived just in time for the last qualifying run on Saturday and made it through to the semi finals on Sunday.
There was an issue with a front one-way bearing giving way but by Sunday Gary had the car well tuned ready for the semi finals.
Rudolph led for several laps before running up against Yannick Crofils of Martinique who clipped his rear end which cost a lost tyre and position. He was able to get back into the race but had already lost six places.
"We knew it was going to be a fierce race," he related. "After 20 minutes I was able to regain position until Yannick clipped the car again on the rear sending it airborne over 6ft where it crashed into the safety barricade. We knew the game was over then. The car came back to the pits completely broken down. With only 15 minutes left on the clock there was just not enough time to get back in the race."
The Foundation thanks Nagico Insurances, Ryan Tackling, friends and family, for their continued support.
