Organiser Brian Clough won the hearts of the public with his “race what you’ve got” format at the Battle of the Belt event in February, but he faced the opposite problem for the second tournament on Sunday 9th June, when many drivers brought their own race cars to take part.
“The weather seemed to scare people away so we didn’t have the same turnout as the first time, but we’re going to give it another go,” Clough told the Jamaica Observer’s Motoring Weekly.
An unsettled weather forecast worked to the race and the fans’ advantage, even with brief periods of light rain, while otherwise overcast skies kept spectators and the track cool.
Spectators were able to watch the race for longer without the usual oppressive heat of Burnham Field, and the cooler temperatures allowed the race cars to run with more horsepower around the quarter-mile course.
The “Battle for the Belt” format seems to have stuck around, and the atmosphere at the event has become much more serious, with multiple racers, race teams and actual drag cars competing not only for bragging rights but also for a $150,000 prize purse per class.
After a smoking drifting demonstration by Chris John Addison, racing began for three of the four vehicle classes entered. Only the two car classes and the drag bike class participated. All participants put on a show for the crowd and finished close together, but the drag bike class also attracted a lot of interest.
Overall, Clough is pleased with the interest the drag racing community has shown in his unusual format of racing, and plans are underway for the third and final Battle for the Belts in 2024.
