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St. Croix drag racing figure encourages the sport for VI

Drag racing is a popular sport in St. Croix. Photo: www.infineonraceway.com
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Popular drag racing figure in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), James Bates, is encouraging the development of drag racing in the Virgin Islands (VI) since he believes it would benefit the youths tremendously.

Bates, who has served as President of the Caribbean Drag Racing Association, was speaking to a radio broadcaster following the conclusion of the Triple Crown race on January 15, 2011 at Ellis Thomas Downs where his horse Slevin destroyed the competition to take victory in the first leg.

He was at the time referring to the “good treatment” that he received while on Tortola from some of his friends who are into drag racing, and said that he was going back to St. Croix to speak about his good reception and encourage other horse owners there to participate in the August Festival races.

Bates said he “ would like the drag racing to pick up in Tortola" since good mechanics emerge through drag racing. “I know it is a little dangerous but if they do it right it would work out good for your youngsters.”

Former Minister for Education and Culture with responsibility for Sports and 1st district representative, Hon. Andrew Fahie, had disclosed in April 2011 that drag racing could be a reputable sport in the VI and could generate revenue and boost employment in the Territory.

Speaking in a House of Assembly sitting, Hon. Fahie had revealed that through a survey that was on ‘online media outlets’ 60.6 percent of persons between ages 25-50 have agreed to have drag racing as a sport and could be promoted as a tourism product, while 39.6 percent between ages 25 – 50 disagreed.

He had also divulged that Cabinet had approved the drag racing proposal and alluded to the fact over the past 10 years approximately 2,000 students have graduated from the tertiary level with certificates and degrees in auto mechanic.

This, Hon. Fahie had said would augur well since these individuals could become mechanical engineers, drivers, builders of engines and entrepreneurs that would propel the sport to newer heights.

The new Government’s position on the sport of drag racing and legalising it in the Territory is not known.

11 Responses to “St. Croix drag racing figure encourages the sport for VI”

  • shame (18/01/2012, 07:31) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Bates need to keep drag racing in St Croix. The BVI does not have a good reputation with people with the last name BATES. We cannot be everything for everyone. How can we be selling tranqulity and then want drag racing in Nature"s Little Secrets
  • crucian (18/01/2012, 08:43) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    you are and should be truley SHAME/ASHAME, I hope all BVIlanders do not think like you.....NMWE
  • To shame (18/01/2012, 12:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    leave Bates alone, he knows what he is speaking about, the young people them need something to do, they asking for it, now when they go robbing people you will ask why they dont go look work, stop judging him by his name at the end of the day if you go back to history you will see that we are all one. I can't believe you went there.
  • lost for words (18/01/2012, 14:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Its Real Funny How some people could seat behind a computer allday & night and type what ever comes to mind. We need to start looking at other areas of bringing income into our islands lets start with sports tourism. Example horse racing, draging racing, boat racing and so forth. and if we created a year round calender of events we will be having tourist coming all year and not just from novemeber to april. lets start looking at the postives and stop dwelling on all the negitive if you are not going to be path of the solution keep it to yourself.
  • More crime (18/01/2012, 14:17) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Presently there are one too many unemployed youths who own scooters that they cannot maintain. They are burglarizing our homes of electronics and gold jewelry so that they can pimp their rides and buy bigger mufflers, get airbrushing, pay for the gas etc. I can only imagine what will be happening to our vehicles if this race track ever came to fruition. Parts stolen from our vehicles daily!! Yes, we'll have many youths with a profession in grand theft auto!
  • Adonijah (18/01/2012, 17:10) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Go sit down with that drag racing crap. Not everything that other people have we need to have. I would rather see our money invest in teaching these lawless young people a trade or how to read and write. Also they need to be taught how to be productive citizens who will build up the country rather than pull it down
  • mr frett (18/01/2012, 19:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    All we need is the location and let us do our thing. We don't want Government money, we have investors, ALL WE NEED IS THE LOCATION. Let me say it again for the dumb, deff and stupid.WE DON"T NEED GOVERNMENT MONEY. Andrew state that he was contacted by someone who wanted to invest some million plus dollars into drag racing in the BVI.
  • dominant (19/01/2012, 14:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    WOHoooo... it's about time we get the drag strip here.
  • Brian Oreilly (09/02/2012, 00:34) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    You will never seperate young men from their fascination with cars, and mechanical vehicles-fact one. Two, the exposure to the likes of Drag Racing teaches skills that can be applied to a better quality of life in general. Example-I learned fractions of an inch, the metric system, weights and measures,fluid density, air quality , and much mor through my affiliation with Drag Racing- not in the classroom.... cause it was boring!!!! If you want to build our male figures, contractors and engineers, reduce crime,; Support Drag Racing, then talk to me in 10-15 years and you will see the return on investment.


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