By Ron Daniel
It was an open secret that there were illegal car races happening in Nevis for some time. While people like me never knew the exact time, one knew that if one were to be at Long Point at the right time, there would be drag racing. It was illegal but it drew massive crowds and lots of people were getting race cars. Soon enough an association was formed and they approached the former government of the pos
sibility of constructing a drag strip at the same time Lagan was doing Phase One of the Island Main Road. The idea never materialised and sure enough illegal drag racing continued in Nevis. Drag racing became so popular even though illegal that the question facing the government was whether or not they should build a drag strip. I remember well when Robelto Hector proposed it at a town hall meeting in November 2005. By July 2006 he was in government and by September 2008 the question was answered. Nevis now has a drag strip and the question is no more to drag or not to drag but when to drag. This article will seek to discourage the political division over the drag racing while setting out the possible benefits of drag racing to the island of Nevis as it continues to develop.
The Drag Strip was met with voluble and vociferous opposition from members of the CCM. Some called it a pie in the sky and others called it reckless and rabid. At first I was stunned by the level of political divisiveness when it was obvious that the members of the Nevis Drag Racing Association (NDRA) could not have all been NRP supporters. At first CCM didn’t want the Drag Strip Built then when it was built they wanted people to boycott the races. It was almost as if they were wishing that some fatality would occur so that they could be justified in their anti-drag strip stance.
Meanwhile members of the NDRA worked tirelessly to ensure that the event was safe, successful and significant. In hindsight, the members of the NDRA ought to thank the CCM for pushing them for making the event truly one for this history books. Had the CCM not been so outspoken in their dissent for the Drag Racing, I think the members of the NDRA would have been more complacent.
The fact that the CCM has also said they would shut it down if they ever get back into power does not augur well for the sport. My advice for the CCM is not to put politics in everything. Drag Racing is not a sport for NRP people. It is a sport for Nevis people be they blue, green or in between. While I understand that parties in opposition are wont to oppose government to keep government in check to ensure that the greater good of the country is satisfied, opposition parties have to be careful as to what they openly oppose so as to prevent backlash. One should not oppose capriciously but conscientiously.
As a result there were certain CCM supporters who refused to attend the Independence Drag Race simply because their party was against it. Drag Racing is bigger than politics and so it is important that the leadership of the CCM get on board and asks their supporters to support it. I am sure that the CCM can find many other things to oppose the NRP n but Drag Racing is just not one that is worth their while.
The St James Drag Race Strip is beneficial for a multitude of reasons. For one it opens up other parts of the island for important sporting and economic activity. Before the Drag Racing Strip was opened in St James, all major sporting activities were held in Charlestown. If you wanted to watch a tennis, football, netball or cricket tournament you had to come to town. Not so any more.
The placement of the drag strip in St James also provides many other economic spinoffs for the St James area. For one there is a new bus route opened up as buses never passed that way. Taximen can also make their living from this route to and from hotels. Additionally the lands surrounding the drag strip can now be used as a gas station, supermarket, bed and breakfast for those coming in for the Drag Racing, tyre repair shop, the Drag Strip Restaurant and mechanic shop among other things.
This of course does not take into account the 30 plus vendors who were accommodated at the races and who all reported making hefty sums of money. Never before have vendors in Nevis had 5000 plus people to sell their products to. I envision that the land used to house the Drag Strip can be used for other entertainment purposes and there is the very real possibility of some kind of yachting competition in the area. The possibilities are endless and I am sure that the ingenuity of Nevisians will mean even more economic possibilities than enunciated in this article.
The impact of the one Independence Drag Race has not yet been quantified in terms of its ripple effect on the economy of Nevis. Conservative estimates put the crowd at some 5000 people. This has to be the largest crowd ever for any event held in Nevis since its independence in 1983. There were people from every colour, class and creed and this bodes well for the future of the sport. The Sea Bridge was seen taking vehicles back to St Kitts up to 12 hours after the completion of the event.
The Sea Hustler was able to go to Statia and come back laden with cars and people while still leaving people in Statia because they were too full. Hotels in Nevis recorded increased occupancy and observers came from Antigua, St Maarten, St Croix, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad to get a first hand look at the Track. This was the first time that Nevisians living overseas and people from other countries came to Nevis for an event outside of Culturama and Christmas.
Although drag racing made its maiden voyage as a legal sport in Nevis on September 19th 2008, it is the only sport that truly established the nexus between sport and tourism. One can only now wonder how more monies will be coming into Nevis coffers when Drag Racing is properly promoted as part of our tourism product by the Nevis Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism.
While before September 19th 2008, to drag or not to drag WAS the question, the question now is when to have drag racing. It is important that the race events are not overdone so as to keep the appeal. I look forward to the next one with baited breath. For all the money invested in the traditional sports in Nevis, we have never seen the response locally and regionally to an event like we did Drag Racing. The Government must continue to provide the necessary support needed to the NDRA to ensure its success and the NDRA in return should ensure that they are worthy custodians of the sport of Drag Racing. Drag Racing has now become a part of the Nevisian life and lexicon. It is now too important to our entertainment and economy to simply be a one event wonder. Long live Drag Racing in Nevis.
