Sirgany

Unlike most boys who opted for popular sports, Richard Sirgany gave up football and cricket for the love of motor racing. Today, his son and grandchildren share this love.

Reminiscing on his childhood, the 73-year-old retired racing driver recalled the last Manning Cup game he played in the 1950s, representing Jamaica College as goalkeeper.

"It was the last game of the season and I was called up to replace our captain, Godfrey Bell, who was injured," said Sirgany, who was also an off-spinner for the school's cricket team.

As a youngster, Sirgany grew up in central Kingston before migrating to the United States.

"I used to live at 29 Victoria Avenue, that is where the Bank of Nova Scotia is now located. My uncle used to own Sirgany Beach, near Bournemouth in east Kingston," said Sirgany.

very influential

Although retired from competitive racing, Sirgany has been very influential to his son Steve's career. Steve races at Dover Raceway, St Ann. Sirgany's grandchildren are go-kart racers at the Palisadoes Raceway, Kingston.

Last Sunday, Sirgany accompanied his son to the Dover racetrack for practice sessions. The elder Sirgany used the opportunity to climb behind the steering of the Phoenix Chasi race car he built for his son and took it for a two-lap test run.

The moment he sat behind the wheel, for him it was a trip down memory lane. He reminisced on his days at the Vernamfield racetrack in Clarendon.

"It was myself and a few other guys like Benny Machado, Gordon Brandon, Stewart Gregg, Jeffrey DePass, Sam Haggart, Pat Stephens and Eddie Nasraldo, who started racing at Vernamfield," commented Sirgany, who boasted of winning a number of races during his time.

For Steve, it was more emotional. Just watching his father completing the laps around the circuit almost brought him to tears.

"It is one of the greatest feelings I have had," said Steve, as he explained how his dad narrowly escaped from the jaws of death after a motor vehicle accident in the United States.

"When we went to Miami, I watched them taking him to the operation room for surgery. My last words to him were, hurry up come back out because I will be repairing the car you built for me, so you can get a drive," Steve recalled.

The car, which is equipped with an Alfa Romeo engine, will be among the top cars at the Caribbean Drivers' Championship, which is scheduled for Labour Day, May 25.

Richard Sirgany takes the Phoenix Chasi racecar he built for a spin at the Dover Raceway recently.- Contributed photos