by Rod Hughes

A gripping three-way battle in GT-1 class had the crowd at La Guacima on its feet yesterday as the Mustang of Ernesto Rodriguez took the checkered flag ahead of the Toyota Supra of Javier Quiros with Luis R. Mendez’s Ford breathing on the heels of the leadeers.

After the flag dropped for the start, Quiros blasted loose in the Supra but hotly pursued by Mendez (Domincan Republic). By the third lap, Quiros was still out front but Menez was nearly chewing on Rodriguez’s rear spoiler. An interlude with the safety car followed when Amadeo Quiros Jr. pranged his Toyota Altezza of the GT-3 class. Thereafter, Mendez remained in third but the lead changed hands, first Rodriguez and then Quiros.

Mendez passed Quiros for second place when the latter’s left rear tire began to give off a suspicous plume of grey smoke. Quiros ignored this and soldiered on into first again. Even when the Supra began throwing oil, the two diced at full speed. On the long straight-away they were side-by-side at about 140 mph but Quiros finally gave way and pulled into the pits with fading brakes a broken differential.