Maltese drivers for Sicily race on Sunday

Maltese motorsport enthusiasts have definitely got the bug.

This week nine drivers, all members of the Island Car Club, will again be heading for Sicily to participate in Sunday's circuit race meeting organised by Nando Salerno's UISP at the Kartodrome Sole Luna, in Vittoria.

This event will be attracting the cream of Sicilian motorsport, not only because a number of Sicilian racers live around the Ragusa-Comiso-Vittoria area, but also because the circuit at Vittoria is used continually by many for testing purposes, and they all know it like the back of their hand.

Fortunately for the Maltese drivers, the circuit will be available for testing on Saturday so expect to see plenty of action from the Malta team as they get to grips with the conditions in preparation for the real thing on Sunday.

Grimaldi Team manager Joe Anastasi is once again responsible for organising the Malta side of things.

"This event was originally planned for Taormina, but when the road recently caved in following storms, organiser Nando Salerno had to make a quick change of location," he said.

"Actually, it's just as well because Vittoria will be much more fun, and circuit racing will be a completely new ball game for our boys. Let's see if we can make it three in a row," added Anastasi following the Malta team's success at Cesaro, in August, and Etna, in September.

The six Grimaldi Team drivers, namely, Zach, Matthew and John Zammit, Steve Zammit Cutajar and David and Joshua Anastasi will be leaving on the Grimaldi ferry on Thursday afternoon, while Mark Galea, Patrick Gauci and Edward Calleja will be joining the team at Vittoria on Friday morning.

For Gauci and Calleja this will be their first such foray in Sicily.

The nine Maltese drivers will be competing in various different classes with Cesaro winner Zach Zammit, Matthew Zammit, Zammit Cutajar, new hill climb champion Joshua Anastasi and Gauci racing their single-seater racing cars in the 'Formula Class'.

David Anastasi, John Zammit, Calleja and Galea will figure in the various 'Supersalite' classes.

"As Vittoria is only about 45 minutes from Pozzallo, I expect we'll have plenty of Maltese support on Sunday," said Joe Anastasi, as he again reminded those making the trip to take with them plenty of Maltese flags.