Tommi Gore, son of veteran racer Douglas Gore, will head to Barbados this weekend for the Radical Caribbean Cup, joining the ranks of Jamaican drivers seeking international careers.

“We feel that the Radical Caribbean Cup would be a great stepping stone for my career. To be given the opportunity to go up against the best the Caribbean has to offer in equal machinery is incredible. This will allow me to see where I stand regarding my race pace, what I need to work on as a driver, and if I am able to compete on a larger stage,” Gore told the Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Auto magazine.

Gore, 18, will be racing a Radical SR3 sports racer as he joins the five-round championship series. Now about to begin its fourth year, the Radical Caribbean Cup was first started in 2018 and quickly became the region’s premier one-make series hosting drivers not only from Barbados but across the Caribbean as well. The series has heavily influenced local circuit racing with several of the top drivers moving to the various models of Radicals available.

For Gore, this will be his first competitive event in one.

“My first drive in a Radical was late February when we decided to go to Barbados and test, just to get a feel for the car and give me a new experience. Little did we know I would set some of the fastest laps ever at Bushy Park, with less than 30 laps in the car,” he said.

At home, Gore races a Honda Civic but has plenty of experience karting as the 2013 Jamaica 80cc Karting Champion and three Jamaican Rotax Junior Championships under his belt.

“Compared to my local car, a heavily modified EK Honda Civic, the radical is a whole new world. They are polar opposites — RWD vs FWD, mid-engine vs front engine, tube vs saloon chassis. You are able to brake a lot later with the Radical as well as carry more speed through the corners. Something really indescribable, and an experience I recommend if ever given the opportunity,” Gore explained.

Two countries will host the Radical Caribbean Cup this year, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, but Gore won’t see an issue of interference with his local goals given his commitment to the series for 2023.

“Luckily the dates have aligned perfectly with no conflicts between both series. I will have to adjust between the two cars from event to event, but I am confident that I should be able to do so.”