Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and Jehangir Zakaria, Vice-president of Engineering/Energy for Renaissance Group, sign the agreement for a 2.5-acre donation of land to be used for the construction of a drag racing facility on St. Croix. Photo Credit: GOV'T HOUSE
Governor Albert Bryan announced Friday that after years of trying to establish a safe site for drag racing on St. Croix, his administration received a donation of a 2.5-acre site by the St. Croix Renaissance Group to the Government of the Virgin Islands to help make this effort a reality.
This week, Mr. Bryan signed an agreement with Renaissance Group Vice President of Engineering/Energy Jehangir Zakaria, to donate the parcel of land, allowing the Caribbean Drag Racing Association (CDRA) to extend its strip and drag racing facility, as well as to enhance safety measures, according to a Gov't House release.
VI Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White, St. Croix Administrator Sammuel Sanes, and CDRA President Arthur Hector, Sr., and member Ramon Cuencas were also at the signing. Mr. White and Mr. Sanes have been working closely with the association to keep the re-emergence of drag racing on target, according to the release.
“We are pleased to be able to assist Mr. Hector and his Association board members in developing this site and the sport of drag racing and being able to invite cars and drivers from other islands to come to the VI to race,” said Governor Bryan. “The Government of the Virgin Islands appreciates the good corporate citizenship of St. Croix Renaissance Group in making the donation as part of its EDC Benefits responsibilities. The agreement for the undertaking has been several years in the making.”
The Renaissance Park-donated land, when added to the adjacent 16-acre site currently owned by the VI Port Authority and leased to the Caribbean Drag Racing Association, a non-profit organization, make for a complete drag racing development site that permits safe drag racing, not on our highways, Gov't House said.
The governor has long touted sports as one of the best avenues for community engagement and youth activity and as a niche market for tourism. In October, he provided the CDRA $337,750 in grant funding to complete the redevelopment of the drag racing site, which is just east of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. According to the release, the reconstruction of the drag racing track includes installation of safety walls and fencing and to pave the return lane of the track. Supervision of the operations of the drag racing events will be undertaken by the Dept of Sports Parks and Recreation.
In 2020, the CDRA also received $500,000 in government funding to begin the work of building a better, safer track. That funding, in addition to private sector support, covered the cost of paving the main drag racing strip, and the construction of ADA-compliant bleachers and a judge’s tower with a VIP section.
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