The Bermuda Karting Association is honouring the life and legacy of Maynard “Duke” Soares tomorrow at the Rubis Southside Raceway during the annual Duke Soares Memorial Trophy Day.

Soares, along with four fellow racing enthusiasts, helped establish the Bermuda Karting Club, setting the foundation for organised racing on the island.

The BKA will pay tribute to the man regarded as a driving force behind the sport’s early development on the island. His passion for motorsport remained unwavering until his passing three years ago at age 79.

“Spectators can enjoy a full day of racing while reflecting on the lasting impact Duke Soares had on karting in Bermuda,” the association said.

Soares’s racing career began in 1962 and took him across England and continental Europe — including Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.

His talent later carried him to tracks in Guyana, Barbados and Tampa, Florida, where he competed in 24-hour endurance races and the iconic Daytona International Speedway, where he captured a first-place finish.

Locally, he was a familiar and respected competitor in both karting and powerboat racing.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Soares was named one of the inaugural inductees into the Bermuda Motorsport Hall of Fame.

Racing tomorrow begins at 11.30am.