When most people suffer the loss of a loved one they can take some time off work and start the grieving process, but for sportsmen and women it can be different.

The sporting calendar does not get rejigged to allow time for an individual to mourn and often the pressure is on the athlete to play through the pain.

But Scott Barnes found competing last weekend was a way to remember his grandfather, David Vallis, who died on the Monday before the Bermuda Karting Association held its final meet of the season at Southside on Sunday.

Karting was often the vehicle for Barnes and his “Pops” to bond, so there was no better way to honour memory than by dominating his two classes by winning all six races.

“He was one of my biggest fans and always came to the track down here and watched me race ever since I started racing at 12 years old,” Barnes said.

“He’s been away to a bunch of my races. He's been to Vegas, to the Rock Island Grand Prix in Illinois and he’s been to Texas to watch me race

“We were always really close outside of racing and camping during the summers up at Kings Point. He was sick for a little bit and he passed on the Monday.

“I was actually off the island so wasn’t here when he passed but a couple of weeks ago I’d said my goodbyes. I flew back Saturday night and decided to race in his honour, so I borrowed a motor from Blake Horseman and got my mechanic here to put the kart together.”

Barnes went unbeaten on the day and surprised himself with his concentration levels given what was on his mind going into the event, but a chance conversation with an old family friend nearly blew him off course.

“I was pretty clear all day until we had just had our fourth win — I got out of the kart and someone said something to me about him,” Barnes said.

“It was just condolences from the mother of one of the other racers that has been with the karting club for 20 years — her son and I came up together.

“She said something to me about him and that was when it hit me. I hadn’t been thinking about it all day, was concentrated on the racing but when she said that, it hit me. So for the last two races, it was definitely on my mind and I was determined to get those last two wins to make it a perfect day and those races were emotional.

Barnes will now spend a lot of time out of the kart, with his next race scheduled to take place in a couple of months in the US.

“I’m actually not scheduled to race here again until hopefully in late June in the States and then the last weekend in August for Labour Day weekend will be my next scheduled race.

“So It was good that there was a race day after my Pops’ passing so that I could say my goodbye in the best way.

“I really have to thank Blake Horseman and also the Madeiros family for allowing me to race their Tag kart and make it the perfect day for me.”