Ninety to start Caribbean's biggest annual motor sport event
Five former winners are seeded in the top 10 for the Caribbean's biggest annual international motor sport event, Sol Rally Barbados 2009 (May 29-31); as the final running order was published Wednesday afternoon (May 27) by the organising Barbados Rally Club (BRC), last-minute preparations were under way across the island for what promises to be the most competitive in the 20-year history of the event.
A capacity entry of 90 cars is listed to start the two-day tarmac rally, including current and former Champions from the host island, the wider Caribbean and Europe. Following the Ceremonial Start at Simpson Motors on Friday evening - an innovation for 2009 - there are 24 stages run over a distance of a little under 80 miles.
Saturday's route features 14 stages, including the event's signature - and longest - stage, Automotive Art Canefield, which alone attracts around 10,000 spectators, and 10 on Sunday, plus the Shell V-Power Super Special, which brings the event to a resounding climax at the island's circuit racing venue, Bushy Park.
Last year's winners Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle from Northern Ireland (Digicel/Red Bull/ARMAG Subaru Impreza WRC S9) will start at number one; their trip to the island has been generously allowed by Peugeot UK, in whose Kronos Racing-run S2000 Peugeot 207 they are currently leading the International Rally Challenge (IRC), fast replacing the World Rally Championship as the sport's most marketable high-end product.
A clutch problem prevented Meeke reminding island fans of his skills at last Sunday's Shell V-Power King of the Hill, which was won by Roger 'The Sheriff' Skeete, who will therefore start at number two in his recently-acquired Michelin/Da Costa Mannings Auto Centre/Warrens Motors Subaru Impreza WRC S12, co-driven by Louis Venezia, winning co-driver in 2003 with Paul Bourne. Skeete has won the BRC's premier event 10 times since 1990, most recently in 2004.
Bourne and Stuart Maloney (Banks/LIME/Virgin Atlantic Subaru Impreza WRC S9) will start at three, Bourne also the winner in 2007 and the strongest challenger last year to Meeke, until he rolled mid-way through Saturday morning. Roger Hill and Graham Gittens, winners of the recent Automotive Art Shakedown Stages, will start at four in the Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC in which Meeke won last year.
After Meeke, England's Steve Perez is the highest-seeded international entry, co-driven in the Kick Energy Drink/VK Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC05 by Welshman Paul Spooner; they start at five, with 1998 winner, Jamaica's Jeffrey Panton (Automotive Art/Bearings and Seals/Jamaica Freight and Shipping/Seaboard/Castrol/
England's Kevin Procter and Dave Bellerby (Procters Coaches Subaru Impreza WRC S7) start at seven, ahead of the Chairman of the Sol RB09 organising committee Barry Gale - he is co-driven in the Autolink/VP Racing/Bella Beauty Supply/Pro Pac Dog Food Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI by the highest-seeded of the 12 female co-drvers, Cherie Edghill - 1999 winner Trevor Manning, now co-driven by Derek Edwards in the All Terrain Plus/Cellate Caribbean/Garbage Master/Bess Block Ford Escort WRC, and last year's runners-up, former UK National Champions Paul Bird and Ian Windress (SuperCasino.com/Vent Axia/VK Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC07).
Sol Rally Barbados 2009 final running order statistics:
+ 90 crews entered
+ drivers or co-drivers from eight nations, including Barbados
+ 26 four-wheel-drive cars, including nine ex-factory World Rally Cars
+ 38 drivers or co-drivers from Europe
+ nine drivers or co-drivers from around the region
+ 1 female driver, 12 female co-drivers
+ cars from 18 manufacturers, Toyota the best-represented with 19, followed by Mitsubishi (15), Ford (13) and Subaru (11)
Sol Rally Barbados 2009 (May 29-31) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 24) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007; title sponsor is the Sol Group. Marketing partners are Automotive Art, Banks, Digicel, McEnearney Quality, Red Bull and Simpson Motors; official partners are the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Barbados Tourism Authority, Divi Southwinds Beach Resort, Geest Line, Stoute's Car Rental and Virgin Atlantic; associate sponsors are ARMAG, Caribbean Airlines, Crane & Equipments, Merville Lynch Productions, Little Switzerland, Redline Fuels and Shelbury Construction.
Remaining key events
Friday, May 29 - 6.00pm to approx 9.00pm - The Ceremonial Start
+ Simpson Motors, Warrens, St Michael
Saturday, May 30 - Sol Rally Barbados 2009 - day 1
+ round five of the Virgin Atlantic BRC Driver's and Class Championships
+ start at 9.00am from SS1, Sailor Gully 1
+ Simpson Motors is the service area for the day
Sunday, May 31 - Sol Rally Barbados 2009 - day 2
+ round six of the Virgin Atlantic BRC Driver's and Class Championships
+ restart at 7.30am from Bushy Park, St Philip, which is the service area for the day
+ Shell V-Power SuperSpecial and Rally Finish at Bushy Park
Monday, June 1 - approx 3.30pm - Sol RB09 Prizegiving
+ The Boatyard, Bay Street, St Michael
Media enquiries: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web site - www.rallybarbados.bb
Sol-RB09-33a: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 27, 2009
SOL RALLY BARBADOS 2009
Final running order at May 27, 2009
+ list subject to final scrutineering of a number of cars
Key to nationalities (competitor from Barbados unless shown): ENG - England; IRL - The Republic of Ireland; JAM - Jamaica; NED - The Netherlands; NIR - Northern Ireland; SCO - Scotland; TDAD - Trinidad & Tobago; WAL - Wales
1 Kris Meeke - NIR/Paul Nagle - NIR (M8-WRC Digicel/Red Bull/ARMAG Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
2 Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (M8-WRC Michelin/Da Costa Mannings Auto Centre/Warrens Motors Subaru Impreza WRC S12)
3 Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (M8-WRC Banks/LIME/Virgin Atlantic Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
4 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-WRC Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC)
5 Steve Perez - ENG/Paul Spooner - WAL (M8-WRC Kick Energy Drink/VK Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC05)
6 Jeffrey Panton - JAM/Mike Fennell Jnr - JAM (M8-WRC Automotive Art/Bearings and Seals/Jamaica Freight and Shipping/Seaboard/Castrol/
7 Kevin Procter - ENG/Dave Bellerby - ENG (M8-WRC Procters Coaches Subaru Impreza WRC S7)
8 Barry Gale/Cherie Edghill (M8-WRC Autolink/VP Racing/Bella Beauty Supply/Pro Pac Dog Food Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
9 Trevor Manning/Derek Edwards (M8-WRC All Terrain Plus/Cellate Caribbean/Garbage Master/Bess Block Ford Escort WRC)
10 Paul Bird - ENG/Ian Windress - ENG (M8-WRC SuperCasino.com/Vent Axia/VK Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC07)
11 Ian Warren/Robert Warren (SM10 Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Automotive Art Suzuki Swift)
12 Cliff Roett/Orry Hunte (SM10 Carters & Co/Nassco/Lucky Horseshoe/Roett's Garage/Castrol Toyota Starlet)
14 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM11 Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Little Switzerland BMW M3)
15 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (M8-A Simpson Motors/Hankook Tyres/Shell V-Power/Gunk Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
16 Ryan Champion - ENG/Craig Thorley - ENG (M8-A Champions/Pirelli/MSR Motorsport/Axis Caribbean Subaru Impreza 555)
17 Nick Gill/Sue Rogers (SM11 SDRR/Glassfibre Products/Castrol/Barb's Bikinis Mazda 3)
18 John Powell - TDAD/Michael March - JAM (P4 Intercontinental Shipping Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
19 Phil Collins - WAL/Derek Brannigan - IRL (SM11 Silverstone Tyres/Millington Engines/Great Stuff Caterers/Orchard Motorsport/Collins Engineering/Pontilas Developments Ford Escort MkII)
20 Sammy Cumberbatch/Nicholas Yarde (SM11 Williams Industries/Digicel/F Taylor Associates/Castrol BMW M3)
21 Brett Clarke/Garry Clarke (M8-WRC Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
22 Josh Read/Mark Jordan (SM9 Automotive Art Toyota Starlet)
23 Martin Stockdale - ENG/Mark Swallow - ENG (SM11 Divi Southwinds Beach Resort/Drive-a-Matic Car Rentals BMW M3 Compact)
24 Rob Swann - ENG/Darren Garrod - WAL (P4 Revolution Competition Wheels/Escape Hotel Subaru Impreza N14)
25 James Betts/Josh Delmas (SM9 All Terrain Plus/Cellate Caribbean/Makita/Black Bess/Yamaha/Champion Auto/Quik Start Auto/Kendal Sporting Opel Corsa)
26 Geoff Noel/Kreigg Yearwood (P4 Globe Finance/DeWalt Tools/Essco/Sunbeach/
27 Graeme Finlayson - SCO/Martin Atwell (M8-A www.racedandrallied.com Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III RS)
28 Adrian Linton/Jonathan Linton (M7 Ravensden/Morris Straker Construction/Garbage Gobbler/Crane & Equipments Vauxhall Astra GSi)
29 Daryl Clarke/Russell Brancker (SM9 Area 5 Auto Works/Mom's Pasta Products Mitsubishi Mirage)
30 Justin Campbell/Jermin Pope (SM11 Area 5 Auto Works/Cumberbatch Nurseries/Target Studio BMW M3)
31 Michael Worme/Brian Gibson (M8-A Cot Media Group/Speedline Performance Auto/Dingolay/Details Car Valet Subaru Impreza STi)
32 Harold Morley - ENG/Geoff Goddard (P4 Subaru Impreza N14)
33 Rhett Watson/Logan Watson (SM10 The Unknown Entity/MQI Collision Repair Centre/Toshiba/Office Solutions & Supplies/Corbz Workz/Castrol Ford Escort MkI)
34 Kirk Watkins/Ryan Corbin (M8-A Abacus Builders Inc/Hankook Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V)
35 Tom Roberts - ENG/Paul Rees - WAL (M8-A Playboy Entertainment/Autolink/VP Racing Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
36 St Elmo Cumberbatch/Dwayne Forde (SM11 Carib Supply/F Taylor Associates BMW E36)
37 David Williams/Kris Yearwood (P4 Mix 96.9FM/Consolidated Finance/Warrens Motors/Dynamic Limo Services/Castrol Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
38 Jeremy Gonsalves/Natasha Farnum (SM9 Makita/All Terrain Plus/Cellate Caribbean/Star Products/Champion Auto/Kendal Sporting Suzuki Swift GTi)
39 Andrew Costin-Hurley - ENG/Shaun Mellett - ENG (GpB Earl's Performance Hoses Ford Puma)
40 Dean Serrao/Ryan Farmer (P4 Amalgamated Security/Coconut Car Rentals/Lucky Games Inc Subaru Impreza N12)
41 Norman Catwell/Stuart Leach - ENG (GpB Ellesmere Quarries/Chicken Pen Racing Peugeot 205 GTi)
42 Owen Cumberbatch/Kelly-Ann Sandiford (SM11 Combo Auto Parts and Service BMW M3)
43 Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (SM11 PowerMaster Batteries/Automotive Art/MQI/Consolidated Finance Ford Escort MkII)
44 Raymond Gill/Jeremy Foster (SM11 BMW M3)
45 Andrew Jones/Mark Thompson (GpB Rexona V8/A P Jones Pharmacy/Southern Surf Hotel Ford Escort MkII)
46 Freddie Gale/Kyle Proverbs (M7 Gale's Hatcheries/Nassco/VP Racing/Workz Mechanical Services Toyota Corolla RunX)
47 Karl Waterman/Matthew Staffner (SM9 3W's Racing Team/Propac/Crane & Equipments/Flyin' Fish/Aqua Pur/Catch Chocolates Toyota Starlet)
48 Kenny Hall - SCO/Fenny Wesselink - NED (M5 Halltune Garage Opel Corsa)
49 Greg Cozier/Jamie Marsh (GpB Mahindra Lotus Elise)
50 Frans Verbaas - NED/Hester van Ovost - NED (GpB Verbaas Preparations/Koni/Team Dynamics Wheels Austin Mini Cooper)
51 Edward Corbin/Rodney Clarke (M6 Automotive Art/Klark-Odio/Corbins Garage/JVM Signage Daihatsu Charmant)
52 Stuart White/Jason O'Neil (SM9 3W's Racing Team/Propac/Crane & Equipments/Flyin' Fish/Aqua Pur/Catch Chocolates Toyota Starlet)
53 George Anderson - SCO/John Millar - SCO (P4 George Anderson Building Contractors/Hutton Stone/J I Inglis Joinery Contractors/MVR/Border Ready Mix Concrete/lilmiss504 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII)
54 John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (M7 Corbins Garage/Klark-Odio/Automotive Art Toyota Corolla)
55 Ryan Wood/Raymond Parris (SM9 3W's Racing Team/Propac/Crane & Equipments/Flyin' Fish/Aqua Pur/Catch Chocolates Toyota Starlet)
56 Kyle Catwell/Justin Harrison (M7 Ellesmere Quarries/Chicken Pen Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI)
57 Winston Thompson/Scott Bentham (SM9 Chicken Pen Racing Team/SDRR Toyota Starlet)
58 Chris Moss - ENG/Stuart Ulyatt - ENG (SM11 FAMOSS Ltd Aston Martin Rally GT)
59 Sean T Field/Darnley Rayside (P3 AM Realty/Ackee Tree/Field Insurance Brokers/Landscapes in Harmony Peugeot 306)
60 Simon Michael - NIR/Jonathan Foster (SM10 www.clockworkorange.net/www.
61 Mark Antrobus/Rommell Coppin (P4 Speedline Performance Auto/Caribbean Alliance Insurance/Premier World Cargo/Precision Plumbing Services Subaru Impreza STi)
62 Wayne King/Summer Lewis (SM10 New Tech Peugeot 306)
63 Ralph White/Joe Troulan (SM10 Island Safari/Drive-a-Matic/Going Places Travel/Barbados Villa Services Toyota Starlet)
64 Eric Allamby/Zach Heaselgrave (SM10 Shelbury Construction/Container Services/Castrol/ACT Sandblasting Mitsubishi Lancer)
65 Ron Layne/Giselle Layne (M7 SDRR/Pavements & Foundations/L & N Workshop/Auto Solutions Nissan Sunny)
66 Danny Williams/Shane Emtage (M6 Chris's Workshop/Sunbury Plantation House/Barbados Paragliding Association Ford Fiesta)
67 George Gabriel/Leslie Evanson (SM9 my11plus.com/El Tigre Catamaran Cruises/Poonketeers Toyota Starlet)
68 Glenn Campbell - NIR/Anthony Concannon - IRL (M5 Burn Road Trade Sales/Campbell Motorsport Electrics/Motorcare/Agnew Recovery/TorqueTronix Nissan Micra)
69 Allan Maynard/Chris O'Neal (SM9 Gliptone/Johnsons/El Tigre Catamaran Cruises/Marshal Trading/Lubriguard/SDRR/
70 Neil Corbin/Aaron Kirton (SM9 Nassco/Jason Jones/Auto Solutions Toyota Starlet)
71 Tarik Minott - JAM/Peter Clarke - JAM (SM9 Royal Computers/Extreme Sports/Tropical Battery Suzuki Ignis JWRC)
72 Vishal Dhanraj - TDAD/Richard Ramsingh - TDAD (SM9 Lucozade Energy/Lange Trinidad/The Dispensary/Automan/V3 Rally Team Toyota Starlet)
73 Jeremy Croney/James Goddard (SM9 Suzuki Snipe)
74 Sean Cox/Adam Cox (M5 Simpson Motors Suzuki Swift)
75 Wayne Archer/Angelique Bjerkhamn (M6 Daihatsu Charmant)
76 David Brewster/Rashid Phillips (M7 SRG Engineering/Castrol Peugeot 205GTi)
77 Bobby Marshall - JAM/Dario Hoyte (M7 Motor Sales & Service/Singer/Tru-Juice/Ocean Spray/TGIF Mitsubishi Mirage)
78 Ron Greaves/Dwain Carter (M7 Chicken Pen Racing/Ellesmere Quarries/Dreamworks/McCarthy's Garage Honda Civic)
79 Andrew Skeete/Bradley Weekes (M7 Fasteners Barbados/Hitachi Power Tools/Metal Stud/Rentequip/Quality Tyre Mitsubishi Lancer)
80 Gary Mendes/tba (M7 Lunatics Inc/G & G Sales & Service/LG Trading/Barbados Muffler Centre/Appleby Filling Station/ACT Sand Blasting/Techno Toy Tuning/Fast Lane Model Car Racing Toyota Corolla)
81 Ryan Hutchinson/Andre Snobel (P4 Toyota Celica GT4)
82 Ding Boston - ENG/John Puliston - ENG (Hist Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation/Phillips Tyres/Virgin Atlantic/Toyo/Recaro/Powervamp Racing/MASS Engines Riley 1.5)
83 Fabien Clarke/Pierre Lashley (P2 Barbados Business Listings/RCA Tours/Bovell Auto Repair Suzuki Ignis Sport)
84 Paul Inniss/Kerry Downes (SM11 246 Tuning/King Kuts Barber Shop/K Woods Boutique/Illusion Graphics/Char Nails Boutique/Hincksons Toyota Starlet Turbo)
85 Calvin Briggs/Hulita Brathwaite (SM11 Ford Escort MkII)
86 Nigel Reece/Jonathan Reece (M6 Subzero Services/TGM Air Conditioners/Trident International Corporation/Ullyett's Machine Shop Service/Structural Systems/Preconco Datsun 120Y)
87 Shareef Walcott/Juan Watts (M6 Melwani's/Auto Solutions/Spoons Custom Brokers & Trucking/Klark-Odio/SMS Management Toyota Corolla)
88 Jamal Brathwaite/Talia Mapp (M6 AM Electrical Solutions/Arthur Construction/Arthur Lifting and Freighting/Ellesmere Quarries/Chicken Pen Racing/D2 Racing Suspension Mitsubishi Mirage)
89 Carlos Edwards/Andre Waithe (M6 Global Business Centre Toyota Starlet)
90 Cheryl Spencer - ENG/Barry Spencer - ENG (P3 Eden Vauxhall/Creative Space Solutions/Old Castle B & B/ABS Embroidery Vauxhall Astra GSi)
91 Duane Johnson/Victor Leslie (SM11 G & G Sales & Service/De Auto Spot/Rezults Auto Shop/AS Auto Stop/SBI Distribution/LG Trading/Lunatics Inc Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo)
Media enquiries: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web site - www.rallybarbados.bb
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