Automotive Art Shakedown Stages April 20 2008

BRC Rally Championship gets under way

Nearly 40 crews were confirmed at last night's Briefing Meeting for this weekend's opening round of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) 2008 Rally Championship. Sunday's (April 20) Automotive Art Shakedown Stages gives organisers and competitors alike the chance to 'check their systems' in readiness for Rally Barbados next month.

The first car will start from Automotive Art's Six Roads outlet at 9.00am, the 39-strong field of competitors being led away by Trevor Manning, tasked with the duty of Zero Car in his crowd-pleasing rear-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Lancer.

Reigning BRC Rally Champion Paul Bourne is seeded at number one, with regular co-driver Stuart Maloney alongside in his Subaru Impreza WRC S9; he will be challenged by Roger Skeete/Robert Simmons (Ford Escort WRC), Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (Toyota Celica GT4), Brett and Garry Clarke in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V and Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI). Highest-seeded two-wheel drive car is the Suzuki Swift of Sean Gill and Michael Cummins starting at number six with Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (BMW M3) and Ian Warren/Matthew Staffner (Peugeot 206) not far behind at eight and nine respectively.

The event is using three popular venues, Kendal, Malvern and Bushy Park, although the configuration of each has been somewhat modified - the total stage distance is more than 40 kilometres. In the morning, Kendal will be run from Society to Pool three times (first run scheduled for 9.17am), alternating with Malvern, running from the Wilson Hill direction (first run 9.47am). The last morning run through Malvern is slated for 12.17pm, which should mean all six stages are complete within four hours, offering a packed morning of entertainment for spectators.

The lunch break will see competitors return to Automotive Art Six Roads shortly before 1.00pm, where the event sponsor has organised some special in-store promotions. In the afternoon, the stages will run in the opposite direction, with the first Kendal slated for 2.14pm and the first Malvern for 2.59pm; there will be three runs through Kendal, but just two at Malvern, with the day's final action slated to start just after 5.00pm at Bushy Park.

Arrangements are being made for a Prizegiving Party to follow the Automotive Art Shakedown Stages in the Bushy Park pits, to which all marshals, officials and spectators are welcome.

Automotive Art Shakedown Stages

BRC Rally Championship, round 1

April 20

Running order

1 Paul Bourne/Stuary Maloney (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9)

2 Roger Skeete/Robert Simmons (M8-WRC Ford Escort WRC)

3 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-A Toyota Celica GT4)

4 Brett Clarke/Garry Clarke (M8-WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)

5 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)

6 Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (SM10 Suzuki Swift)

7 Geoff Noel/Kreigg Yearwood (P4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

8 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM11 BMW M3)

9 Ian Warren/Matthew Staffner (M6 Peugeot 206)

10 Cliff Roett/Khloe Rapson (SM10 Toyota Starlet)

11 Nicholas Gill/Sue Rogers (SM11 Mazda 3)

12 Adrian Linton/Jackie Linton (M7 Vauxhall Astra GSi)

13 Greg Cozier/Antonio da Silva (M7 Ford Escort RS2000)

14 Josh Read/Mark Jordan (SM9 Toyota Starlet)

15 Stuart White/Brandon McKenzie (SM9 Toyota Starlet)

16 Daryl Clarke/Russell Branker (M6 Mitsubishi Mirage)

17 Michael Worme/Alex Whitehead (P4 Subaru Impreza)

18 Rhett Watson/Logan Watson (SM10 Ford Escort MkI)

19 Andrew Jones/Mark Thompson (SM11 Ford Escort MkII)

20 David Williams/Ian Griffith (M6 Toyota Starlet)

21 Freddie Gale/Kyle Proverbs (M7 Toyota Corolla RunX)

22 Edward Corbin/Rodney Clarke (M6 Daihatsu Charmant)

23 Calvin Briggs/Hulita Brathwaite (SM11 Ford Escort MkII)

24 Ryan Wood/Raymond Parris (SM9 Toyota Starlet)

25 Neil Corbin/Aaron Kirton (SM9 Toyota Starlet)

26 John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (M7 Toyota Corolla)

27 Jason Clermont/Mario Clermont (SM11 BMW M3)

28 Ron Layne/Giselle Layne (M7 Nissan B11)

29 Justin Campbell/Jermin Pope (SM11 BMW E46)

30 Stuart McChlery/tbc (SM10 Ford Escort MkI)

31 Allan Maynard/Jeremy Croney (SM9 Toyota Starlet)

32 Shareef Walcott/Juan Watts (M6 Toyota Corolla)

33 Neil Barnard/Barry Hill (P2 Suzuki Ignis Sport)

34 Danny Williams/Reuben Nelson (M6 Ford Fiesta)

35 David Brewster/tbc (M7 Peugeot 205)

36 Eric Allamby/Andrew Croney (M6 Mistubishi Lancer)

37 Kyle Catwell/Jamal Brathwaite (M6 Toyota Corolla)

38 Kyle Lashley/Dario Hoyte (SM11 Toyota Starlet)

39 Wayne King/Summer Lewis (SM10 Peugeot 306)

For further information, robin@bradfax.com