PANTON, FENNELL TOP SEEDS FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Mayers and Norris head up 2wd for the first time

Following their third consecutive victory in Flow King of the Hill last weekend, Jamaica’s Jeffrey Panton and Michael Fennell Jnr are top seeds for the 29th edition of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) premier event. They head a list of 91 cars from 13 nations in the final running order for this weekend’s Sol Rally Barbados 2018, published by the BRC at last evening’s (Wednesday) Briefing Meeting at Mahogany Ridge, St Thomas.

  Their Rubis/Sandals Barbados/KIG Ford Focus WRC06 will carry number one when they leave tomorrow’s (Friday) Ceremonial Start at the Vaucluse Raceway (VRW) and head straight into action, running side-by-side with former UK National Rally Champion Paul Bird, returning after a two-year absence, with new co-driver Jack Morton in the Frank Bird Poultry/Be Wiser Insurance/Hager/Fuchs Titan Race/Loco Energy Drink Focus WRC08. They will not be the first interviewees on the start ramp, however, as cars will run in reverse order of seeding, tackling two laps of the RallySprint track for a total distance of 5.8 kilometres, starting at 6.00pm.

  Rob Swann and Darren Garrod (Elegant Hotels/Blue Sky Luxury/Cygnet Plant Subaru Impreza WRC S12B), who were seeded second last year, are at number three, with 13-time winner Roger Skeete and Louis Venezia (Sol/Automotive Art/Simpson Motors/Flow Impreza S12B) the leading local crew. Britain’s Kevin Procter and Andrew Roughead (Procters Coaches Ford Fiesta) are seeded at five, ahead of Roger Hill and Graham Gittens, in the Esso/Nassco/MaxMeyer/MotorMac/Pennzoil/Energizer/Refresh your Car/California Scents Toyota Corolla WRC, the second local crew.

  Back after a 15-year absence, Britain’s Tom Preston and co-driver Carl Williamson (Hippo Motor Group Skoda Fabia R5) battled for Group A honours throughout KotH with Trinidad & Tobago’s David Coelho and James Harris (Subway/Zanzibar/Kaizan Sushi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX). They finished the day seventh and eighth, placing six overseas crews in the top 10, one short of the 2015 record of seven.

  After a big push on the final run last Sunday, Barry Mayers and Ben Norris start at nine in the Chefette/Rubis/Digicel/Hankook/DHL/Illusion Graphics Ford Fiesta, top 2wd seeds for the first time, while Dane Skeete’s best 2wd finish in KotH places him and Tyler Mayhew at 10 in the Sol/Automotive Art Peugeot 306 Maxi.

  In addition to the battle for overall and 2wd supremacy, there are 14 separate classes to be contested, in all but two of which island competitors will enjoy the challenge of pitting their skills against regional or international entries, or both. With a total special stage distance of 128.20 kilometres and the reintroduction of night stages at the end of Saturday, there is much for competitors and spectators to look forward to.

  After tomorrow’s single stage at VRW, there will be 13 stages at four venues on Saturday and a further 10 stages at four venues on Sunday, culminating in the Final Stage and Official Finish at Bushy Park Barbados at around 4.00pm. Once completed, competitors will head for the facility’s main spectator area on ‘The Hill’ where fans and service crew will already have gathered for a well-deserved after-party.

Sol Rally Barbados 2018 statistics:

• 91 crews on the final running order

• 41 overseas entries

• competitors from 13 countries (including host nation Barbados) • 72 overseas drivers and co-drivers, 14 new to the event • a record 21 female competitors, two drivers, 19 co-drivers • cars from 17 manufacturers, Ford best-represented with 20, followed by BMW (18), Toyota (12) and Mitsubishi (10), with the rest in single figures • 22 cars competing in Sol RB for the first time, half of that number either built or purchased specifically by their owners to compete in Sol RB18

Sol Rally Barbados (June 1-3) and Flow King of the Hill (May 27) are organised and promoted by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2017. Title sponsors: The Sol Group and Flow. Major partners: Automotive Art, Banks, Chefette, Simpson Motors, Toyo Tires. Partners: Accra Beach Hotel & Spa, Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, Geest Line, Tourism Development Corporation. Associate sponsor: Stoute’s Car Rental

SOL RALLY BARBADOS 2018 Final running order at May 30, 2018

Key to nationalities (competitor from Barbados unless shown): CDN – Canada; ENG – England; GUY – Guyana; IRL – Republic of Ireland; JAM – Jamaica; NIR – Northern Ireland; NZL – New Zealand; SCO – Scotland; T&T – Trinidad & Tobago; TCI – Turks & Caicos; USA – United States of America; WAL – Wales

1 Jeffrey Panton – JAM/Michael Fennell Jnr – JAM (WRC-1 Rubis/Sandals Barbados/KIG Ford Focus WRC06)

2 Paul Bird - ENG/Jack Morton - ENG (WRC-1 Frank Bird Poultry/Be Wiser Insurance/Hager/Fuchs Titan Race/Loco Energy Drink Ford Focus WRC08)

3 Rob Swann – ENG/Darren Garrod - WAL (WRC-1 Elegant Hotels/Blue Sky Luxury/Cygnet Plant Subaru Impreza WRC S12B)

4 Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (WRC-1 Sol/Automotive Art/Simpson Motors/Flow Subaru Impreza WRC S12B)

5 Kevin Procter – ENG/Andrew Roughead - ENG (WRC-1 Procters Coaches Ford Fiesta)

6 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (WRC-2 Esso/Nassco/MaxMeyer/MotorMac/Pennzoil/Energizer/Refresh your Car/California Scents Toyota Corolla WRC)

7 Tom Preston - ENG/Carl Williamson – WAL (GpA Hippo Motor Group Skoda Fabia R5)

8 David Coelho – T&T/James Harris – ENG (GpA Subway/Zanzibar/Kaizan Sushi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

9 Barry Mayers/Ben Norris (SM2 Chefette/Rubis/Digicel/Hankook/DHL/Illusion Graphics Ford Fiesta)

10 Dane Skeete/Tyler Mayhew (SM2 Sol/Automotive Art Peugeot 306 Maxi)

11 Andrew Jones/Lindsey Pilkington – ENG (SM3 Lucozade/Caribbean Powder Coating/Southern Surf Beach Apartments/AP Jones Pharmacy Ford Escort MkII)

12 Avinash Chatrani/Andrew Skeete (GpA Lenovo/PowerBass/Genius Lynk/iShop/Copacabana/Gunk Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)

14 Ryan Champion – ENG/Craig Thorley – ENG (GpA Courtesy Rent-A-Car/Omologato/GPM/Speedline Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

15 Mark Thompson/Kurt Seabra - GUY (GpA Glassesco Hardware/NKM Clothing/Bio Beauty Day Spa/Automotive Art/SLAM 101.1FM/Berger Paints Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

16 Rhett Watson/Bradley Weekes (SM3 Chefette/Stihl/Gliptone/Leafy Organics/Gunk/Hankook/Bajan Pure Water/It’s Barbados/Power King Batteries, in support of Little Pink Gift BMW M3)

17 Graham Coffey – ENG/Patrick Walsh - WAL (WRC-1 Graham Coffey Solicitors Subaru Impreza WRC S12B)

18 Daryl Clarke/Russell Brancker (SM2 Automotive Art/Flow/Amir’s Chicken/MQI Collision Repair/eCarib Classifieds Honda Civic)

19 Andrew Mallalieu/Geoff Goddard (GpA Terra Caribbean Subaru Impreza)

20 Andy Scott - SCO/Tony Pile (GpA Teng Tools/Rock Oil/Motis Ford Fiesta R5)

21 Roger Mayers/Jason Parkinson (SM2 Chefette/Rubis/Digicel/Hankook/DHL/ Illusion Graphics Toyota WR Starlet)

22 Ryan Pinheiro – T&T/Scott Pinheiro – T&T (GpA Gulf Oil/TRACK Batteries/Mayfield Drapery Works/REV Tech Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V)

23 Logan Watson/Andrew Croney (SM3 Leafy Organics/Sign Depot/Subzero Services/Luxe Caribbean Properties/It’s Barbados/Hankook/Cargo BGI/Stihl/The Unknown Entity BMW M3)

24 Nigel Worswick – ENG/Joe Troulan - ENG (WRC-2 Rallytech Composites/Worswick Engineering/Ullyetts Machine Shop/Rockwell Automation Ford Escort WRC)

25 Neil Corbin/Matthew Staffner (SM1 Nassco Limited/H Jason Jones/General Electric/Emtage Electric/California Scents/Refresh your Car/Energizer/Auto Solutions/Valvoline Toyota Starlet)

26 Jamal Brathwaite/Dario Hoyte (M2 Valvoline/Automotive Art/Consumers Guarantee Insurance/Caribbean Auto Glass/Stylez Auto Spa/Pirelli Honda Civic Type-R)

27 Geoffrey Ullyett/Jason King (GpB2 Ullyett’s Machine Shop/Proj Rx/Radcomm/Rally and Competition Equipment/Goodyear BMW M3)

28 Kurt Thompson/Adam Straker (SM2 Glassesco/NKM Clothing/Bio-Beauty Day Spa/Slam 101.1FM/Berger Paints Honda Civic)

29 Edward Corbin/Johnathan Alleyne (M1 Valvoline/Hilti/Express Imports/Cargo BGI Daihatsu Charmant)

30 Paul Horton - TCI/Dwayne Forde (M2 Arbikie Highland Estate/Java Island/Sky Motorsports/H Racing Citroen DS 3 R3 MAX)

31 Jon Trenholme – ENG/Alison Trenholme – ENG (GpA Subaru Impreza)

32 Craig Marshall - NZL/Karl Celeste – NZL (SM1 Window Factory/Hoosier/Marshall Motorsport Peugeot 106 Maxi)

33 Jeremy Gonsalves/Rommell Martin (SM1 Sign Depot/Valvoline/Star Products/John Hardman Engineering/Guava Tech/Roscoe’s Machine Shop Opel Corsa)

34 David St Hill/Ian Grimes (SM3 Solar & Wind Energy Solutions/Charles Doc Inc/Tropical Touch BMW M3)

35 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (GpB2 Sharkey’s Bar/Castrol/Suga Apple Swimwear/Pelican Market Suppliers Inc/IWPC Inc/Markham Construction BMW M3)

36 Mark Kinch/Andrew Peirce (SM3 PEG Biodynamic Farm & Nature Reserve/Guava Tech/Carter’s Pit-Stop BMW M3)

37 Stan Hartling - TCI/Andy Proudfoot – CDN (SM3 Bambarra Rum/Automotive Art BMW M3)

38 Martin Stockdale - ENG/Mark Swallow – ENG (SM3 Divi Southwinds Beach Resort/Drive-a-Matic/Canems Engine Management/Quarry Motors BMW 1M Coupe)

39 Justin Campbell/Ayrton Bannister (SM3 Republic Bank/Automotive Art/Five Star Fast Track/Dream Solutions/Hilti/CRT/#RAY BMW M3)

40 Greg Cozier/Natasha Farnum (H2 Barbados Historic Rally Carnival/Geest Line Ford Escort RS)

41 Nick Marshall - NZL/Declan Dear - ENG (GpB3 Window Factory/Pirelli/Marshall Motorsport/Alltask Ford Fiesta S3000)

42 Dominic Linton/Adrian Linton (M2 Ravensden/JAD Performance Vauxhall Astra SRi)

43 Clifford Cox/Scott Bentham (SM1 Snorkel/Deutz/Hankook/Brake Pro/Williams Equipment/MQ Multiquip/JLG/Yanmar/BizNeedz Toyota Starlet)

44 Geoff Phelps – ENG/Elwyn Manuel - WAL (GpA G&S Phelps Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)

45 Stuart Austin – ENG/Sophie Louise Buckland - ENG (GpA Austin Powell Ltd/Accra Beach Hotel and Spa/Cancer Research Subaru Impreza)

46 Philip Moe/Adrian Gittens (SM1 CAM2 Racing Oils/Sunbay Hotel/Bajan Motors Toyota Corolla)

47 Chris Shooter - ENG/Bev LeGood – ENG (H2 Sparrow Hill Cars Ford Escort MkII)

48 Stuart McChlery/Julian Goddard (SM2 Lubriguard/Gunk/PowerBass/Lenovo Ford Escort MkI)

49 Chris Ullyett/Tricia Gittens (M2 Proj-Rx Inc/Ullyett's Machine Shop Ford Escort RS2000)

50 Simon Wallis – ENG/Peter Horsman – ENG (GpA Cambridge Compilers Subaru Impreza N10)

51 Derek Edwards/Damien Johnson (C2 D & A Air Conditioning/LAH Equipment Supply/Arrow Woodworking/C A Autobody BMW 318ti Compact)

52 Winston Thompson/Troy Toppin (SM1 Ellesmere Quarries/BCR Car Rental/SDRR Hydraulics & Industrial Spares/Ullyett’s Machine Shop/Seawell Automotive Center Toyota Starlet)

53 Shelly Taunt – ENG/Julie Murphy - ENG (GpN Infinity on the Beach/ASF Sign Factory/Darren Dixen/Combined Scaffolding/Jim Griffiths Car & Body Repairs/Julie Murphy’s Driving School Subaru Impreza N10)

54 Raymond Clough - ENG/Stephen Bell (H2 Saint Gobain/Minster/CCF Builders Merchants/Frank Key Builders Merchants Ford Escort MkI)

55 Wayne Archer/Tristan Gibbs (H2 RW Water/Arrow Construction/Arrow Woodworking/Archers Hall Design Centre/D & A Air Conditioning BMW 325)

56 Norman Catwell/Kyle Catwell (M2 Chicken Pen Racing/Ellesmere Quarries/BCR Car Rentals/John Hardman Engineering/SB Motorsport Engineering/Jenvey/Seawell Automotive Center Volkswagen Golf GTI)

57 Andrew Costin-Hurley - ENG/Wayne King (GpB2 Earl’s Performance Hoses/Wootton Tyres Ford Puma Evo)

58 George Sherman - USA/Anthony Sherman - USA (GpN Subway/Zanzibar/Kaizan Sushi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

59 Eric Allamby/Jonathan Ince (C2 Brake Pro/Power Bass/Lenovo/Maxxis/Gunk BMW 318ti Compact)

60 Marcel Freling – ENG/Karen Robinson – ENG (SM1 Rostrevor Hotel/Rentazoom Car Rentals/RallyMe.co.uk MG ZR)

61 Stuart Garcia/Rasheed Smith (C2 Four & Twenty Bakery/Intelligent Defence Systems/Smith’s Engineering Works/Zaccios/Kirba Inc BMW 318ti Compact)

62 Shareef Walcott/Jan-Yves Hinds (M1 Melwani’s/Tint +/Castrol/BizNeedz/ReefMotorsport/Lil Griff’s Maintenance & Freighting Services Toyota Corolla)

63 Dick Mauger – ENG/Liz Jordan - ENG (SM2 Major Farm Services Ford Escort MkII)

64 Paul Inniss/Michelle Sutherland (M1 Brydens Insurance/East Point Grill/Going Places Travel/Cockspur/Caribbean Villa Chefs/Chef Byer Catering/Castrol/JJ Racing Team/Hugh Autobody/Brunswick Barbados/Drive-a-Matic Car Rentals/Autoderm Honda Civic)

65 David Proud - NZL/Stuart Leach - ENG (M2 Window Factory/Hankook/Marshall Motorsport Peugeot 206 GTi 180)

66 Peter Gallagher – IRL/Rene Forde (GpA Black Bonnet Racing/Recycle Rallying.com Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)

67 Brandon Smith - WAL/Dylan Thomas - WAL (GpB2 BCS Auto Repairs Darrian T9GTR)

68 Gary Thomas – WAL/Linda Thomas – WAL (SM2 Tsalta Motorsport Ford Escort MkII)

69 Graham Haigh – ENG/Kari Bates – ENG (SM2 G Haigh & Sons/Tanfield Engineering Services/Army Shop Ford Escort MkII)

70 Sean Kukula - ENG/Emma Arthur - ENG (H2 Competitionsupplies.com/Lifeline Motorsport Systems/WOSPerformance/Tilton Engineering/DMD Motorsport Engineering/Odyssey Batteries/Cobra Seats Ford Escort MkII)

71 Robin Hamilton – SCO/Steve McNulty - ENG (GpB3 Gleaner Fuels/RHA MG Metro 6R4)

72 Allan Kinch/Kyle Proverbs (C2 Jolly Roger/Pirates Cove/Guava Tech/Printmax BMW 318ti Compact)

73 Dave Jenkins - ENG/Ross Weir - WAL (H2 Weir Rallying UK/Dave Jenkins Motorsport Ford Escort MkII)

74 Calvin Briggs/Tiffany Bannister (GpB2 Lucas Oils/Massy Realty Ford Sierra)

75 Jermin Pope/Aaron Kirton (C1 Glassesco/Good Time Snacks/PEG/C A Autobody/Uniform Factory Outlet/Niccolls & Edghill/NKM/Bio Beauty/Industries Job Honda Civic)

76 Spencer Hutchinson/Gayle Hutchinson (C2 MotorsportToolKits.co.uk BMW 318ti Compact)

77 Harold Morley - ENG/Joshua Plaza – T&T (H2 Bajanloveshop.com Porsche 911 RSR)

78 Benjamin Hartling – CDN/Leslie Evanson (M1 The Hartling Group Citroen C2 R2 MAX)

79 Trevor Mapp/Allister Nurse (C1 Sign Station/JSB Motorsport/Chicken Pen Racing/Valvoline Mitsubishi Colt Mivec RS)

80 Russell Smith - ENG/Rashid Phillips (C2 Maxxis/Guava Tech/Kirba Inc BMW 318ti Compact)

81 Orry Hunte/Chris Haywood (GpB2 Blakeys/Crane & Equipment/Phoenix Protection Services/S G DeFreitas/Sign Station/Williams Electrical/Williams Equipment/Williams Solar/Shelbury Construction Mitsubishi Lancer)

82 Randy Reid/Romario Reid (C1 Dynamic Auto Part/School Boy Sounds/Chef in the Box/Zak’s Auto Parts Toyota Starlet)

83 Luke Cozier/Tammy Lashley (C2 BMW 318ti Compact)

84 Simon Nutter – ENG/Sonia Dent - ENG (M1 Competitionsupplies.com/Little Bristol Beach Bar/Discovery Bay/Cobra Seats/KK Accountancy Services Kendal/Beckside Plumbing/Scotty’s Cheap Car Rentals Toyota Corolla)

85 Jason Harewood/Pierre Clarke (SM1 Mark’s Auto Spares/Gaskin’s Garage/Image Vault/Castrol/Starboy Performance/JVM Signage/SDRR/Barbados Bearings/High Maintenance Detailing Toyota Starlet)

86 John Carroll – ENG/Kareem Gaskin (M2 JJCAL Construction Consultants Honda Civic Type-R)

87 Ryan O Wood/Dario Watson (SM1 MB Auto City/Lucas Oil/Code One Plus Toyota Starlet)

88 John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (H2 Valvoline/Hilti Toyota Corolla)

89 Shon Cummins/Damian Sealy (SM3 Cell Hut/Sikkens/Paints Plus/Fusion Boutique/Stag Beer BMW 316)

90 Howard Paterson – ENG/Ruth Paterson – ENG (C1 Little Bristol Beach Bar/DMack Tyres Skoda Fabia)

91 Fabien Clarke/Arlington Hoyte (C1 RCR Tours/Bovell Auto Repair Suzuki Ignis Sport)

92 Cheryl Spencer - ENG/Barry Spencer - ENG (C2 Dover Beach Hotel/Marco Polo/SC Performance/Titan Exhausts/Hillside Vehicle Services/Waterfront Accident Repairs/Sequoia Landscape/Central Park Bodyshop Vauxhall Astra)