Paddon and Kennard are top seeds for Sol Rally Barbados

Having claimed a debut victory in First Citizens King of the Hill last Sunday, New Zealanders Hayden Paddon and John Kennard are top seeds for the 33rd running of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) premier event. Published by the BRC at last evening’s (Wednesday) Briefing Meeting at Mahogany Ridge, St Thomas, the entry list of 84 cars for this weekend’s Sol Rally Barbados 2023 includes drivers and co-drivers from 13 countries.
 Following the floodlit Sol SuperSpecial at Bushy Park Barbados tomorrow evening (Friday), which will be run in reverse order of seeding, Paddon will lead the field away from the restart at Sol Speightstown at 9.45am on Saturday in his Hyundai i20 R5. Winners of Sol RB19 & ’22, Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew (Subaru Impreza WRC S12) will start second, with Jamaica’s Jeff Panton and Michael Fennell Jnr, four-time winners of both KotH and Sol RB since 2015, at three in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo, making it the first time three different manufacturers have been represented in the top three seeds since 2015 when they were Suzuki, Ford and Subaru.
 Zane Maloney, who returned home this week for a mid-season break from his FIA Formula 2 campaign, will start at four with co-driver Kreigg Yearwood in a Fabia Rally2 evo; last year, at age 18, Maloney became the youngest-ever winner of KotH, but retired from Sol RB22 early Sunday morning while lying fourth. With Barbadian Orry Hunte as co-driver, Panton’s fellow-countryman Kyle Gregg, whose father Gary won in Barbados in 2006, will start fifth in his Ford Fiesta Rally2, with Britain’s Kevin Procter and Patrick Walsh at six in their WRC class Fiesta S2000T.
 After completing only one clean run last Sunday, Stuart Maloney and Kristian Yearwood will start at seven in their Fabia Rally2 evo, with Roger Hill and Graham Gittens (Fabia R5) seeded at nine and the sixth car in the FIA R5 class in the top 10. Four of these are registered for points in the Barbados Motoring Federation’s (BMF) R5 Rally Championship presented by First Citizens, which is finely poised. After KotH, Maloney leads with 28 points from Panton (27), Hill (24) and Gregg (23), setting up a thrilling weekend, with three scores on offer: Friday and Saturday of RB23 are round five, Sunday round six, with additional bonus points available for the overall result.
 The highest-seeded two-wheel-drive cars will both start in the top 10. Brothers Roger and Barry Mayers are seeded at eight and 10 respectively in their Toyota WR Starlet and Ford Fiesta with co-drivers Barry Ward and Ben Norris; Logan Watson and Andrew Croney are next in line, starting at 20 in their BMW M3. In addition to the battle for overall and 2wd supremacy, there are 13 contested classes, in nine of which island competitors will enjoy the challenge of pitting their skills against regional or international entries, or both.
 Two numbers are being rested on this year’s running order, 30 and 43, in memory of drivers lost in the past 12 months. Along with other members of his family, Owen ‘Bird’ Cumberbatch had been a long-standing presence in island motor sport, as co-driver, driver and latterly with his recovery wrecker. He last contested Sol Rally Barbados in 2014, when his start number was 30, with his best result coming in Sol RB11, second in what was then the SuperModified 11 class to his brother Sammy. A new trophy named in his honour will be presented this year to the highest-placed BMW.
 The number 43 was used by American motor sport icon Ken Block for most of his competition career, including his two visits to Bushy Park to compete in the Global Rallycross series. With co-driver Alex Gelsomino in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, Block also claimed a memorable victory in Sol RB20 and had grown a huge following in the island. His family have started the 43 Foundation to carry on his legacy, creating paths of opportunity for exceptionally driven people, who may lack the proper support system for growth and success.
 There are three loops of three stages to the north of the island on Saturday - Dark Hole (4.10km), Chefette Sailor Gully (4.00km) and the longest of the weekend, Pickering (7.60km); on Sunday, the action moves to the south and east, again with three loops of three venues – Banks Padmore (6.10km), Automotive Art Kendal (7.30km) and Carter’s Malvern (6.30km), followed by the daylight Honda SuperSpecial and Rally Finish at Bushy Park. Once completed, competitors will head for The Hill, where fans and service crew will gather for the provisional podium and after-party.

Sol Rally Barbados 2023 entry statistics:
• 84 crews on the final running order
• 47 overseas drivers and co-drivers
• 59 local entries
• 21 female competitors, two drivers, 19 co-drivers
• cars from 17 manufacturers, BMW the best-represented with 27 models, followed by Ford (16), Toyota (8) and Skoda (6)

Sol Rally Barbados (June 9-11) is a tarmac rally, with 20 special stages run on the island’s intricate network of public roads, under road closure orders granted by the Ministry of Transport, Works & Water Resources; First Citizens King of the Hill (June 4) runs under a similar arrangement and features four timed runs on a four-kilometre stage, the results of which are used to seed the running order for Sol RB23.

For media information only. No regulatory value.

For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
www.rallybarbados.net; www.barbadosrallyclub.com
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Sol RB23-26a: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 8, 2023

SOL RALLY BARBADOS 2023
Final running order at June 8, 2023

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

no driver/co-driver (class/sponsors/car)

1 Hayden Paddon – NZL/John Kennard - NZL (FIA R5 Tourism Development Corporation/Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc/Automotive Art/Valvoline Hyundai i20 R5)
2 Dane Skeete/Tyler Mayhew (WRC Automotive Art/CO Williams Sand & Lime/Sol Subaru Impreza WRC S12)
3 Jeffrey Panton – JAM/Michael Fennell Jnr – JAM (FIA R5 KIG/Sandals Resorts/Bushy Park Barbados Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
4 Zane Maloney/Kreigg Yearwood (FIA R5 Red Bull/Visit Barbados/CGI/Clifton Market/Bayview Hospital/Sixt Car Rentals Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
5 Kyle Gregg – JAM/Orry Hunte (FIA R5 B D Gregg Ford Fiesta Rally2)
6 Kevin Procter – ENG/Patrick Walsh - WAL (WRC Procters Coaches & Bus Sales/Swift Signs & Shirts/Temsa Sales UK Ford Fiesta S2000T)
7 Stuart Maloney/Kristian Yearwood (FIA R5 Rock Hard Cement/VP Fuels/Chevron/Bushy Park Barbados/Sign Station Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
8 Roger Mayers/Barry Ward (SM2 Chefette/Frosteez/Hankook/Sign Depot Toyota WR Starlet)
9 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (FIA R5 Esso/MaxMeyer Paints/MotorMac Skoda Fabia R5)
10 Barry Mayers/Ben Norris (SM2 Chefette/Frosteez/Hankook/Sign Depot Ford Fiesta)
11 Paul Horton - TCI/Matt Edwards - WAL (FIA R5 Java Island/HO2 Construction/Sky Motorsports Citroen C3 Rally2)
12 Mark Maloney/Justin Maloney (FIA R5 Rock Hard Cement/Vision Equipment/M-Jet/Bushy Park Barbados/Sign Station Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
14 Andy Scott - SCO/Laura Connell (F) - SCO (WRC Rock Oil/Billfisher III/Rostrum Sportswear Ford Fiesta S2000T)
15 Rob Swann – ENG/Tom Woodburn - ENG (FIA R5 GO Rent A Car/R A Swann/Cygnet Plant Sales Skoda Fabia R5)
16 Mark Thompson/Kurt Seabra - GUY (M4 Automotive Art/Glassesco/NKM Clothing/Bio Beauty Day Spa Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
17 Josh Read/Mark Jordan (FIA R5 Automotive Art/Java Island/Weetabix Ford Fiesta R5)
18 Andrew Mallalieu/Geoff Goddard (FIA R5 Terra Caribbean Ford Fiesta R5)
19 Roger Duckworth – ENG/Stuart Loudon - SCO (FIA R5 Technia Ford Fiesta R5)
20 Logan Watson/Andrew Croney (M3 Cargo BGI/Packaging Center/Enermax/Luxe Caribbean Properties/Stihl/Jack Daniels/Fete Patch/It’s Barbados/Bajan Pure Water/Quality Tyre BMW M3)
21 Ollie O’Donovan – IRL/Jack Morton - ENG (FIA R5 Shannon Group Hyundai i20 R5)
22 Andrew Jones/Lindsey Pilkington (F) – ENG (SM2 Gale’s Agro Products/AP Jones Pharmacy/Southern Surf Beach Apartments/Weetabix/GO ON Energy Ford Escort MkII)
23 Suleman Esuf/Justin Harris (M3 Prosales/Express Imports Inc/SY Adam & Son/Y Esuf Auto Clinic BMW 1M)
24 Tremaine Forde-Catwell/Shane Haynes (SM1 Cheese Autoglass Finish/Mipa Professional Coatings/Performance Plus/Rezult Auto/Ingenuity Pro Shop Daihatsu Charmant)
25 Justin Campbell/Ayrton Bannister (M3 Republic Bank/Automotive Art/Camps Auto Services/Expressionism/Dream Freighting/New York Pizza/Premier Diamonds/COT/AEC/HEL Performance/#livealittle/#RAY BMW M3)
26 Mark Kinch/Bradley Weekes (SM2 BMW Compact)
27 Neil Corbin/Matthew Staffner (M2 Nassco/Auto Solutions/Stamina Energy/Pressout Performance/Colour XL Toyota GT86 CS-R3)
28 Fraser Louden – SCO/Ashleigh Will (F) - SCO (WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Proto)
29 Edward Corbin/Johnathan Alleyne (M1 Automotive Art/Pro Sales/Hilti Daihatsu Charmant)
30 – rested in memory of Owen ‘Bird’ Cumberbatch
31 Kurt Thompson/Adam Straker (SM2 Automotive Art/Glassesco/NKM Clothing/Bio Beauty Day Spa Honda Civic)
32 Chris Ullyett/Chantal Ullyett (F) - CDN (M2 Proj-Rx Inc/RadComm Systems/Ullyett's Machine Shop Service Ford Escort RS2000)
33 Horatio Brown – JAM/Leslie Evanson (F) (M1 Fast Parts Barbados/Garage 61/Esuf Racing/RAW Power Motorsports/AdON Racing/RichTune Performance Citroen C2R2)
34 Sammy Cumberbatch/Andre Jordan (M3 SC Auto Mechanics/Hilti/Trini Doubles BMW M3)
35 Martin Stockdale – ENG/Graeme Wood - ENG (GpB Divi Southwinds Beach Resort/Drive-a-Matic Car Rentals/Canems Engine Management/Astleyfab Erection Specialists BMW 1M Coupe)
36 Michael Worme/Jason King (M2 Coast to Coast Cooling/COT/Ullyett’s Machine Shop/Camps Auto Services/Katspraddle Vodka/Nauti Lime/Sign Up BMW 318ti Compact)
37 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM2 Silver Technetium Group/Ino-Gro Hydroponics/Suga Apple Swim/Bajan Pure Water/Quality Tyre/Weddings by Malissa BMW M3)
38 George Sherman - USA/Scott Pinheiro – T&T (M4 Tide Cleaners/Subway/GS InMotion Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
39 Kyle Catwell/Kayleigh Catwell (F) (M4 Ellesmere Quarries Ltd/Chicken Pen Racing Audi TT-R)
40 Ian Warren/Robert Warren (C2 Colour XL/West Lake Tires/Guava Tech/Formula 1/Motor Medic/Benthams Farm & Garden BimmaCup)
41 Chris Hoad/Castara Waterman (F) (C2 Subway/Dasani Water/Shell Helix/Colour XL/Guava Tech BimmaCup)
42 Paul Inniss/Jamar Haynes (SM2 Caribbean LED Lighting/Trident Insurance/Huntes Auto Spares/Essco/JJ Racing Team/J’s AC Services/Deodat Customz/Caribbean Villa Chefs/Camps Auto Services Honda Civic)
43 – rested in memory of Ken Block
44 Derek Edwards/Damien Johnson (C2 www . coralbeachbarbados . com BimmaCup)
45 Robert Ryan Wood/Miranda Ho (F) – T&T (C2 Carter’s Pitstop/Power King Batteries/Guava Tech/CA Autobody Repair/West Lake Tires/Hilti Tools/Medical Massage Specialists/Sitemasters Property Management BimmaCup)
46 Kevin Wiggins/Kareem Gaskin (SM1 Johnson Auto/Eastside Seafood/Zak Auto Parts Toyota Starlet)
47 Chris Shooter - ENG/Bev LeGood (F) – ENG (H2 Sparrow Hill Cars/Soar Bridge Inn Ford Escort MkII)
48 Pierre Clarke/Ezra Gibbs (M1 SDRR Hydraulics/Performance Plus/Camps Auto Services Honda Civic)
49 Sean Corbin/Emily Kinch (F) (M2 Super-S Premium Lubricants/Carter's Pitstop/Kikks Slippas/West Lake Tires/Gunk/Fabblast Barbados/Guava Tech/M&M Racing BMW 318ti Compact)
50 Calvin Briggs/Fabian Morris (GpB Sirrom Lighting/Flying Bell Farms Ford Sierra)
51 Ian Barclay – SCO/Sue Plater – ENG (F) (M4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
52 Greg Cozier/Natasha Farnum (F) (C3 Perkins & Sons Barbados Rum BimmaCup Too)
53 Nigel Worswick – ENG/Sophie Louise Buckland (F) - ENG (SM2 Worswick Engineering/Ullyetts Machine Shop Ford Escort MkII)
54 Ahmed Esuf/Ryan Ali (M3 Express imports Inc/Prosales/SY Adam & Son/Cosmo Club/Y Esuf Auto Clinic BMW M3)
55 Kevin Armstrong/Dwayne Forde (C3 Armstrong Auto BMW 325i)
56 Dick Mauger – ENG/Liz Jordan (F) - ENG (SM2 Major Farm Services Ford Escort MkII)
57 Darren Lashley/Jason Harewood (SM1 Hi-Speed Performance Parts/Starboy Performance/Lashley’s Auto Garage Toyota Starlet)
58 Andrew Costin-Hurley - ENG/Rob Brook - ENG (GpB Clubman Motorsport/Earl’s Performance Hoses Ford Puma Cosworth)
59 Roger Jordan/Ian Griffith (SM1 Lucas Oils Toyota Starlet)
60 Jason Cozier/James Hutchinson (SM1 JMC Contracting Services Inc/PodStore/Lucky Locks/Bajan Pro Ford Escort MkI)
61 Ross Callender/Damien Castillo-Marshall (SM1 Empire Building & Construction /Indulge with Anna/Express Imports/Percy King's Auto Parts/HEL Performance/Lil Fabian’s Enterprise/Cheese Auto Glass Finish/RA Mapps/The Tavern Pub/Rent N Run Car Rentals Toyota Starlet)
62 Allan Kinch/Kyle Proverbs (C2 Savvy on the Bay/Yorkshire Agricultural/Guava Tech/Colour XL BimmaCup)
63 Spencer Hutchinson/Gayle Hutchinson (F) (C2 Perkins & Sons Barbados Rum BimmaCup)
64 Nick Morley - ENG/Josh Plaza – T&T (C2 Liqd Finance/Hydrol Medi BimmaCup)
65 David-Anthony Balgobin/Allister Nurse (C2 DKK Industrial Supplies/Da-Shem-Rhe Inc BimmaCup)
66 Natya Soodeen (F)/Sameisha Williams (F) (C2 BimmaCup)
67 Russell Smith - ENG/Rashid Smith (C2 Impredicativity LLC/ Dark Horse Racing/Kirba Inc/Guava Tech BimmaCup)
68 Jason Tull/Omar Archer (C1 Jay-T's Auto Services/BG Products/Black Rock Auto Peugeot 106 Rallye S2)
69 Kyle Gill/Rashid Phillips (C1 adhoc Industries/The Chicken Stop Mitsubishi Mirage RS Clone) 
70 Wayne Archer/Moishe Steinbok (C2 Arrow Construction/Arrow Woodworking/Archers Hall Design Centre BimmaCup)
71 Mark Huggins/Stephen Bell (GpB General Distributors Daihatsu Charmant)
72 Jamal Brathwaite/Tammy Nelson (F) (M2 Wolf Lubricants/A&A Autoparts/Consumers Guarantee Insurance/CA Autobody Repairs/Caribbean Auto Glass/TEC Barbados Honda Civic Type-R)
73 Wayne Tasker/Keenan Barker (C1 Winston Enterprises/Shalom Management Services/Shalom Solutions/Byrycustomz/J Squared Consultants Opel Corsa B)
74 Savio Walcott/Toure Nurse (C2 Movements Plus/Locknox/CIF Express/Guava Tech/Worthing Secured Services BimmaCup)
75 Luke Cozier/Ben da Silva (C2 Perkins & Sons Barbados Rum BimmaCup)
76 Stewart Gordon - ANT/Rene Forde (C2 BimmaCup)
77 Ryan O Wood/Shaquille Mayers (SM1 MB Auto City/BizNeedz Racing/Lucas Oil/Shonny’s Kitchen Toyota Starlet)
78 Dwane Jackman/Michaela Jackman (F) (SM2 Voyager Car Rental/Island Gold Realty/Undercover Cover/SDRR Motor Sport/JVM Signage/KFC/Amir’s Kitchen Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk2)
79 Karl Bovell/Che Vaughan (C3 KB Equipment Rental/3R's Trucking/Vizions Land Survey & BLD Construction/Cozigood Enterprises BMW 325)
80 Harold Morley/Mutamuliza Cutting (F) (H2 Spectrum Antimicrobials Inc Porsche 911RS)
81 Stuart Deeley - ENG/Andy Doano – ENG (GpB Sandstone Brewery Toyota Celica GT4)
82 Shon Cummins/Craig Murray (GpB Marks Auto Spares/Express Auto/Rude Boy Tonic Wine/Cheetos/MB Plumbing Electrical & Hardware/Pulse Solutions/DivisionOne Services BMW 316)
83 Fabien Clarke/Arlington Hoyte (SM1 Empire Building & Construction/Shallom Management Services/Bovell Auto Repair/RCR Tours/South 7 DJs Suzuki Ignis Sport)
84 Graham Haigh – ENG/Jonathan Haynes - ENG (SM2 G Haigh & Sons/Tanfield Engineering Services/J D Haynes Car Sales Ford Escort MkII)
85 Mick Smith – IRL/Cameron Barclay - ENG (H1 Rentokil Initial Sunbeam Imp)
86 Randy Reid/Romario Reid (SM1 3R’s Trucking/#livealittle Honda Civic)
87 Cheryl Spencer (F) - ENG/Barry Spencer - ENG (M2 Dover Beach Hotel/Marco Polo Bar & Grill/Sunflower Stables/Sunflower Farms/Stoutes Car Rental/Animal Flower Cave/SRG Engineering/Jetski Barbados/Le Shack/wrap'd N Tintd Vauxhall Astra GSi)

For media information only. No regulatory value.