THE ARMAG Rentals Four Hill to French Village, St Peter, stages of the Motoring Club B’dos Inc. (MCBI) annual Rally Of The Sun And Stars are expected to bring out the best in the competitors entered in the 12-stage event which will start at Greenland Plantation, St Andrew, at 2:01 p.m. on Saturday.
A day and night event, the remaining stages are laid out from Portland – Gays, St Lucy and among the early entries are top Jamaican pairs Gary “The Colonel” Gregg and Hugh Hutchinson who will be competing in the Rally Jamaica/Seaboard Marine/BD Gregg & Bros/NG Racing Ford Focus WRC 05 and Jeff Panton and Mike Fennell (Jr) in a Rally Jamaica/Seaboard Marine Ford Focus WRC 00.
Both Jamaican pairs are no strangers to Barbadian conditions and hold an array of local knowledge to their credit, having won the prestigious Sol Rally Barbados in the past. They are currently preparing for the Caribbean’s final international event – Rally Jamaica in December.
Two other foreign competitors preparing for the December assignment and entered for the rally are the Trinidad and Tobago-based Jamaican John Penti Powell and Nick Telfer. They are expected to take on the might of the local and regional opposition in a Shell Helix Subaru Impreza WRC S12.
It will be the third outing for the Jamaicans in Barbados this year, and word out of Jamaica is that they all want to turn in a good performance as the Barbados event will be the last chance they will have to test their machines and skills against good competition.
The visiting pairs can expect some stiff competition from local pairs, led by Roger “The Sheriff” Skeete and Louis Venezia in the DaCosta Mannings Auto Centre/Michelin/Warrens Motors Subaru Impreza WRC S12.
Roger “The Ninja” Hill and Graham Gittens in the Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC and Barry Gale and Cherie Edghill (P4 redlinefuels.com/Autolink/Maxi Malta/Rockstar Energy Drink/Metal Craft Works/Weetabix/ Bella Beauty Supply Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), are also among the favourites.
And their torment in Barbados will be further compounded by the likes of the two-wheel drive pairs such as Ian and Robert Warren (SM10 Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors Suzuki Swift, Josh Read and Mark Jordan (SM9 Automotive Art/Baram Services Toyota Starlet and Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (SM9 Pit Bull Energy Drink/Hankook/Gunk/Electric Avenue Toyota Starlet.
The event, which is being shared by competitors for points with the Barbados Rally Club (BRC), will have a central service halt after every two stages.
