British-born Turks and Caicos Islands driver Paul Horton heads the list of regional competitors so far entered for the Sol Rally Barbados, organized by the Barbados Rally Club (BRC).
Horton, who will be making his third visit to the Caribbean’s premier motor rally, is switching from the Honda Civic in which he has competed for the past two years to a Ford Escort for the June 9 and 10 event.
Horton’s entry was the first from the region to be received via the BRC’s official web site, which is displaying entry list ahead of the May 14 closing date for entries.
In his 2010 debut, he finished 55th overall and sixth in Modified 6 in Shell V-Power King of the Hill, but retired from the rally with mechanical problems.
He fared better last year, finishing 42nd overall and fourth in M6 in the King of the Hill. However, gearbox problems from the opening stage forced he and co-driver Kristian Yearwood out of the rally.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Stuart Johnson and co-driver Lee Quesnel, entered in the Mitco Water Laboratories Subaru Impreza N12, and David Coelho and James Harris, in the Subway/Total Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, are the other entries from the region so far.
Johnson’s record from his first attempt shows that he failed to finish RB03 as co-driver for Wayne Persad, but as a driver last year, he finished fourth in P4 in the company of his old school friend Chris Hoad.
Regularly in the top 20 overall stage times, their best came mid-way through day two, when they were tenth, with Geoff Noel (Evo IX) the only local Group N driver ahead of them.
Coelho, on the other hand, failed to finish the rally.
He suffered a miserable weekend last year, finishing 11th overall on the opening day after missing several stages before retiring after just four stages into the final day.
