2011/03/12th
Article by Glenn Beckles
Photos by Himal Reece (Justbajan.com) & Mikey Spice.
If you’re one of those rally fans who has been craving a dose of action, the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc (MCBI) joint with Barbados Rally Club (BRC) have got your fix. It comes in the form of their season-opening event to be held tomorrow, March 12 at Ellesmere in St.George. The event is scheduled to have an 8:30 am start, with 26 drivers set to tackle the twisty cut-rock lined stage. The event is taking on a double header format: a practice run and three official runs in one direct, after which the direction will be reversed, also with a practice run and three official runs.
Sean Gill will be driving his Suzuki SX4 WRC locally for the first time, after his impressive showing in Rally Jamaica last year. Gill has been doing some testing at Bushy Park during the week and fans eagerly wait to see the machine in action. Mark Hamilton has stepped up to Group N in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. This will be his first venture into the four-wheel drive group. Rhett and Logan Watson will be getting their first competitive outing in the ex-Jonathan Still BMW M3. They too have conducted some testing at the Bushy Park racing circuit and will be on a fairly steep learning curve, but excited none the less. Local racing legend Andrew Mallalieu returns to the racing scene after a lengthy absence from the sport. He will be behind the wheel of the ex-David Williams Subaru Impreza WRX. His return has created quite a buzz within the local motorsport fraternity, and undoubtedly all eyes will be on him tomorrow. Red265 Rally Media will have a feature on Mr.Mallalieu within the coming days, so stay tuned.
Cliff Roett and Josh Read will be locked in a heated battle come Sunday morning. On the heels of his outstanding display of driving at the first Barbados Auto Racing League’s (BARL) first race meet of 2011, Roett will seek to continue his fine form. Read is a tough competitor, and his Toyota Starlet is as good a machine to take the fight to Roett as any. Sunday also marks the second event for “The Coolie Stig” Avinash Chatrani piloting his ex-Neil Armstrong Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. Leader of The Chicken Pen Racing Team Norman Catwell returns to action as well, so spectators are definitely in for a treat.
Spectators are asked to exercise safety and caution and adhere to all instruction given by Marshals and other safety personnel. Red265 Rally Media wishes all competitors the best of luck tomorrow and for the remainder of the 2011 season. Stay tuned for developments as they happen.
This event is a double-header speed event comprising of one practice and three official runs in one direction, after which the course will be reversed and consist of one practice and three official runs in the other direction
