Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle won the Caribbean’s biggest annual international motor sport event, Sol Rally Barbados 2009, for the second time last weekend (May 29-31); driving the Digicel/Red Bull/ARMAG Subaru Impreza WRC S9 for the first time, Meeke’s winning margin was 16.75s, almost identical to last year.
After receiving their trophies from the Minister of Sport, Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo, at the Prizegiving at The Boatyard in the island’s capital Bridgetown yesterday (June 1), Meeke compared the experience with his ‘day job’ as Peugeot UK’s driver in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which he currently leads: “In the IRC, I get a real sense of satisfaction when I get home for a job well done, but here I actually enjoy it while I’m doing it.”
As last year, the second step of the podium was occupied by England’s Paul Bird and Ian Windress (SuperCasino.com/Vent Axia/VK Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC07). ‘Birdy’ remarked: “It just doesn’t get much better than this, this really is the best rally in the world, the crowds, the enthusiasm, the people.”
Third, and highest-placed local crew, were former winner Paul Bourne and Stuart Maloney (Banks/LIME/Virgin Atlantic Subaru Impreza WRC S9), who finished a further 56 seconds behind Bird. Highest-placed regional crew were Jamaica’s Jeffrey Panton - another former winner - and Mike Fennell Jnr (Automotive Art/Bearings and Seals/Jamaica Freight and Shipping/Seaboard/Castrol/

AWARDEES – CARNIVAL OF SPEED MEET 2009

Class: Improved Production 45, 37, 33, 27.

Improved Production 45        Race 1
1st    Michelle Laidlaw
2nd    Walton Small
3rd    Brian Shorter

Improved Production 45        Race 2
1st    Chressmore White
2nd    Neil Blenman
3rd    Walton Small

Improved Production 37        Race 1
1st    Brian Foster
2nd    Rohan Clarke
3rd    Richard Chan

Improved Production 37        Race 2
1st    Brian Foster
2nd    Rohan Clarke
3rd    Ian Edwards

Improved Production 33        Race 1
1st    Peter Jaggon
2nd    Heath Causwell
3rd    Sebastian Rae

Improved Production 33        Race 2
1st    Peter Jaggon
2nd    Sebastian Rae
3rd    Heath Causwell

Improved Production 27        Race 1
1st     Gary Williams
2nd    David Anderson
3rd    Tedroy Burton

Improved Production 27        Race 2
1st    Stephen Bansie
2nd     Tedroy Burton
3rd    Victor Handal

Class: Modified Production 1, 2, 3.

Modified Production Class 1        Race 1
1st    Brian Foster
2nd    Don Gilbert
3rd    Orville Johnson

Modified Production Class 1        Race 2
1st    Don Gilbert
2nd    Gary Gregg
3rd    Mark Groves

Modified Production Class 2        Race 1
1st    Peter Jaggon
2nd    Tedroy Burton
3rd    Sebastian Rae

Modified Production Class 2        Race 2
1st    Peter Jaggon
2nd    Christopher Wright
3rd    Heath Causwell

Modified Production Class 3        Race 1
1st    David Summerbell
2nd    Doug Gore
3rd    Christopher Campbell

Modified Production Class 3        Race 2
1st    Doug Gore
2nd    Christopher Campbell
3rd    Gary Williams

Class: Motorcycles

Race 1
1st    Adrian Blake
2nd    Andre Norman
3rd    Christopher Kerr

Race 2
1st    Andre Norman
2nd    Christopher Kerr
3rd    Oneil Sheckleford

Class: Thundersport

Race 1
1st    Doug Gore
2nd    Christopher Campbell
3rd    Gary Williams

Race 2
1st    Doug Gore
2nd    Christopher Campbell
3rd    Stephen Bansie

National Supply Mechanic Meet Champion        Wayne Wallace

The event will be a tarmac uphill climb which Dover Raceway hopefuls may be able to use as a shakedown for the upcoming Easter series.  Competitors like Richard ‘Sir Rich’ Rerrie who was unable to complete Rally Jamaica 2008 to the disappointment of many spectators, will be aiming to be crowned King on Sunday, while Doug ‘Hollywood’ Gore will be hot on his heels.  Hollywood hasn’t made up his mind which of his toys he will be using at the event, as his rally sport flagship Mitsubishi Evolution X is still awaiting components that will see him migrate from the JN Class into the more competitive JA Class.  He is considering using his 650 horse power Mitsubishi Evolution 5 monster which he currently drives at Dover Raceway.  Most rally or sprint cars don’t sport this type of horse power, so Hollywood would definitely be the favourite going into the event.

2008 Drivers Champion, Thomas Hall is still without a ride after his spill in Rally Jamaica 2008.  However, after watching the released video of the course, he will be willing to sacrifice almost anything to drive the course. JA3 2008 champion Dion ‘Babybomb’ Gardner will be competing in his Petcom Sponsored Mitsubishi Mirage RS to reclaim JA3 honors.  Charles Maxwell and Michelle Laidlaw from the yet to be aired season 2 of the Jamspeed Adrenaline Rush Series will also be looking to claim front wheel drive honors.  Front Wheel Drive Rally Jamaica 2008 champion, Bobby Marshall will also be aiming to conquer the Tobalski Hill. Jordan Powell will also see competition in his JA2 Toyota Corolla FX, while hometown hero Orville ‘Piggy’ Johnson will be cheered on by many locals while he attacks the very familiar uphill in his Turbo Charged Toyota Tercel

However, we cannot forget the rear wheel drive competitors who will provide much excitement on the few corners.  Ivan Lee will be competing in his very fast turbo charged Toyota Corolla SR5.  Alan Chen in his Corolla hatch back and Jeremy Groves in his immaculate turbo starlet have yet to confirm entry to prevent Ivan from running away with the rear wheel drive prize.

This event promises to be chock full of excitement.  This JMMC sanctioned event is brought to you by Taboo Energy Drink, Kir Dex Transportation, KFC, CVM TV, Xsomo International, M & M Sewage, St. Ann Bauxite, St. Anns Bay Parish Council and S & G Road Repairs.

Steve Perez is the first confirmed European entry for Sol Rally Barbados 2009 . . . and the 2004 UK National Rally Champion is a man on a mission. After missing a top-three slot for the third year in a row in 2008, he said: “We’ll just have to come back and by-pass the podium - I’m going all out to win!”
Although his first visit ended in disaster when his ex-Hannu Mikkola Audi Quattro Sport suffered accident damage in Rally Barbados 2004, Perez soon developed a fondness for Barbados and its people. Like many introduced to the island through rallying, he is now a regular visitor and returned home on Saturday after his annual New Year holiday, enjoyed with a large family group in an exclusive West Coast location.
Before he left, he confirmed that he will be back with his Kick Energy Ford Focus WRC, co-driven for the first time in Barbados by Welshman Paul Spooner, with whom he finished 19th in the final round of the 2008 World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, in December. Of that result, he noted: “To just get to the finish was a major achievement, given it was one of the toughest rallies I have ever done. The ice, snow and fog made the going treacherous, so I was doubly delighted to achieve a top 20 finish on a World Championship event with very few top-name retirements.”
Since 2006, a hat-trick of fourth places in Rally Barbados - highest-placed European finisher twice - means he has unfinished business: “I’m certainly not coming to defend fourth place, but I think the job’s going to be even harder this year. There’s the two Focus WRCs from Jamaica with Gary Gregg and Jeff Panton, and the Imprezas of Paul Bourne and Roger Skeete - they’ve all won the rally before, so I’ve got my work cut out.
“And then my old mate Paul Bird - he said he was retiring after Barbados last year . . . no such luck; the last time I spoke to him, he said he’s coming back. Even if I don’t win, I’ve still got to make sure I finish in front of ‘Birdy’ this time . . . and I won’t be lending him any of my scrubbed-in tyres this year, either, he can bring his own!”
And the information on Bird’s return from retirement is right on the money; he drove his Vent-Axia/Kick Energy Subaru Impreza WRC S9 for the first time since May two weeks ago in the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, a British single-venue tarmac event at the Croft motor racing circuit in North Yorkshire; after a few early dramas - he said “I’d forgotten what half the switches did” - he set some good times in the afternoon, finishing second to another crew popular with Bajan fans, Kevin Procter and Dave Bellerby in the Procters Coaches Impreza S7.

BHTA confirmed as Sol RB09 Associate Sponsor

The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association has been confirmed as an Associate Sponsor of Sol Rally Barbados 2009, its increased commitment a further recognition of the event’s value as an integral part of the island’s sports-tourism product.
Having assisted in recent years through the provision of accommodation, particularly for overseas media, the BHTA has stepped up its involvement with a significant cash injection. BHTA Executive Vice-President Sue Springer said: “Why would the BHTA not support such an awesome event? It is a win-win situation and we look forward to 2009 with bated breath to see who will take the crown.
“Over the past eight years, 200 overseas competitors have competed in the Barbados Rally Club’s event, many of whom have become repeat visitors at other times of the year. In 2008, the 30 overseas crews clocked up around 4000 bed nights during May, which is known to be one of our slower months in the industry. This event also gives us some amazing international media coverage, the like of which we could never begin to pay for - with reports broadcast to 16 million homes in 40 countries across Europe in 2008, what can match that in exposure for Barbados?
“The financial benefits are also significant: the spend from overseas visitors last year was around Bds $1.5m just from hotels, flights and restaurants, without particular requirements like their specialised fuel, while thousands of local fans bring revenue to vendors, mini-marts and rum shops, all of whom benefit from this National Event.”
BRC Chairman Mark Hamilton added: “The BHTA’s additional commitment to Sol Rally Barbados this year signals once again an acknowledgement of the contribution that the event is making to our sports-tourism product and the local economy as a whole at a time when the world economic situation will place additional pressure on small island states. The Barbados Rally Club is very conscious of the need to make our event more attractive than ever to international participants under these circumstances and this additional support will be used exclusively for that purpose.”

Sol Rally Barbados 2009 (May 30/31) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; title sponsor is the Sol Group, the Caribbean’s largest independent oil company, and both events are rounds of the Virgin Atlantic BRC RallySport Championship.

Media enquiries: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web site - www.rallybarbados.bb

Sol Rally Barbados 2009 (May 30/31) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; title sponsor is the Sol Group, the Caribbean’s largest independent oil company, and both events are rounds of the Virgin Atlantic BRC RallySport Championship.

For further information:
e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web site - www.rallybarbados.bb

The decision comes as car manufacturers continue to feel the squeeze as a result of the current global economic downturn and will see the series lose one of its biggest and most popular names.

“Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons,” David Richards, chairman of Prodrive – the outfit behind the team – said. “The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over.

“Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our focus now turns to the future.”

Although Subaru has taken numerous WRC titles, and carried the likes of McRae, Burns and Petter Solberg to the drivers’ crown, recent years have seen it struggle against rivals like Citroen and Ford.

Indeed, the team hasn’t taken a victory since Wales Rally GB back in 2005, and that victory for Solberg was only secured after Sebastien Loeb deliberately took a time penalty to avoid winning the title following the death of Michael Park.

Prior to that, Subaru’s last victory came in Mexico when Solberg beat Peugeot pair Marcus Gronholm and Markko Martin to secure what would be the last ‘on merit’ win in the sport for the Japanese marque.

The introduction of the new Impreza WRC2008 earlier this year was meant to herald a return to form, but despite Solberg finishing on the podium first time out in Greece, the new car was unable to break the strangle-hold held by Citroen and Ford.

While Chris Atkinson and Solberg finished fifth and sixth in the drivers’ standings, Subaru was never able to challenge the top two in the manufacturers’ standings and finished only 31 points clear of Ford ‘B’ team Stobart VK M-Sport.

In a statement, Prodrive said it would look to redeploy as many members of the rally team as possible to other areas of its business, but questions will now be raised over the future of both Solberg and Atkinson, who find themselves without a drive for the 2009 campaign with both Citroen and Ford having already announced their driver pairings.

Source: Crash.net