The twisty Isolation Road to the Dark Hole, St Andrew course will again get the attention of local drivers in the race for the Motoring Club Barbados Inc.’s McChlery Designs “Just Bring It” speed event next Sunday.
But the morning event will be of significant importance to Rhett Watson, who will be driving a BMW M3, and Josh Read in a Toyota Starlet — they are tied at the top of the club’s championship standings with 100 points each.
The event is expected to be keenly contested, as it will be the first time since the staging of Sol Rally Barbados that a four-wheel drive class would be facing the starter.
Paul “The Surfer” Bourne in a Ford Focus WRC07, who was hampered by mechanical problems during the international rally, will be back and has been spotted testing the car during the past several days. He will want to place the problems of Sol Rally Barbados behind him.
Arch-rivals Roger “The Sheriff” Skeete, who will be in a Subaru Impreza WRC S12, Roger “The Ninja” Hill in the Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC, Neil Armstrong, winner of the recently staged Scotiabank King Of The Hill in the Suzuki SX4 WRC, and Dean Serrao in a Subaru Impreza WRC S9 are all expected to face the starter.
And much attention will be on the two-wheel drive competitors, who will be under immense pressure to maintain their respective positions in the race for group and overall honours.
Bourne and Conor Roach, competing in the Clubman Class, are tied for second place overall with 75 points while M7 driver Edward Corbin has 61 points in third spot followed by Skeete and Ian “WeeWee” Warren, tied in fourth spot with 54 points each and ahead of Geoff Ullyett, who has 50 points.
Drivers will be allowed one practice run and three official runs. All runs will be under full competition conditions and will be timed. The practice run will not count as an official time.
Cars must start each run under their own power to be classified as a starter and anyone found practising on the course before the event will be disqualified.
The event, a round of the 2013 MCBI Drivers’ Championship, will start at 9 a.m. and end by 1 p.m. The media sign-in form is available at Clear Vision Optical, Pine Road, Belleville, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Entries are open at Motorsport Services, Barbados Hardware Complex, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, and will close at noon on Thursday.
