MEEKE DOUBTFUL FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Fresh from victory in last weekend's Rally Internacional de Curitiba in Brazil, Ulstermen Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle have cast serious doubts on their chances of returning to attempt a hat-trick of wins on Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30), which celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally.

Nagle told the recently-launched web site maxrally.com that they will almost certainly be unable to make it, because of the close proximity of the recce for Rally d'Italia-Sardegna, the fourth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), which takes place the following weekend (June 4-6).

He told reporter Charlie Contadeli: "There's just no way we could do the rally and be ready for the start of the recce in Sardinia, because they're just one week apart. It's not great, because it's a great event, but Kris and I know our priority is the IRC."

Meeke's victory in the Kronos Racing-run Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000 was his second in the two-day gravel rally in Brazil, and his fifth in the IRC, marking a new IRC record. With two of the 12 rounds run, reigning IRC Champion Meeke is equal third with Ford's Mikko Hirvonen in the standings, trailing Skoda drivers Guy Wilks and current leader Juho Hanninen by one and four points respectively; Peugeot lies seven points behind Skoda in the manufacturer standings.

Meeke and Nagle have won Sol Rally Barbados for the past two years, first in a Toyota Corolla WRC, then last year in a Subaru Impreza WRC S9; British crew Paul Bird and Ian Windress finished second (Impreza S9 in 2008, Ford Focus WRC 07 in 2009) on both occasions, with third place occupied by Jamaica's Gary Gregg and Hugh Hutchinson (Focus WRC02) in 2008 and by local crew Paul Bourne and Stuart Maloney (Impreza WRC S9) last year.

Sol Rally Barbados Chairman Barry Gale said: "Naturally, it will be disappointing not to see Kris and Paul competing this year, particularly as they have been such a hit with our fans and fellow competitors alike, but changes to the IRC calendar mean their next event is two weeks' closer to ours than it was last year.

"And, on behalf of everyone here, I must say 'congratulations' to Kris and Paul on their second win in Brazil. Caribbean fans have a habit of 'adopting' the overseas competitors who come all this way to entertain us, such as Kris and Mark Higgins, and we follow their exploits around the world with great interest."

Perez picks up win after Bird picks up punctures

Rally Barbados regular Steve Perez won the Malcolm Wilson Rally, based in Cockermouth in the north of England on Saturday (March 6), despite losing a minute on the second stage of the day, when he slid off in treacherously icy conditions; with regular Welsh co-driver, Paul Spooner, alongside in the Kick Energy Ford Focus WRC07, his winning margin was 17 seconds.

His second consecutive victory on the event came at the expense of Paul Bird's ambitions to claim a record-breaking fourth win on what is his home event. With Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick, Bird built up a 22-second lead after four stages in the Rockstar Energy/Vent-Axia/supercasino.com Focus WRC08, as they headed for two tough stages in Grizedale Forest.

In Grizedale North, Bird extend his lead to 41 seconds but, on the penultimate test in Grizedale South, the pair suffered a puncture very early on in the 10-mile stage; not long after, a second puncture proved terminal, and the 2005 National Champion had to limp out of the stage and into retirement.

By then, Perez had battled his way back up to third, which became second following Bird's demise; courtesy of three stage wins in the final four tests, he beat Jonathan Greer and Jonny Hart, also in a Focus, by 17 seconds.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

ANGLIA BOOSTS WRC ENTRY FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Following a steady rise in the number of World Rally Cars contesting the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) blue riband event, the on-line entries for Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) suggest the total will reach record levels again for the 2010 event, which celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

And, alongside the usual suspects - Ford Focus WRC, Subaru Impreza WRC and Toyota Corolla WRC for instance - there's a Ford Anglia WRC. In this instance, however, the initials WRC stand for Well-Run Car; the car's owner, Scottish scrap dealer Allan Mackay, and Northern Irish co-driver 'MadMo' Downey are among seven first-time overseas entries so far received.

This is no ordinary Anglia - dating from 1959, it is the same age as its owner. Fifty-year-old Mackay explains: "I have owned this car since I was 14, and I have another 14 Anglias, along with a Group A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI."

Built by Mackay Motorsport and now prepared by Northern Ireland company Mark Greer Motorsport, the Anglia is powered by a 1.6-litre eight-valve all-steel engine, developing 185bhp; the upgrades include throttle bodies, six-speed sequential gearbox, fully-floating axle, all-round Proflex suspension and power steering.

Having started in motor sport in 1977, using the Anglia for both circuit racing and rallying, Mackay went on to win the 1989 Scottish Tarmac Championship; more recently, he and co-driver Downey have won their class in the Northern Ireland Rally Championship in 2006 & '07, although a major accident on the 2006 Easter Stages, when they rolled the Evo VI, is an event they will not soon forget.

Downey says: "I first sat with Allan on the Mourne Stages, a Northern Ireland Championship round, in 2005. I had only met him the day before, but we've been great friends ever since. For the last couple of years, we have done Double Zero car on the Snowman Rally in two feet of snow, so we're looking forward to the sunshine."

Bird and Perez miss out again on UK Championship opener

Rally Barbados regulars Steve Perez and Paul Bird, both former UK National Rally Champions - Perez in 2004, 'Birdy' in '05 - once again missed out on victory in Rallye Sunseeker, opening round of the MSA Gravel Rally Championship, run in and around Bournemouth and Poole on England's south coast at the weekend (February 26/27).

Fastest on the opening stage, Perez and co-driver Paul Spooner went on to finish third in the Kick Energy Ford Focus WRC07, after a second-place finish looked certain until a spin on the final stage: "I threw it all away on the last stage! We had a minor spin but I accidentally caught the master switch and, by the time we'd realised what had happened, we'd lost a lot of time. It was our only problem all day long. The car has been great as always, and we had a relatively comfortable second place until that happened."

Four-time National Champion and local driver Marcus Dodd extended his record sequence of victories on the event to seven in his Hyundai Accent WRC, while Andy Burton took advantage of the VK Energy driver's spin on the final stage to snatch second place in his popular Peugeot-Cosworth.

While Perez spun on the final stage of the day, the problems started much earlier for Bird, who had attended his mother Isabel's funeral only days before the event; with Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick - she was suffering suspected glandular fever - he spun the Rockstar Energy/www.supercasino.com/Vent-Axia Ford Focus WRC08 on the day's first stage, the time lost compounded two stages later with a further minute's delay after going off the road. The Kawasaki World Superbike team boss managed to claw back some time, but had to settle for fifth place overall.

Bird said: "It's been a tough week, and I wondered if I should do the event . . . but I'm glad I did. I couldn't concentrate properly, but that's not an excuse. I just made too many mistakes early on and, from that point, we were playing catch up. Kirsty's not been too well today and that's not helped our cause."

The friends and rivals will face off once again on next weekend's Malcolm Wilson Rally, where Bird is chasing an historic fourth win on his home event.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

EX-PEUGEOT UK 106 MAXI FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

With seven first-time overseas crews among the on-line entries for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 29/30), and enquiries still being received by the organising Barbados Rally Club (BRC), this year's event looks set to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally in style.

Among the newcomers are English crew Graham Butler and Darren Lakeland, who promise to take the fight to the popular local Modified 6 class in their ex-works Peugeot 106 Maxi, backed by Evolution Sports Supplements, Veloce Wheels and Containers to Go; the competition will include reigning BRC Modified 6 Champions Edward Corbin and Rodney Clarke (Automotive Art/Klark-Odio/Corbins Garage Daihatsu Charmant) and another overseas entry already confirmed, Ireland's Peter Gallagher, co-driven in his Dublin Crystal/Peter Gallagher Design Peugeot 206 by Bajan Dario Hoyte.

Peugeot UK driver Justin Dale won the British Super 1600 Championship in 1999 and 2001 - including a sensational third overall on the Manx International - in this car, which Butler bought three years ago. Butler says: "The car punches well above its weight in terms of results; it's specifically a tarmac car, developed by Peugeot UK to deal with the gravel stages in the UK and the bumpy tarmac of Ireland.

"It's quite a potent package - 228bhp, weighs about 800kgs and, with its wide body and track, it handles and stops exceptionally well. I'm hoping it will be well-suited to Barbados and that I'll be on the pace in the Class. We're really looking forward to some sun, sand, rallying, a little beer . . . and, of course, some great company."

Butler started rallying in a self-prepared Vauxhall Viva GT, before moving on to a series of Fords, the first a Pinto-engined MkII Escort; after four rallies, the car was sold and six years passed before he got behind the wheel of a three-door Group A Sierra Cosworth. After three events - in the last of which he finished third overall - he had the car re-shelled into a Sapphire by RED (Rally Engineering Developments, which now prepares the Peugeot), also upgrading to four-wheel drive.

He finished fourth overall and Class Champion in the ANWCC Stage Rally Championship, with a worst result of third, in 1995 - in the same year, he claimed his first overall win, on the Promenade Stages Rally; travelling further afield, he tackled Rallye Dieppe in France (10th overall) and set a number of top 10 times on his first visit to the Tour of Flanders in Belgium.

After a brief flirtation with an Escort Cosworth in 1997 - ninth overall on his first UK National - Butler returned to his roots, with a Group N Vauxhall Astra in the 1999 British Rally Championship. He started well, second in Class on the Rally of Wales, but a big accident on the Pirelli International Rally - he hit a log pile head on and shortened the car by a foot - brought the season to an abrupt end.

He reverted to a Group A Sapphire Cosworth, finishing in the top three on every event, then a Group A Escort Cosworth; he won two more rallies in 2001, then contested the 2002 Ford Puma Championship, before retiring from the sport to concentrate on his business . . . until buying the Peugeot.

Barbados Rally Club season kicks off

While Sol Rally Barbados is the BRC's blue riband event, it is still a long way off - island motor sport fans starved of action for the past three months, however, do not have much longer to wait as the Club's 2010 season starts on Saturday (February 27) with the BRC Spring Gravel Sprint at Searles, Christ Church.

A double-header, the event forms the first two rounds of the Virgin Atlantic BRC Driver's Championship and the Virgin Atlantic BRC Class Championship, with round three coming just two weekends later - the BRC Spring Gravel Rally (Sunday, March 13).

As in 2009, the Driver's Championship will be based on overall results in the 10 qualifying rounds; the Class Championship will be based on class results, with individual Class Champions and an Overall Class Champion; the full calendar is as follows:

Qualifying rounds:

Rounds 1 & 2 - February 27 - BRC Spring Gravel Sprint Round 3 - March 14 - BRC Spring Gravel Rally Round 4 - April 25 - BRC Shakedown Stages Round 5 - May 23 - Shell V-Power King of the Hill Rounds 6 & 7 - May 29/30 - Sol Rally Barbados Round 8 - July 24 - BRC Summer Nights Tarmac Rally Rounds 9 - September 11 - MCBI Tarmac Rally Round 10 - October 31 - BRC Winter Rally

SOL RENEWS RALLY BARBADOS SPONSORSHIP

Jamaica's Panton joins list of previous winners

While rally crews the world over seem determined to help the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of its International All-Stage Rally, the Club has received another vote of confidence, with confirmation of a renewed three-year title sponsorship deal with Sol Barbados Ltd.

Entries so far received, which hover around the maximum of 90, include not only the biggest-ever local entry for the BRC's blue riband event, but 28 from overseas, a massively-encouraging total in the current economic climate . . . and one which is expected to rise yet further. Rally Chairman Barry Gale has a simple message: "Even though we're already around our limit of 90, interested competitors should continue to enter on-line, as we are a long way from our closing date.

"Initially, all entries after the 90 will go on to our stand-by list, but the regulations state very clearly that there is an order of accepting entries, which comes in to play at the end of April. We have developed this carefully to give Sol Rally Barbados a structure within which we can balance the interests of our international, regional and local competitors, all of whom are equally important to the success of the event.

"There are allocations for each group - and, within those allocations, there are currently still international and regional places available. Of the total of 40, we still have only 28 places filled, so I would encourage any 'floating voters' out there to go on-line and make their mark as soon as possible."

The news of Sol's decision to renew its three-year contract was confirmed by outgoing BRC Chairman Mark Hamilton during the Club's AGM at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association's (BCTSA) Club House at Searles, Christ Church, last evening (Tuesday, February 16).

Gale added: "The outstanding level of interest from competitors both at home and overseas, especially in such difficult times, is a big vote of confidence in the changes we have been able to make to the event since the beginning of our current three-year sponsorship arrangement with Sol.

"The fact that Sol's management have agreed to renew its backing for a further three years means that the Barbados Rally Club can continue to evolve the Caribbean's biggest annual motor sport event to face the increasing challenges of the economic climate."

Jamaica's Panton joins list of previous winners

Jamaica will be presenting a strong challenge in Sol Rally Barbados 2010, with confirmation that Jeffrey Panton, the first driver from the region to win in the island, has entered, joining fellow-countryman Gary Gregg - another former winner - in an effort to take the trophy north once again.

Panton is entered with regular co-driver Mike Fennell Jnr, with whom he finished seventh last year. One of his country's most successful drivers - he has won Rally Jamaica six times in the event's 19-year history, most recently in 2008 - he now campaigns an ex-works Ford Focus WRC, in which Colin McRae won the Cyprus Rally in 2001 and the Acropolis in 2002.

Panton was the first Jamaican driver to finish on the podium in Barbados, claiming second place in his first Toyota Celica GT4 in 1994 (co-driven by Rene McDaniel) and again in 1996 (co-driven by Rudi Meikle); his victory in 1998, by then with John de Mercado as co-driver, was the first for a regional driver.

Jamaica had to wait until 2006 before winning again, thanks this time to Gregg and Hugh Hutchinson in the ex-Carlos Sainz Focus, a sister car to Panton's, which they campaigned until last year's purchase of a newer-model Focus.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

FORMER WINNER MANNING FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Entry half-full three months before closing date

Local crowd favourite Trevor Manning is among the latest batch of on-line entries for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 29/30), which marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally; his entry brings to three the number of previous winners now entered, joining fellow-countryman Roger Skeete and Jamaica's Gary Gregg.

Meanwhile, with the capacity entry of 90 nearly half-full - a spectacular 50 per cent increase on the status of the event by the same date last year - and nearly three months to go before the closing date on April 30, Rally Chairman Barry Gale is advising anyone who wishes to enter to go on-line "very, very soon!"

Local crowd favourite Manning won the BRC's blue riband event in 1999, co-driven in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V by Mike Ward; it was his first season in the car, following a joint third place (with Jamaica's Doug Gore) the previous year in an Evo III and a class win in 1996 in the Lancer Turbo formerly campaigned by his father. In the subsequent two years, he finished second - in 2001, just 16/100ths of a second behind Skeete - then lost an almost certain win in 2002 to a mechanical failure.

One of only four drivers to have contested all 20 events so far - along with Paul Bourne, Roger Hill and Skeete - Manning has claimed 11 top 10 finishes, six on the podium, and was leading RB07 after three stages (consistently second quickest), before retiring with turbo failure. He is entered for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 in the ex-Roger Skeete Ford Escort WRC, which he acquired early last year.

Manning is a third-generation competitor, following grandfather Harold, who won the first organised motor sport event in the island in 1934, and father Roger, who was a force to reckon with in the 1980s, when his co-driver was David Edwards, father to Manning Junior's current co-driver Derek; his elder brother Wayne and cousin Graham are also part of the island's motor sport fraternity.

Entry half-full three months before closing date

With nearly three months to go before the closing date on April 30, on-line entries for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 are approaching 50, more than half-way to the event's maximum entry of 90 starters . . . and a spectacular 50 per cent increase on the status of the event by the same date last year.

Of the 48 entries so far received, exactly one-third are from overseas, the 16 entered including four newcomers to the event. Last year, just 32 entries had been received by February 3, eight of them from overseas, all of whom were return visitors.

Rally Chairman Barry Gale says: "While I think I should avoid sounding like the record's stuck, I'm totally overwhelmed by the support our event is continuing to enjoy - and particularly from overseas - in what are financially very troubled times world-wide. Obviously, the Barbados Rally Club, its marketing partners and its hundreds of volunteer marshals and officials are getting something right!

"But this is also a good time to issue a word of warning . . . in this part of the world, we often don't get round to doing things in a very timely manner. The number of places left for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 is almost exactly the same as the number of local crews who competed last year, but have yet to enter for this year's event. I recommend that anyone who wishes to enter, either from Barbados or overseas, goes on-line to www.rallybarbados.bb to do so very, very soon!"

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

IRISH TRIO RETURN FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Airline and hotel deals confirmed for overseas visitors

Ireland will be well represented when Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 29/30) marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally; among the 15 overseas entries already received on-line are three Irish drivers returning to join in the celebrations.

While Glenn Campbell is making only his second trip to the island, for Peter Gallagher and Martin Taylor, 2010 will mark their fifth participation in Rally Barbados, although it will present a different challenge, as each is bringing a new car.

On his previous four visits, Taylor has campaigned his Dublin Crystal-sponsored Proton Satria, twice each in Modified 6 and Production 2; in 2003 & '04, Gallagher was his co-driver, replaced by Taylor's wife Janet for their visits in '07 & '08, once Gallagher decided to switch to the driver's side of the car. Taylor's 100 per cent overall finishing record includes a class win in P2 ('04), with 33rd ('03) his best overall result.

Dublin-based Gallagher also has a 100 per cent overall finishing record and a class win to his credit - P3 in '08 - when he finished 33rd overall in his ex-works Dublin Crystal/Peter Gallagher Design Peugeot 306 S16; on both his visits as a driver, he has been joined on Rally Barbados by local co-driver Dario Hoyte, who is listed to sit alongside Gallagher again in 2010 . . . but this time it will be in a Peugeot 206 in M6.

Taylor's change of machine is rather more drastic, as he is switching from front- to rear-wheel drive: between entering on-line in mid-December and an e-mail to the Rally Office last week, Taylor has acquired a BMW 325i, previously used in the increasingly-popular BMW Challenge rally series in the UK. His change of car brings the number of BMWs already entered for Sol Rally Barbados to six - the Bavarian marque is currently second equal with Ford in the league table of makes entered, Toyota leading with nine.

Ulsterman Campbell's first visit was last year, the former Northern Ireland 2wd Champion making an immediate impression in his Nissan Micra; with co-driver Anthony Concannon, he finished second in Modified 5, as Scotland's Kenny Hall collected his third Group win. For his second visit, Campbell, who is yet to name a co-driver, will be sponsored by Campbell Motorsport Electrics, Dyno Tune, Burn Road Trade Sales, Motorcare, MotoGlass, Agnew Recovery and Graham Curry Photography.

Last weekend in Ireland, Campbell and fellow-Irishman Graham Curry collected the Class 3 Driver and Navigator Awards respectively at the Mid Antrim Motor Club's annual awards dinner; photographer Curry was another first-time visitor to Barbados in 2009 and has provided enthusiastic and valuable coverage in Irish magazines.

Airline and hotel deals confirmed for overseas visitors

Preferential travel and accommodation rates for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 are confirmed today in the updated Overseas Competitor Information document, now available as a pdf download from the Competitor section of the official web site (www.rallybarbados.bb).

Official Airline Partner Virgin Atlantic has set the adult fare at £438, including taxes, with child and infant fares also available; on the accommodation front, Official Hotel Partner, the Divi Southwinds Beach Resort, has confirmed room rates of US $120 (double-occupancy room) and US $170 (Penthouse, two bedrooms) plus taxes at 17 per cent, along with a 25 per cent discount on food & beverage.

Rally Chairman Barry Gale says: "The flight price is extremely favourable given the current climate, while the accommodation package offers excellent value, especially when you take into account the 25 per cent food & beverage discount, additional to the preferential room rate. Full details can be found under the appropriate headings in our information document, and I would urge visitors to check it out and start booking soon, so we and our Partners can accurately gauge the demand and adjust, if necessary."

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

STOCKDALE'S RECORD 10th ON SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Bird maintains winning ways on Jack Frost Stages

Crowd favourite Martin Stockdale will make Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 29/30) a double celebration - while it marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally, it will also see the British BMW pilot's 10th consecutive assault on the event, a record among overseas drivers.

His flamboyant driving style has earned him deserved popularity among the island's thousands of motor sport fans - and the nick-name 'Mad-dale' - while his choice of powerful, rear-wheel-drive BMWs has made him many friends, including one of his closest, fellow BMW driver, Barbadian Jonathan Still.

Stockdale says: "The friends we have made and the relationships that have developed would make it almost unthinkable that we could miss out on our annual trip into unreality. Where else could we go to enjoy fantastic motor sport, coupled with the extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds in such beautiful surroundings - Northampton [a town in the English Midlands] just isn't the same.

"Our visits are made even more pleasurable by sharing the company of like-minded people, not only from Barbados, but also from the UK and Europe, friends we would not have met had it not been for Rally Barbados. I have said it before and I will say it again, if I did only one rally a year, then Rally Barbados would be it."

He returns with Mark Swallow, his co-driver since 2004, and the BMW M3 Compact he debuted last year. Once again, they have backing from Barbados businesses, the Divi Southwinds Beach Resort and Drive-a-Matic Car Rentals, of which Stockdale notes: "Without the generous and continued support from Alvin at Divi Southwinds and Aldo at Drive-a-Matic, we would certainly struggle to return, particularly in the current climate."

Stockdale has rarely climbed aboard the homebound Virgin Atlantic flight without some silverware in his luggage; three times a Group winner - in Modified Open in 2002, Group B in '03 & '05 - he rarely finishes outside the top three, with best overall results of seventh ('02) and 12th ('07).

Rally Chairman Barry Gale is delighted the popular Brit is returning: "Martin's name has become synonymous with Rally Barbados. During his first few visits, he quickly earned a reputation among spectators as one of the 'guys to watch' - they dubbed him Martin 'Mad-dale' Stockdale, in reference mainly to his driving style, but also thanks to the glorious sounds that emanated from his cars, especially that nearly five-litre fire-breathing dragon of a 3 Series. As I have said before, earning a nickname in Barbados means you have been totally accepted as 'one of us'. Over the last decade, Martin has been entertainer to the masses, captain to the visitors' beach cricket team, a valuable source of feedback to the organisers and, above all, a gentleman competitor. It is indeed a relief to see his name on the entry list!"

Bird maintains winning ways on Jack Frost Stages

Runner-up to Kris Meeke in Sol Rally Barbados for the past two years, former UK National Rally Champion Paul Bird proved that he's still a winner last Sunday (January 17), with his second consecutive victory on the annual Cartersport Jack Frost Stages; with co-driver Kirsty Riddick, 'Birdy' steered the supercasino.com/Vent-Axia/Kick Energy Ford Focus WRC08 to victory by more than two minutes.

The '07 Focus in which Bird finished second in Sol RB09, now campaigned by Barbadian Paul Bourne, has been replaced by the car which carried Argentina's Federico Villagra to career-best WRC fourth places in his home event and the Acropolis Rally in 2009. Bird and regular co-driver Ian Windress tackled Rallye Catalunya last year and plan a selective programme of WRC events in 2010.

Run at the Croft race circuit in the North of England, the same venue at which another Barbados regular, Kevin Procter, ploughed through the snow to victory in the Christmas Stages two weeks ago, Sunday's event enjoyed a marked improvement in the weather.

It wasn't all plain sailing for Bird, however, with a big overshoot on the day's opening stage, then a spin on stage three caused by a broken driveshaft; five stage wins from a possible eight, however, were enough. Chris Wise in the ex-Roger Mayers MG Metro 6R4 claimed two stage wins during an impressive fight-back from 77th to finish third, after an error on the opening stage had cost him well over two minutes - apart from stages one and three, there were never more than six seconds (in around six minutes) between the 24-year-old Metro and Bird's Focus.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

FORMER WINNER GREGG FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

ASRs posted on-line as entry list reaches 30

Jamaica's Gary Gregg is the second previous winner to sign up for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 29/30), which celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally; he is one of 12 overseas entries among the total of 30 already received on-line, which also includes 10-time winner, local ace Roger Skeete.

Gregg and co-driver, fellow-Jamaican Hugh Hutchinson, won in 2006 in their ex-Carlos Sainz Ford Focus WRC02, then went on to become the first - and, so far, only - crew to win Rally Barbados and Rally Jamaica in the same year. After going on to win RJ07 in the older car, Gregg debuted his recently-acquired BD Gregg & Bros/NG Racing Ford Focus WRC05 on RJ09 last month, claiming his third win in four years on his home event.

In addition to their victory, Gregg and Hutchinson have twice finished on the podium in Barbados in the Focus - third in 2005 and 2008 - with fourth place in their previous Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI (2003) also to their credit; the following year, that car was destroyed in a major accident on the Saturday morning, while they also recorded a DNF in 2007 when the Focus failed to restart on Sunday morning with suspension damage.

Gregg has won more than 20 motor sport titles in his home country in recent years, in a wide variety of machinery, although much of his early rallying was done in Barbados, where he also learned to drive. Absent from Sol Rally Barbados last year, Gregg's return will be welcomed by his many fans in the island.

The total of on-line entries is already at 30, three weeks earlier than that mark was reached in 2009. Once again, the entry level is capped at 90 starters, and Rally Chairman Barry Gale is cautiously optimistic that a close-to-capacity entry might be achieved: "To be honest, if you had suggested we'd have 30 entries by the second week of January, I'd probably have laughed in your face! Bearing in mind the financial climate is making things tough for everyone, this is a tremendous endorsement of our event and very encouraging for the Club, as we continue our discussions with sponsors.

"As things stand, we already have 12 overseas entries, including three new names; if the percentages of the total continue along those lines, then we'll have a well-balanced mix of local, regional and international crews that will be very close to what we have enjoyed in the past."

Additional Supplementary Regulations posted on Sol RB2010 web site

With overseas enquiries on the increase now the Christmas and New Year holiday period has ended, the Additional Supplementary Regulations for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 have been posted as a pdf download in the Competitors section of the official web site (www.rallybarbados.bb).

Key changes to the event format that will be noticed immediately are the switch of day and venue for Scrutineering - this will now take place at Simpson Motors on Saturday, May 22 - also the absence of the Ceremonial Start that was introduced last year. Barry Gale explained: "While the Ceremonial Start was a great success in hyping up the event for the weekend, there were many who felt it needed some changes; there are even those, including many of our overseas competitors, who feel it would be greatly improved if there could be a couple of night-time special stages nearby.

"Bearing in mind the tough economic climate, 2010 was definitely not the year to start investigating what could be a potentially costly innovation, so we decided to step back for a year and give the whole idea very careful thought for 2011. One big element of the Friday night that played well with everyone, however, was the enthusiasm with which the Government, our sponsors and marketing partners joined in, officially welcoming all of our overseas visitors and emphasising the National importance of the event.

"Although our plans are not yet confirmed, we're aiming to increase the activity at Scrutineering significantly, by encouraging all of the stakeholders in the event to participate, also to create a more formal segment in the early evening for an official welcome. Having it on Saturday is also generally a lot more convenient for the fans and will allow a potentially greater number of people to attend, so we can also hype them up for Shell V-Power King of the Hill on Sunday."

Among other changes to the running of the event, which are highlighted in purple text in the ASRs, is the introduction of a 'Sunday Cup Opening Car'; this will run between the last of the crews still in overall contention and the first of the Sunday Cup competitors to help ensure that spectator control is maintained during the three-minute break.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 29/30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

SWANN UPPING ANTE FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

British Rally Championships regulars Rob Swann and Darren Garrod are returning to the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) premier event, Sol Rally Barbados (May 28-30) with just one aim in mind . . . victory in Group N; fourth in 2008, they finished second last year, after an event-long battle with eventual winner, Bajan driver Geoff Noel, and Trinidad-based Jamaican John Powell.

Swann's Subaru Impreza N14 will be backed by Barbados roadside assistance business Automate CGI and west coast hotel Waves, in addition to his regular UK sponsor Revolution Wheels; it is among 10 overseas entries already received on-line, and will benefit from the incentives offered to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the BRC's International All-Stage Rally.

Like many before him, who had first visited the Caribbean island to go rallying, Swann has become 'hooked' on Barbados in a very short space of time, and will return with his family in February for what will be his eighth visit in two years. He says: "When I received the e-mail just before Christmas saying entries were open, a smile came across my face. Rally Barbados is the best motor sport event of the year! I have made many friends over the last couple of years and I entered immediately, as it's so much fun. We are doing some British Championship rounds in 2010 and selected rallies for 'fun', but I think if I only did one rally a year it would be Barbados.

"We had such a great Group N battle last year and I really need to take the win this time round. The Subaru is currently having the new 2010 upgrades, such as 33mm restrictor, which will help the cause, and close the gap to the WRC guys slightly. Having now competed twice, I have a good feel for the stages, so we will be very competitive and its time for a win!"

On their first visit in 2008 with an Impreza N11, Swann and Garrod placed third overnight in Group N - Production 4, as the category is named in Barbados - but an early scare on Sunday morning resulted in them slipping to fourth. Last year, with the new N14 and better knowledge of the stages, they were in the hunt from the start.

They were second fastest on the opening stages, first to Powell then to Noel, each at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, but a startline puncture on stage three cost them 15 seconds; even so, and boosted by a stage win on the third Sailor Gully, they were third at lunch. Powell lost 80 seconds - and the Group N lead - to a puncture in the afternoon and, with a total of 10 second-fastest times in the day, Swann was only three seconds behind Noel at bed-time.

Spurred on by the opposition, Noel claimed another five stage wins on Sunday; Powell's hopes of pulling back his deficit faded, while a puncture on the last Malvern, then rain on the last stage, finally did for Swann's committed charge.

Victory for Procter on Specsavers Christmas Stages

Rally Barbados regulars Kevin Procter and Dave Bellerby won Britain's first rally of 2010, the Specsavers Christmas Stages, last Saturday (January 2), a single-venue event run at the Croft motor racing circuit in North Yorkshire . . . but they had to make sure the event could run first!

Heavy snow across many parts of the UK has caused chaos over the past 10 days, including cancelled flights to and from Barbados, and Procter and Bellerby provided JCB diggers and snow-moving equipment, plus drivers, who worked with volunteers over the days before the event to clear the venue.

Procter kept the Procters Coaches Subaru Impreza WRC S7, popular with Barbados fans, ahead of the field throughout the seven stages, winning by a margin of exactly two minutes; the car he headed home was another well-known to fans in the island, the blue MG Metro 6R4 formerly campaigned by Roger Mayers, now in the hands of Chris Wise.

Wise will face an even stronger challenge in the next event at Croft, the Cartersport Jack Frost Stages (January 17) as Paul Bird, runner-up in Sol Rally Barbados for the past two years, will be defending his 2008 title; for this event, he will be co-driven in his Ford Focus WRC08 by Scotland's Kirsty Riddick.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 28-30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB10 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

TEN-TIME WINNER ENTERS SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Early on-line entries include newcomers from overseas Roger 'The Sheriff' Skeete, the most successful driver in the history of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) premier event, is among the early entries received for Sol Rally Barbados 2010 (May 28-30), which marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the BRC's International All-Stage Rally.

The on-line entry facility, which opened a week before Christmas, is also providing welcome encouragement for the organisers against the background of the world's continuing economic challenges; more than half the crews entered so far are from overseas . . . and two of them are newcomers to the event.

Sol Rally Barbados Chairman Barry Gale said: "We brought forward the on-line entry date this year and, while it is obviously very early days, it is great to see the interest that is being generated outside the island, particularly in Europe. Many people have been on holiday for much of the time since entries opened, so may not have had easy access to the Internet, but the total is already into double figures, including entries from the UK, Ireland and Canada.

"Better still, as well as familiar names from the recent past, who are taking advantage of the Anniversary incentives the Barbados Rally Club offered to our loyal overseas crews, there are new names on the list . . . and that is in no small part thanks to the massive TV coverage the event attracts overseas every year."

Skeete, however, is anything but a new name. In the event's 20-year history, his record of 10 victories stretches from the inaugural rally in 1990 through to 2004; he has won five times in a Peugeot 205GTi, once in a Peugeot 306 S16 and twice each in a Ford Escort Cosworth and Escort WRC. He has also claimed a further two podium finishes, in 1999 (second, in an Escort Cosworth) and 2007 (third, Escort WRC).

While his recent record on Rally Barbados does not reflect his early successes - he has failed to finish four of the past five events, thwarted by various mechanical failures - he remains a front-runner in island motor sport; the ex-Petter Solberg Michelin/Da Costa Mannings Auto Centre/Warrens Motors Subaru Impreza WRC S12 he now campaigns with co-driver Louis Venezia is more than up to the task.

In 2009, he won his debut event in the car - the Shell V-Power King of the Hill 'shakedown' event - then set the early pace the following weekend on Sol Rally Barbados, fastest on three of the first six stages. While eventual winner, Northern Ireland's Kris Meeke (Subaru Impreza WRC S9), who won the other three stages, admitted he had "never had to drive as hard as I did to keep up with Roger Skeete", the battle was soon to end; with a faulty battery, Skeete's car refused to start in service and he went over the maximum allowed lateness, dropping out of overall contention. Worse was to come, however - after three more stage wins in the afternoon, Skeete crashed on the second uphill Canefield stage and, while thankfully there were no injuries, the crew would not been seen again.

Skeete's record on the BRC's blue riband event is unrivalled, although there are three other local drivers, still in regular competition, who have been there since the start . . . Paul Bourne, Roger Hill and Trevor Manning. Winner in 2003 and '07, Bourne also has seven further podium finishes to his credit - these include third place in his former Impreza WRC S9 behind Meeke and Britain's Paul Bird (Ford Focus WRC07) in 2009.

While Hill has never won the event, he can claim an impressive set of results: 13 finishes in the top 10 - second in his Toyota Celica GT4 in 2003 - and seven class wins along the way; Manning won in 1999, his first season of competition in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V, and has twice finished second, three times third among 10 top 10 finishes.

Sol Rally Barbados (May 28-30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB10 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

RECORD MEDIA COVERAGE FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Record worldwide media coverage of Sol Rally Barbados in 2009 is already helping to kick-start interest in the 2010 event, which marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) International All-Stage Rally; since the BRC confirmed Anniversary incentives for overseas crews last week, there has been an upsurge in interest, particularly in the UK and Ireland.

Produced by Acceleration TV, an hour-long programme on the Caribbean's biggest annual international motor sport event was first aired on Motors TV UK early afternoon on Saturday, October 31, with five repeats up to November 10; in addition it was shown a further 14 times on Motors TV International before the end of the month, broadcast in five languages to 16 million homes in more than 50 countries across Europe and the African sub-continent.

Adding in programmes broadcast earlier by RPM Productions in Ireland, radio and television reports in North America and the coverage aired around the wider Caribbean, the worldwide air time enjoyed by the event - and the island - has already comfortably surpassed last year's record of more than 24 hours, and that doesn't include the explosion of viewership through the Internet.

In an exciting new development, a longer 80-minute version of the Acceleration TV programme has been available worldwide on the Internet since the end of November, and can still be viewed for free until mid-January, at www.autoclassique.tv. Acceleration TV producer David Winstanley explained: "This is the first time we have put a full-length programme on-line, and we thought that Sol Barbados Rally was the perfect 'guinea pig' for our new venture, because of it's enduring and wide-ranging appeal.

"It is available to view for free until Sunday, January 14, which is when Autoclassique.tv goes 'live', after which it will be available on pay-per-view, along with a broad cross-section of other motor sport material. Sol Rally Barbados is one of the most enjoyable events that we cover, the island folk are so friendly . . . and we find something new to film away from the rally itself each time we come. And from a rallying point of view, we get tremendous feedback from British fans."

Winstanley largely concentrates on the motor sport side of the programme, while co-presenter Terri Metcalfe takes a look at other island attractions, sampling traditional Bajan food and drink in roadside bars and restaurants around the island - she even learns how to fillet flying fish - while they both visited cricket and football matches. The programme is also available on DVD from the Acceleration TV web site (www.rallytv.co.uk).

Apart from the Club's direct e-mail approaches to individual competitors, the 2010 media campaign is already bearing fruit, in particular through the use of internet forums, which are playing an increasingly-significant role in providing information to an important target audience; Britain's most popular rally forum (www.britishrally.co.uk) has approaching 20,000 members, while the Irish equivalent (www.rallyforums.com) is now nearing 9,000 - the Irish forum's thread discussing Sol RB09 was comfortably the most popular in the motor sport segment, attracting nearly 30 per cent more 'views' (more than 11,000) and well over twice as many responses (approaching 500) than any other subject.

This year, within the first four days of Sol RB10 information being posted, the four relevant threads in the UK and Ireland have been viewed by nearly 1,200 forum members; these have included some who have already competed in Barbados, and can therefore pass on useful background knowledge from personal experience, and at least two overseas crews confirming their intention to enter for the first time.

Sol Rally Barbados Chairman Barry Gale said: "I am delighted that overseas TV producers continue to find our event so appealing, as the coverage we enjoy benefits not only our event, but also the island. The Acceleration TV programme shows far more than simply rally cars and their drivers, creating a package that is as much travel programme as sports report, and that is of tremendous value to our sports tourism product."

Sol Rally Barbados (May 28-30) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 23) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB10 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club's International All-Stage Rally.

ANNIVERSARY INCENTIVES FOR SOL RALLY BARBADOS

Return competitors rewarded for loyalty

More than 70 European competitors stand to benefit from incentives announced today (December 18) by the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) to celebrate the 20th Anniversary running of its blue riband event: Sol Rally Barbados 2010 is scheduled for May 28 to 30, with the Shell V-Power King of the Hill ‘shakedown’ the previous Sunday, May 23.

In 2009, Sol Rally Barbados attracted even more British crews than Rally GB, Britain’s round of the World Rally Championship, the newcomers bringing to more than 200 the total of overseas competitors hosted by the event in recent years; on-line entries are now open on the event web site (www.rallybarbados.bb), with incentives to recognise the loyalty of return visitors.

While first-timers will pay the standard entry and shipping package of US $2,600 per car, those who have participated at least twice will enjoy a discount of 20 per cent, with nearly 40 per cent on offer for those who have competed even more frequently.

Rally Chairman Barry Gale says: “We decided that 2010 would be a year of celebration of the clubman competitors who have made our event so special; our package is intended to show our appreciation for the effort they have put in over the years and the number of times they have come back to participate.”

Of the 71 European competitors who have taken part more than once, popular English BMW ace Martin Stockdale stands out from the crowd, having competed on the island for the past nine years; Scotland’s Graeme Finlayson has been eight times (including driving the Zero Car in 2002), while fellow-Scot Kenny Hall and Yorkshireman Kevin Procter have each clocked up seven.

Gale adds: “Legends like ‘Mad-Dale’ Stockdale, ‘Bus Driver’ Procter and ‘Team Tartan’ Hall have found more than just competition; they have earned the admiration of spectators and enjoyed the camaraderie of local competitors. In Barbados, if you have been given a nickname, you are definitely part of the family!”

Of other British regulars, Andrew Costin-Hurley and Simon Wallis have competed six times, while Rob Brook and Steve Perez have each clocked up five visits . . . in Brook’s case, the most mixed bag of all, three times as a co-driver, once as a driver, and he was even co-opted as the Overseas Steward in 2006!

From small beginnings in 1990 as a one-day rally for around 30 local competitors, Rally Barbados – it was renamed in 2003 - has grown into the Caribbean’s biggest annual international motor sport event, attracting as many as 90 crews, one-third of them from overseas. It is one of the strongest sporting brand names in the region, particularly for visitors from Europe, and a major contributor to the island’s tourism product and foreign exchange earnings.

Of the more than 200 overseas competitors who have competed in Barbados, around 50 have come from the region (Jamaica, St Vincent & The Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago), while another 160 or so have travelled from further afield. Fourteen countries have been represented, including England - with 92 competitors, it boasts the strongest representation – Holland, New Zealand, Spain and Turkey.

In the event’s 20-year history, overseas drivers have won only six times, but two of them have achieved the feat twice: in 2009, Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke claimed his second consecutive win to join fellow-countryman Kenny McKinstry (1993 & ‘96) as a two-time winner, with Jamaica’s Jeffrey Panton (‘98) and Gary Gregg (2006) also on the roll of honour.

Overseas Competitor Information Document now available

The first version of the Sol Rally Barbados Overseas Competitor Information document is now available as a pdf download from the event web site (www.rallybarbados.bb). The document provides details of the event entry and shipping package and lists the Club’s Official Airline, Hotel, Shipping and Vehicle Rental Partners, and the currently-available details of the deals each is offering; it will be updated in the coming weeks as further details are confirmed.

The document also includes background information on Sol Rally Barbados 2010 and the key events surrounding it, which will be of particular interest to potential first-time visitors; to get an even better feel for the event, they will soon be able to download a short promotional DVD, which will appear on the web site early in the New Year.

Sol Rally Barbados and Shell V-Power King of the Hill are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB10 marks the 20th Anniversary of the inaugural running of the Club’s All-Stage Rally.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

1990 to 2009

Rally Barbados 2009 Kris Meeke - NIR/Paul Nagle - NIR, Subaru Impreza WRC S9, 55m 11.84s
2008 Kris Meeke - NIR/Paul Nagle - NIR, Toyota Corolla WRC, 1h 00m 00.06s
2007 Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney, Subaru Impreza WRC S9, 57m 34.36s
2006 Gary Gregg - JAM/Hugh Hutchinson - JAM, Ford Focus WRC01, 51m 57.89s
2005 Roger Mayers/Max Ferri, Ford Focus WRC, 58m 46.99s
2004 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Ford Escort WRC, 1h 03m 04.48s
2003 Paul Bourne/Louis Venezia, Subaru Impreza WRC, 1h 21m 05.43s

International All-Stage Rally
2002 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Ford Escort WRC, 1h 16m 49.80s
2001 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Ford Escort Cosworth, 37m 53.21s
2000 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Ford Escort Cosworth, 43m 57s
1999 Trevor Manning/Michael Ward, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V, 1h 03m 14s
1998 Jeffrey Panton - JAM/John de Mercado - JAM, Toyota Celica GT4, 51m 15s
1997 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Peugeot 306 S16, 55m 55s
1996 Kenny McKinstry - NIR/Sean Gill, Ford Escort RS2000, 37m 02s
1995 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Peugeot 205GTi, 37m 04s
1994 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Peugeot 205GTi, 38m 55s
1993 Kenny McKinstry - NIR/Robbie Philpott - NIR, Subaru Legacy RS, 43m 24s
1992 Roger Skeete/Dave Crawford - ENG, Peugeot 205GTi, 24m 26s
1991 Roger Skeete/Roger Fields, Peugeot 205GTi, 15m 46s
1990 Roger Skeete/Charmaine Skeete, Peugeot 205GTi, 16m 08s

Key to nationalities (unless shown, competitor is from Barbados):
ENG - England; JAM - Jamaica; NIR - Northern Ireland