Carnival jigsaw nearly complete
One of the final pieces of
the jigsaw that is the sixth Barbados Rally Carnival fell into place
yesterday (Wednesday, May 24), with the arrival at Grantley Adams
International Airport of the most advanced and most successful World
Rally Car ever to compete in the region, the ex-works Ford Focus WRC of
Steve Perez.
The car was air-lifted in to Barbados in the same Virgin Atlantic
747-400 that carried the bulk of the European competitors, the first
time in the history of Rally Carnival that air freight, rather than sea
freight, has been used.
And one further piece of the puzzle will fall in place tomorrow
afternoon, with the arrival of driver Perez and co-driver, Neil
Dashfield, just in time for International Scrutineering, slated for
5.00pm at the Wildey premises of McEnearney Quality Inc. The
now-traditional Friday evening presentation will include driver
interviews, an official welcome of the overseas visitors and the chance
for fans to mingle with competitors from home and abroad.
In addition to the overseas entries, the leading local cars will
also be undergoing the necessary safety checks; among them will be some
that have been eagerly-awaited by local fans - the return of Trevor
Manning's Simpson Motors Rally Team Mitsubishi Evo VIII, the public
debuts of his team-mate Sean Gill's new Suzuki Swift, Sammy
Cumberbatch's new BMW M3 and the reborn Mazda of Nick Gill.
Chairman of the Rally Barbados organising committee Barry Gale
said: "It is an indication of the importance with which Steve Perez
views the events of Rally Carnival that he was willing to fly his car
to our island, so as to limit the amount of time that he would be
without it back home.
"He had been leading the MSA National Gravel Championship again
this year until his accident in the Isle of Man, and is missing the
next round, which clashes directly with Rally Barbados. I very much
hope he enjoys himself here this year, and that he goes home with a
result that makes all his and his team's efforts worthwhile."
Once scrutineering is done, Perez will have little time to
acclimatise himself, as the first of the two Rally Carnival events
falls on Saturday - the Red Bull International RallySprint is scheduled
to start with qualifying at 10.00am and will be the first International
event at the Vaucluse Raceway in St Thomas to be run into the night.
This is not the award-winning British businessman's first visit to
the Barbados Rally Carnival, and he is hoping the competition side of
this one will last longer than before; having been unable to arrive in
time for the International RallySprint, he then slid off the road on
the Saturday morning of Rally Barbados 2004 and damaged his ex-Hannu
Mikkola Audi Quattro Sport beyond immediate repair. Some consolation
for him that year was victory in the hotly-competitive ANCRO National
Rally Championshp in the UK at the wheel of a 2003 Focus WRC, his
second British title in as many seasons, having claimed the Armajaro
Historic crown in 2003 in a Porsche 911.
His Rally Barbados 2006 campaign has been meticulously planned by
BTR Preparations boss Tim Ashton and even the drama of an major
accident just three weeks ago on the Manx National Rally has not
derailed it. The VK Vodka Kick Focus was originally built by Ford works
team M Sport in 2004, driven to victory by Markko Martin in Corsica and
Catalunya in that year's World Championship, then upgraded to 2005 spec
for last season.
Reigning Jamaican champion Gary Gregg also has an ex-works Focus,
his from 2001 - now with a new engine from M Sport - while 2003
Trinidad Champion John Powell is armed with a second-generation Toyota
Corolla WRC campaigned by former World Champion Didier Auriol.
Seeded at number one for RB'06, in the absence of last year's
winner Roger Mayers, is the Warrens Motors Subaru Impreza WRC of Bajan
crew Paul Bourne and Louis Venezia, winners in 2003; although this car
is older than those coming from overseas, it certainly still has pace -
in Rally Barbados last year, after missing a couple of stages on
Saturday, the Impreza was fastest over Sunday's stages by more than 10
seconds.
Remaining key dates for Barbados Rally Carnival 2006
Friday, May 26 - scrutineering for overseas entries, McEnearney Quality
Saturday, May 27 - Red Bull International RallySprint,
Vaucluse Raceway, St Thomas
Thursday, June 1 - Rally Barbados 2006 shakedown
Saturday, June 3 - Rally Barbados 2006, day 1
Sunday, June 4 - Rally Barbados 2006, day 2
Monday, June 5 - Rally Barbados 2006 prize-giving, The Boatyard
For further information:
e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web sites - www.rallybarbados.bb; www.barbadosrallycarnival.com
