ALLEYNE FAMILY TRIUMPH IN TOYOTA BRC JUNE SAFARI

The island's oldest organised motor sport event proved to be one of the toughest of recent times, with more than half the 27 starters failing to make it to the end of last weekend’s (June 10/11) Toyota Barbados Rally Club (BRC) June Safari. After nearly 20 hours of competition, just 13 crews reached the finish at the Vaucluse Raceway in St Thomas.
The experienced husband and wife crew of Leslie and Annalee Alleyne emerged the winners, in their first outing in the Autozone/Quality Tyre/Barbados Muffler Centre Mitsubishi Io. Their total of 5720 penalties gave them a margin of more than 2600 over second-placed Justin Cuke/Jeremy Croney (Suzuki Samurai), who collected 8332 penalties. Third were Paul Marshall/Ian Hutson (Mitsubishi L200) on 8652 penalties, while the highest-placed Novices were Chris Choat and Justin Inniss, who finished eighth overall with 11,324 penalties in the ACE Recovery/ONTRAC Fleet Management Range Rover Special.
A lack of any significant rainfall in the weeks running up to the event made for very hard terrain and, while some retirements were caused by mechanical failures, others simply dropped out through physical fatigue.
The route covered roughly 240 kilometres, taking competitors through most of the island’s parishes; it was divided into four routes, with approximately 80 per cent of the distance off-road. It started at Guinea Plantation, St John, at 4.00pm on Saturday and finished almost 20 hours later, at around lunchtime Sunday.
The Toyota BRC June Safari was set by Derek ‘Driller’ Gill, a former winner of the event and champion driver in the 2004 BRC Navigational Championship; in advance of the event, Gill, who had been helped in route-setting by Andrew Croney, had promised to keep the competitors on their toes with many tricks and challenges during the routes, which used primarily Tulip and BRC navigation. And he was as good as his word, drawing many compliments from competitors.
Driver Chris Beckley, who finished fourth in the Essco Mitsubishi Pajero with navigator Warren Gollop, said: “Thanks, ‘Driller’, for all time and effort made to get all of us well and truly lost! It was definitely the toughest I have done so far. Even with the old Pajero, which is usually a comfortable ride, it was tough. I am still tired but must admit that I cannot wait till the next one.”
His thoughts were echoed by experienced fellow-competitor John Sealy, who finished fifth with Willie Hinds in his Land Rover Defender: “A huge thank you to Derek and Andrew for the serious input in time and planning. It seemed that whenever Willie and I thought we were on top of it, no way, so it was back to the last known position - a proper challenge, and fitting for ‘The June’”.
Roger Hill, boss of event sponsor Nassco, was on hand to present awards at the prize-giving, which was held last Tuesday at the BCTSA, Searles. In addition to the trophies for Overall and Novice positions, some special awards were presented.
Sean Gibbs and brother Tristan were presented with a voucher to the value of $400 in product from Nassco, having finished as Highest-placed Toyota, 13th in the Boardwalk Realty Hilux. The Highest-placed Female Competitor was winner Annalee Alleyne who, with husband Leslie, had finished first in all four routes.
The Highest-placed Novice crew, Chris Choat and Justin Inniss, received trophies compliments of Neptune Tours, plus a pair of vouchers for a game of paint ball from Kendal Sporting. The same crew also claimed the Sportsmanship Award - their entry and insurance for the next event will be paid by Autozone Inc, while each will receive a free vehicle flat service at Autozone Inc. Gregory and Anna-Marie Dickenson, who had been the Highest-placed Novice crew in the year’s first Safari in February, put their vehicle on its side; Gregory said after the event: “We would like to thank all those members who came to our assistance on Saturday night when we had our mishap, especially Chris Choat who got us back on all fours. He and Justin were very deserving of the Sportmanship Award.”
BRC navigational committee member Lindsay Farmer, who was among the weekend’s retirements through fatigue, said: “It was definitely challenging, both navigationally and physically – I don't think my back, shoulder, neck or legs will recover in a hurry! It would have been nice if we had had a little rain Saturday morning to soften the ground.
“On behalf of everyone involved, I want to say thanks to the marshals - whether they worked one control or right through the night, their help is greatly appreciated - also to sponsor Roger Hill of Nassco, and all the land owners. Finally, thanks to ‘Driller’ and Andrew Croney for setting the Safari.

Toyota BRC June Safari, June 10/11
BRC Safari Championship, round 2
Overall top 10
1st Leslie Allyene/Annalee Alleyne (Autozone/Quality Tyre/Barbados Muffler Centre Mitsubishi Io), 5720 penalties
2nd Justin Cuke/Jeremy Croney (Suzuki Samurai), 8332 pens
3rd Paul Marshall/Ian Hutson (Mitsubishi L200), 8652 pens
4th Chris Beckley/Warren Gollop (Essco Mitsubishi Pajero), 9122 pens
5th John Sealy/Willie Hinds (Land Rover Defender), 10,190 pens
6th Audley Croney/Geoff Goddard (Suzuki Samurai), 10,214 pens
7th Ian Warren/Robert Warren (Simpson Motors Isuzu Pickup), 10,626 pens
8th Chris Choat/Justin Inniss (ACE Recovery/ONTRAC Fleet Management Range Rover Special), 11,324 pens
9th Sean Mottley/Kreigg Yearwood (Suzuki Vitara), 11,650 pens
10th Kirk Phillips/Kristian Yearwood (Esso Suzuki Vitara), 12,132 pens

Novice top three
1st Choat/Inniss
2nd Mottley/Yearwood
3rd Phillips/Yearwood

Highest-placed Female Competitor
Annalee Alleyne
Highest-placed Toyota
Sean Gibbs/Tristan Gibbs (Boardwalk Realty Toyota Hilux) – 13th
Sportsmanship Award
Choat/Inniss

Route 1
1st Alleyne/Alleyne, 1650 pens
2nd Cuke/Croney, 2060 pens
3rd Sealy/Hinds, 2220 pens
Route 2
1st Alleyne/Alleyne, 1572 pens
2nd Beckley/Gollop, 2610 pens
3rd Noel Edwards/Jason Downey (Western Union/Champion Auto Suzuki Vitara), 2644 pens
Route 3
1st Alleyne/Alleyne, 2028 pens
2nd Sealy/Hinds, 2130 pens
3rd Marshall/Hutson, 2234 pens
Route 4
1st Alleyne/Alleyne, 470 pens
2nd Marshall/Hutson, 616 pens
3rd Cuke/Croney, 670 pens

2006 BRC Safari Championship - qualifying rounds:
Round 1 - February 12
Round 2 - June 10/11
Round 3 - August 27
Round 4 - November 12
* drivers will count their scores from all rounds

For further information, robin@bradfax.com