ACTION-PACKED START TO NEW MOTOR SPORT SEASON

After months starved of action, motor sport fans in Barbados are looking forward to the start of the new season. The Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) 2011 programme has already kicked off with its opening autocross and Safari events, while the coming weekend will give fans a chance to get up close and personal with competitors and their cars at a fresh new event to launch the season.   The BRC, which held its Annual General Meeting recently, has confirmed its programme for 2011, which opens on Saturday (March 13), with AutoMoto, a new event co-ordinated by Drift Dream in conjunction with the Club. The event, running from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, will include Annual Scrutineering, thrill rides with a rally driver and a dexterity competition.   PR Officer of the BRC, Neil Barnard, notes: “The Club’s focus on Saturday is the organisation of Annual Scrutineering, but we’re supporting the AutoMoto initiative because it could be the start of something really successful to kick off each motor sport year. It is important for the Club to be as accessible as possible to potential competitors and new members, and this is an excellent way of delivering that.”   The Club has confirmed a number of changes to its Virgin Atlantic-backed Championship for the new season: + the Class Championship will remain the same, although there have been some changes in the points system in an effort to bring the final results closer together + no longer based on overall results, the winner of the Driver’s Championship will be the driver who has scored the highest number of points in the Class Championship + competitors in the Driver’s Championship who are unable to compete in a given event will be able to earn Championship points by working as a marshal of official + two new Championships will recognise the achievements of two- and four-wheel-drive competitors; these will be based on overall results + in addition, there will be a new Clubman class within the BRC Championship, another move to support the grass roots of the sport   During the Club’s AGM, Chairman Geoffrey Noel reflected on the 2010 season: “The main goal that was set by for 2010 by the Club’s Committee of Management was to consolidate, and I am pleased to confirm that we were successful, not only in respect of the financial situation, but also that of the entire operations.”   The Club’s innovations for 2011 also include the re-launch of its web site and the purchase of new timing equipment, which will enable results to be available in a significantly more timely fashion.   The opening round of the Virgin Atlantic BRC Championship is this Sunday’s (March 13) double-header speed event run by the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc; run over a course from Ellesmere to Woodland, then reversed, it is slated to start at 8.30am. It will comprise one practice and three official runs in each direction, with the service area in Drax Hall Plantation Yard.    Following a number of changes voted by the membership at the AGM, the full Barbados Rally Club Committee of Management for 2011 is: Chairman, Geoffrey Noel; Vice-Chairman, Mark Hamilton; Treasurer, Jeanne Crawford; Competition Secretary, Neil Corbin; Assistant Competition Secretary, Warren Gollop; Vehicle Classification Officer, Adrian Linton; Secretary, Jamal Brathwaite; Marshal Liaison Officer, Roger Sargeant; Equipment Officer, Paul Allen; Public Relations Officer, Neil Barnard; Entertainment Secretary, Sean Gill.   BRC Driver’s Championship Qualifying rounds: Rounds 1 & 2 – March 13 – MCBI Speed Event Round 3 – May 8 – BRC Shakedown Stages Round 4 - May 29 - Shell V-Power King of the Hill Rounds 5 & 6 – June 4/5 - Sol Rally Barbados 2011 Round 7 – Aug 6 - BRC Summer Nights Tarmac Rally Round 8 & 9 – October 2 – BRC Autumn Gravel Sprint Round 10 - October 30 - BRC Winter Gravel Rally   BRC Mud Dogs Safari Championship Qualifying rounds: Mar 5 - ARMAG March Safari Apr 16 - Mud Dogs April Safari May 1 - Mud Dogs May Day MudFest Jun 25/26 - Mud Dogs June Safari Sep 11 - Mud Dogs September Safari Oct 16 - Mud Dogs October Safari Nov 6 - Mud Dogs November MudFest   Autocross events: Feb 19 - BRC Autocross 1 May 15 - BRC Autocross 2 Jul 31 - BRC Autocross 3 Sep 17 - BRC Autocross 4 Nov 13 - BRC Autocross 5   Media enquiries: e-mail – robin@bradfax.com Sol Rally Barbados web site – www.rallybarbados.bb