NASSCO NOVEMBER SAFARI THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

The Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) off-roaders face the ultimate challenge in the final round of the 2012 MudDogs Safari and Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championships. The Nassco November Safari on Sunday, November 11, is being set by two of the island’s most experienced navigational competitors, reigning Champion Navigator Wayne Clarke and his driving partner of many seasons, Chris Armstrong.   With two wins this season – in the Chefette March Safari and the Shelbury Construction September Safari – plus two more top three finishes, they are already Champions elect for 2012. MudDogs Chairman Warren Gollop is anticipating a fitting conclusion to the year: “After a long season with many twists and turns and challenges on both the competition and business sides, I am looking forward to a great season-ender.”   While Clarke and Armstrong’s positions at the head of the Navigator and Driver standings respectively are unlikely to be challenged, there is all to play for among the competitors chasing the places in all four Championships. Gollop adds: “It would certainly seem that they will seal the title, barring something unforeseen . . . but there are some narrow margins among the next few crews in the Overall Championship.   “Among the Chefette Novices, Nick Branson and Dominic Straker are both in very strong positions as the leading Navigator and Driver, but I’m not convinced that all is settled, as there are some permutations yet to work through, including the dropped scores. We have had an encouraging turnout of novices this season, and I’m delighted that the Chefette Championship has again proved such a close-fought competition.”   The first crew is set to leave the start of the Nassco November Safari at Chefette Charles Rowe Bridge, St George, at 8.01am on November 11, with the finish at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) Club House at Searles, Christ Church, at around 4.30pm. There will be a lunch stop at Chefette Six Roads, St Philip.   Gollop concluded by saying: “It is fitting that our traditional Nassco Safari season-ender should decide the trophy-winners in the four championships. Local agents for Toyota, Nassco, will again be hoping for a large turnout of their brand, I’m sure.”   Entries are open at Motorsport Services in Haggatt Hall and will close on Tuesday, November 6, at Noon; the Briefing Meeting will be at 7.00pm the same evening, at the BCTSA Club House, after which the entry list will be released. The Prizegiving for the Nassco November Safari will be held at the same venue the following Monday (November 12), once results are made final. BRC MudDogs Safari Championship Positions after round 4 Navigators 1st Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux), 234 points 2nd Dustin Edwards (Corbin’s Catering Services/Mahogany Ridge/Crane & Equipments/SDRR Toyota Hilux), 228 points 3rd Jeremy Croney (CC Motorsports/Sweet Temptations Suzuki Samurai), 208pts 4th Rorie McConney (Toyota Hilux), 196pts 5th Willie Hinds (Suzuki Samurai), 188pts 6th Darnley Rayside (Electric Avenue Land Rover Discovery), 186pts 7th Chris O’Neal (Huzier Ltd Mahindra Pik-Up & Simpson Motors Isuzu D-Max), 166pts 8th Robin Hinds (Gomez & Western Services/Kar Parts Store Nissan Patrol), 156pts 9th Andrew Croney (Sweet Temptations Suzuki Samurai & Insurance Solutions Inc Mitsubishi Pajero), 154pts 10th Peter Bradshaw (Land Rover Defender 110), 148pts Drivers 1st Chris Armstrong (Toyota Hilux), 234pts 2nd Ryan Corbin (Corbin’s Catering Services/Mahogany Ridge/Crane & Equipments/SDRR Toyota Hilux), 228pts 3rd Audley Croney (CC Motorsports/Sweet Temptations Suzuki Samurai), 208pts 4th Mark Western (Gomez & Western Services/Kar Parts Store Nissan Patrol), 198pts 5th Gregory Dickenson (Toyota Hilux), 196pts 6th Michael Ward (Suzuki Samurai), 188pts 7th Ben Norris (Electric Avenue Land Rover Discovery), 186pts 8th Leslie Alleyne (Huzier Ltd Mahindra Pik-Up & Simpson Motors/Valvoline Isuzu D-Max), 166pts 9th Dominic Straker (Hunte’s Auto Spares/Lucky Horseshoe/Sign Station Nissan Patrol), 160pts 10th Judy-Ann Bradshaw (Land Rover Defender 110), 148pts Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Positions after round 4 Navigators 1st Nick Branson (Amsoil/Paints Plus Suzuki Jimny), 208pts 2nd Nicholas Pinto (Suzuki Samurai & Hunte’s Auto Spares/Lucky Horsehoe/Sign Station Nissan Patrol), 172pts 3rd Nyere Jones (Toyota Hilux), 166pts 4th Daniel Christie (Western Union Suzuki Samurai), 150pts 5th Andy Williams (Suzuki Samurai), 148pts 6th Jamal Brathwaite (Jeep Grand Cherokee), 136pts Drivers 1st Dominic Straker (Hunte’s Auto Spares/Lucky Horsehoe/Sign Station Nissan Patrol), 236pts 2nd Johnny Pinto (Amsoil/Paints Plus Suzuki Jimny), 208pts 3rd Damien Johnson (Western Union Suzuki Samurai), 202pts 4th Aswad Bannister (Toyota Hilux), 166pts 5th Michael Fields (Land Rover Defender 110), 162pts 6th Dave Gibson (Suzuki Samurai), 148pts For further media information, robin@bradfax.com Web sites: www.barbadosrallyclub.com, www.muddogsbarbados.com