VALVOLINE RALLY CONFIRMED FOR APRIL

  Valvoline has joined forces with Automotive Art and the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) for the second year as title sponsor of Club’s first special stage rally of the season, which runs off on Sunday, April 28. The only tarmac rally before the island’s premier event, it provides a valuable opportunity chance to gauge one another’s performance.   Jonathon Hart, General Manager (Barbados) for Automotive Art, the Valvoline distributor in the island, said: “Both Automotive Art and Valvoline are extremely happy to return for the second year as the title sponsor of this key event, which looks set to grow in importance in the future.   “We hosted representatives from Valvoline last year, who were overwhelmed by the quality of rally machinery that Barbados has to offer, as well as the following for motor sport in the island. This is why they have committed to working with the Barbados Rally Club again to make the Valvoline Rally the first major event of the motor sport season.   “Beyond that, without giving out too much, something very exciting will be launched by Valvoline on Friday, April 19, which will have the motor sport fraternity, and all the island’s car lovers, ‘Revved up’.”   Neil Barnard, PRO of the BRC, added: “The Club is delighted that Valvoline has agreed to come on board for a second year, and that Automotive Art is putting itself fully behind the event, by providing its Welches facility for Scrutineering on the Saturday, and again for the Sunday start.   “While this event has been closely linked to our premier event in recent years as the final shakedown, we are keen to give it its own identity. With the support of Valvoline and Automotive Art, I am confident that we can do that. We can realistically expect an entry of around 50, which far exceeds any other national rally on the calendar, so it is ripe for further development.”   Scrutineering for the Valvoline Rally will take place at Automotive Art, Welches, from noon to 5.00pm on Saturday, April 27; the start will be at the same venue at 9.00am on the following day, with the first of 10 stages at two venues scheduled to start at 9.13am. In the morning, there will be three runs on Hangman’s Hill, interspersed with two on Dark Hole; in the afternoon, Dark Hole will run three times, Hangman’s Hill twice.   The Greenland Agricultural Station, St Andrew, will be the Service Park for the day, also the venue for the finish, slated for 4.00pm, followed by the Prize-giving and post-event lime, starting at around 6.00pm.   BRC Competition Secretary Neil Corbin added: “On Saturday, there will be staggered times at Scrutineering for the arrival of the different classes. On the Sunday, both stage venues will be run in one direction only, but competitors should note that the two afternoon runs of Hangman’s Hill will include a chicane or chicances on the northbound straight between the Dukes junction and the Lion Castle junction. Details will be confirmed at the Briefing Meeting.”   Entries for the Valvoline Rally will open at Motorsport Services in Haggatt Hall on Monday, April 15, and close on Thursday, April 25, with the Briefing Meeting that same evening at 6.30pm at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) Club House, Searles, Christ Church.   For media information only. No regulatory value.   For further media information, robin@bradfax.com Web sites: www.barbadosrallyclub.com, www.muddogsbarbados.com