CHEFETTE APRIL SAFARI RUNS OFF ON SUNDAY

Posted on April 3rd, 2014.

Just three weeks since they saw action in the opening round of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Chefette MudDogs Safari and Safari Novice Championships, crews are making final preparations for this Sunday’s (April 6) Chefette April Safari . . . and reigning Champion Driver Leslie Alleyne and Navigator Chris O’Neal will be hoping to continue where they left off last month, winners once again.

Fifteen crews were confirmed at Tuesday’s (April 1) Briefing Meeting at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) Club House at Searles, Christ Church, with all the usual suspects lined up to challenge Alleyne and O’Neal in the Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max.

Second last time out were Derek Gill and Andrew Croney (Insurance Solutions/Sweet Temptations Mitsubishi Pajero), with Ryan Corbin and Dustin Edwards (Corbins Catering Services/Crane & Equipment Toyota Hilux) third. Competition is anticipated to be tough on Sunday, with 2012 Champions Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux) and Audley and Jeremy Croney (CC Motor Sports & Friends Suzuki Vitara) also in the mix.

There was some good competition among the Novice crews last month, too, with Julian Kirton and Dominic Straker (Kirts Connection Jeep Wrangler) the eventual winners, although they had trailed in third place after route one. Damien and Brandon Johnson (Western Union Suzuki Samurai) finished second, with total first-timers, Michael and Joshua Broome (WOW Camp/12 Volt Auto Suzuki Jimny) third.

MudDogs Chairman Ricky Holder said: “Michael and Josh Broome remarked at the Prize-giving how welcome they had felt in their first attempt at anything like this. They said they would be back, and they are . . . which is very encouraging for the future of our sport.”

Holder is also one of the route-setters for Sunday’s event, along with Philip McConney, twice winning driver of the BRC’s oldest event, the June Safari. Holder added: “Without any serious rain, we have not been able to create any Driver Challenges, and have concentrated the event in the central parishes, as there are still some major issues with co witch. But we still believe we have created an interesting route and hope that the crews will enjoy the test we have set.”

The first crew is scheduled to leave The Mill, Canewood, St Michael at 8.00am for route one; the Lunch Stop will be at Chefette, Charles Rowe Bridge, St George at approximately noon, with crews heading back to the same location for the finish at around 4.00pm. The Prizegiving for the Chefette April Safari will be held next Tuesday (April 8) at 6.00pm, at the BCTSA Club House at Searles, Christ Church, once results are made final.

Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship & Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Round 2 – April 6 –

Chefette April Safari Novice Class

1 Simon Parravicino/Jonathan Millar (Sweet Temptations Suzuki Samurai)

2 Julian Kirton/Dominic Straker (Kirts Connection Jeep Wrangler)

3 Michael Broome/Joshua Broome (WOW Camp/12 Volt Auto Suzuki Jimny)

15 Damien Johnson/Brandon Johnson (Western Union Suzuki Samurai)

Pro Class

4 George Mendes/Gary Mendes (G & G Sales & Service/Lunatics Inc Mitsubishi L200 Sportero)

5 Ryan Corbin/Dustin Edwards (Corbins Catering Services/Crane & Equipment Toyota Hilux)

6 Warrick Eastmond/Trina Griffith (Daihatsu Feroza)

7 Wayne Manning/Willie Hinds (Zephrins Bakeries Suzuki Samurai)

8 Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max)