News

Following confirmation from last year’s Sol Rally Barbados Group N winner, Ryan Champion, that he is stepping up to Group A this year with his iconic ex-Piero Liatti Subaru Impreza 555, the production category is certain to have a different winner in 2009 . . . and another British pairing hope to add their names to that roll of honour.

Local fans will not have to wait until scrutineering for Sol Rally Barbados 2009 to see the first of this year’s international visitors, as event regular Graeme Finlayson this week confirmed he is shipping his car early from the UK. His recently-acquired Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III will be in the island in time to contest the Automotive Art Shakedown Stages on Sunday, May 3.

More than 30 competitors are entered for the second round of the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Virgin Atlantic Driver’s and Class Championships tomorrow (March 22), among them Trevor Manning, whose first outing in the ex-Roger Skeete Ford Escort WRC is eagerly awaited by island fans.
The BRC Spring Gravel Sprint, which will be run on the popular stage at Searles, Christ Church, is slated for a 9.00am start; competitors, who will be based in the Searles Factory Yard, will tackle four official timed runs.

Winner of Group N in Sol Rally Barbados 2008, Britain’s Ryan Champion, will this year step up to Group A when he ships a recently-restored example of the iconic Subaru Impreza 555 to the island for the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) 20th running of its blue riband event over the last weekend of May.