[1]Norris and Watkins maintain good form with close second
photo credit Corey Reece/Image Vault
Leslie Alleyne and Chris O’Neal won Sunday’s (September 18) Chefette September Safari to claim their second win in the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) 2016 Chefette MudDogs Safari & Safari Novice Championships, having already won the March Safari. In the Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max, the multiple champions won by a margin of just 19 penalty points.
This was Alleyne and O’Neal’s second consecutive win in the annual September event, but it was a far closer run thing than last year, when they were 358 points clear of the field; second on both occasions were Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins (Birdies Restaurant Ford Ranger), who are certainly due a win sometime soon – this was their seventh top-three finish in the nine events they have contested as a partnership, and their third runner’s-up spot since last September.
After a three-month summer break, the crews set off for Sunday’s first route at 8.00am from Chefette Speightstown, St Peter, heading cross-country for the lunch halt at Chefette Charles Rowe Bridge, St George, roughly four hours later. Alleyne and O’Neal nailed the opening route, incurring just 75 penalties, with Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux) second with 175.
George and Gary Mendes (G & G Sales & Services Inc Mitsubishi L200 Sportero) were tied on 225 penalties for third with Robert and Ian Warren (Land Rover Defender), while Norris and Watkins were fifth on 250. The afternoon route, which finished at Chefette Six Roads, St Philip, included two Driver Challenges in the same parish, which brought out spectators in their numbers and added the ‘mud’ back into MudDogs, which had been largely absent in this year’s earlier events.
As last year, Norris and Watkins won route two, but just fell short of the total required to overhaul the lunchtime leaders, who finished third in the afternoon. A consistent run saw Armstrong and Clarke second again, to end the day in third place, with the Mendes Toyota fourth. Dean Springer equalled his best result – fifth, in November last year – with Bridget Garity in the Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger, with Wayne Manning and Willie Hinds sixth in the Courtesy Garage/Windforce Tyres ZNA Rich.
Alleyne said: “All in all it was a great job by the route setters. We hit a rock and wrapped bush around the drive shaft in route one, which made us a bit late, but at the next Check Point we were the only crew to approach from the correct direction. The timing points were cancelled by the organisers, which luckily gave us the advantage we needed for the route.
“Route two was my favourite, a lovely mix of everything from tricks, mud and, of course, the Challenges. It's always nice to have an opportunity for spectators to watch a little of the fun and similarly I enjoy tossing the Isuzu around for a bit of fun. As usual, the vehicle worked flawlessly and provided some good entertainment. Thanks to Chefette for their continued sponsorship, which now dates back to 2010, special thanks to the marshals and, of course, our sponsors.”
Just two crews scored Safari Novice Championship points, Richard Hinkson and Kevin-Jon Manning winning both routes and finishing seventh overall in the Goodyear Tyres Suzuki Samurai; newcomers Samuel Manning and Ruben Carrillo in the Garbage Master Toyota Hilux finished ninth overall and second Novice crew.
The route-setters were Michael Ward and Warrick Eastmond, who had earlier won this year’s Sol June Safari in the Regional Fire & Security Suzuki Jimny. MudDogs Chairman Ricky Holder said: “I wish to thank our route-setters and our loyal team of marshals. I think the wetness helped to add some fun to the event and it seems that everyone had a great time. Once again, thanks to Chefette Restaurants for sponsoring this weekend’s event, on top of the championship, and I’m sure they would join us in welcoming a new crew to the Novice Championship – I certainly hope Samuel and Ruben will be back.”
Chefette September Safari, September 18
Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship – round 3 1st Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max), 535 penalties 2nd Ben Norris/Kirk Watkins (Birdies Restaurant Ford Ranger), 554pens 3rd Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux), 601pens 4th George Mendes/Gary Mendes (G & G Sales & Services Inc Mitsubishi L200 Sportero), 729pens 5th Dean Springer/Bridget Garity (Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger), 902pens 6th Wayne Manning/Willie Hinds (Courtesy Garage/Windforce Tyres ZNA Rich), 943pens 7th Richard Hinkson/Kevin-Jon Manning (Goodyear Tyres Suzuki Samurai), 987pens 8th Robert Warren/Ian Warren (Land Rover Defender), 1631pens 9th Samuel Manning/Ruben Carrillo (Garbage Master Toyota Hilux), 2293pens 10th Andrew Pinto/Nicholas Branson (Amsoil GMC Sonoma), 3950pens etc Route 1 – 1st Alleyne/O’Neal, 75pens; 2nd Armstrong/Clarke, 175pens; equal 3rd Mendes/Mendes & Warren/Warren, 225pens; 5th Norris/Watkins, 250pens; etc Route 2 – 1st Norris/Watkins, 304pens; 2nd Armstrong/Clarke, 426pens; 3rd Alleyne/O’Neal, 460pens; 4th Mendes/Mendes, 504pens; 5th Springer/Garity, 602pens; etc
Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship – round 3
1st Hinkson/K-J Manning, 987pens – 7th overall 2nd S Manning/Carrillo, 2293pens – 9th o/a Route 1 – 1st Hinkson/K-J Manning, 375pens; 2nd S Manning/Carrillo, 950pens Route 2 – 1st Hinkson/K-J Manning, 612pens; 2nd S Manning/Carrillo, 1343pens
Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship & Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Round 4 - November 13 - Nassco November Safari
