[1]The Rally Show at Simpson Motors, Warrens, next Saturday (May 27) will provide island fans with unrivalled access to more than 90 local, regional and international cars and their crews. The event will run from 2.00pm for four hours, with a mix of competitions, cultural entertainment, Driver Meet & Greet sessions and sponsor promotions and, with the Chefette Kids Zone, there is something for all the family.
While key local sponsors and competitors, including title sponsor of the Barbados Rally Club’s premier event, the Sol Group, will already have organised pre-rally limes to showcase their own teams, the Rally Show will be the only chance for local fans to see all the cars entered for Flow King of the Hill (May 28) and Sol Rally Barbados 2017 (June 2-4) at one location.
The programme of entertainment will include driver interviews on the Sol RB17 centre stage, sited facing north to overlook the show arena, with the chance for fans to get closer to their idols in Meet & Greet and autograph-signing sessions; the Chefette Kids Zone will include a face painter, jumping tent, mechanical bull and spinning wheel – with prizes to be won – while the cultural content will come from a 10-piece Tuk Band and international musicians visiting the Barbados Celtic Festival. A parade of flags will provide fans with a chance to welcome the overseas competitors, who this year come from a record 16 nations, while the programme will end on a celebratory note, with the Prizegiving for last month’s Automotive Art Shakedown Stages on the centre stage.
Co-ordinator Carrie Corbin says: “The Rally Show promises more entertainment with less confusion! Removing the scrutineering checks means all the cars will be static throughout the afternoon, so people will not head for their favourite car or driver only to be told that they are away in the technical area. If you're a rally fan, or just like a good lime, the Rally Show at Simpson Motors is the place to be.”
Local competitors whose cars had not already been scrutineered in advance of last month’s Automotive Art Shakedown Stages – there are 20 of them – will be checked in the Pits at Bushy Park Barbados on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings next week; as the St Philip facility is already home to ‘Rally Central’, hosting more than 30 of the overseas visitors, international scrutineering will take place at the same location on the Saturday morning, ahead of crews transferring to the Rally Show venue at Warrens.
“Standing room only” at Sol RB17 Marshals’ Meeting
As preparations for Sol Rally Barbados step up a gear or two daily, Rally Director Neil Barnard reports work on all fronts is progressing smoothly, with a huge turn-out for last night’s (Thursday) Marshals’ Meeting at Sky Mall. Barnard said: “It was standing room only at the back! Well over 100 marshals turned up last night, on a par with the largest turn-out I can remember for a Marshals’ Meeting. I am told that we had 40 new marshals register last night, which is really encouraging; thanks go among others to Tammy Lashley, who I know has been instrumental in the recruitment drive”.
There will be a training session for marshals next week, hosted by Sol RB Deputy Clerk of the Course Kreigg Yearwood, while the marshals will also have a tent at The Rally Show at Simpson Motors next Saturday (May 27), where interested persons will be able to learn more about how to sign up as a marshal and what the work would entail.
Sol Rally Barbados briefs:
• following the final date for payment of entry fees last Friday (May 12), the withdrawal of one local driver has left the provisional entry for Sol RB17 at a total of 92 cars – 48 local, seven regional and 35 international • the provisional entry for Flow King of the Hill will not include local driver Andrew Mallalieu (away on FIA duty at the Monaco GP) or British Ford Escort drivers Raymond Clough and Pete Rayner, who will arrive in the island during the following week • in addition, there will be two co-driver changes at Flow King of the Hill - Mark Broomfield will sit with Roger Duckworth, Stephen Peat with Martin Stockdale – as their Sol RB17 co-drivers are not available the previous weekend • the Sol RB17 promo video, which was launched at last Wednesday’s Media Briefing (May 10), had enjoyed 10,000 views within the first 24 hours, and has now been watched more than 30,000 times
Sol Rally Barbados (June 2-4) and Flow King of the Hill (May 28) are organised and promoted by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2017; title sponsors are the Sol Group and Flow. Marketing partners are Simpson Motors, Automotive Art and Banks; official partners are Accra Beach Hotel & Spa, the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, Geest Line and the Tourism Development Corporation; associate sponsors are Chefette and Stoute’s Car Rental.
