[1]High praise for “enjoyable event” from winning crew
Navigational Rally veterans Leslie Alleyne and Chris O’Neal added another victory to their already impressive record on Saturday (September 14) when they won the Super-S Lubricants September Safari, an event Alleyne described as “certainly one of the more enjoyable events in many years”. With the biggest MudDogs entry since 2017, Alleyne added that the third round of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) 2019 Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship also created “a really good vibe going forward”.
Campaigning their regular Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max, Alleyne and O’Neal finished the day into night event with 406 penalties, their margin of victory just 52 over David Armstrong and Andrew Croney (Nassco Toyota Hilux). Former Champions Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke in another Hilux finished third with 800 penalties.
Set by Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins, who won this year’s Shelbury Construction June Safari, the event started at the premises of KG Enterprises in the Belle Estate Yard, St Michael, at 2.01pm, heading straight in to the first of three Driver Challenges, to the west of the Norman A Niles roundabout. On their way to the Dinner Halt at Rubis Kirtons in St Philip, crews tackled the second Driver Challenge in the Chancery Lane swamp, before the second route carried them back to St Michael, with the third Driver Challenge near the Norman A Niles roundabout shortly before the finish at 11:30pm.
Summing up the event, Alleyne said: “It was a very close-run event. Ben and Kirk did a fantastic job with practically no errors. They covered a large part of the island in a relatively short time frame and carried us on some roads that I haven't seen for at least 12 years. There was an unusually high number of control points along the way, which I think the whole field appreciated as it helped to keep everything very tight, while at the same time you did not have much chance to lapse in concentration. It was certainly one of the more enjoyable events in many years.”
Alleyne and O’Neal were in charge from the start, winning the first route from David Armstrong and Andrew Croney, with Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke third. Phillip McConney and Mark Western (HVAC Caribbean Land Rover Defender) finished fourth and won the first Driver Challenge, although mechanical problems then ruined their day. Route two produced a similar result, Alleyne and O’Neal finishing ahead of Armstrong and Croney, but this time with Andrew Skeete and Eric Allamby third, ahead of Chris Armstrong and Clarke, winners of the second Driver Challenge at Chancery Lane.
Overall winners Alleyne and O’Neal won the final Driver Challenge, Alleyne remarking: “Mention needs to be made of Brett Barber and his team for putting together and running the three challenges. As always, they were well set and enjoyable to drive. In particular, the challenge near the Norman Niles roundabout was a huge success, as there were literally hundreds of spectators there to see the action.”
Seven of the 17 entries were in Class B, for less experienced crews, with the winners listed as Andrew Skeete and Eric Allamby in a Rent Equip-sponsored Hilux, making their MudDogs debut. However, the newcomers withdrew from the overall results, as Skeete explained: “We had been following one of the experienced guys for most of the rally to learn how it’s done.” The experienced crew in question was the winners, Alleyne adding:” We checked with them a couple of times to make sure they were understanding what was going on. It is good to assist newcomers and keep them encouraged.” So, the Class B-winning trophies were presented to Richard Hinkson and Kevin-Jon Manning (WindForce Tyres Samurai).
Summing up the event, winner Alleyne said: “It was very encouraging to see 17 entries and several newcomers. There is a really good vibe going forward and the newcomers have all committed to return in October. As ever, big thanks to the event sponsor, the marshals and of course our own sponsors who have continually stood behind us.”
Super-S Lubricants September Safari, September 14
Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship – round 3
1st Leslie Alleyne/Chris O'Neal (Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max), 406 penalties
2nd David Armstrong/Andrew Croney (Nassco Toyota Hilux), 458pens
3rd Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux), 800pens
4th Andrew Skeete/Eric Allamby (Rent Equip Toyota Hilux), 954pens
5th Christopher King/Warrick Eastmond (Nissan Frontier), 1120pens
6th Richard Hinkson/Kevin-Jon Manning (Windforce Tyres Suzuki Samurai), 1600pens
7th Yosuf Patel/Abdullah Patel (Aquarius Faucets/ToolCraft/Goodyear Mitsubishi L200), 2570pens
8th Dean Springer/Bridget Garity (Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger), 2778pens
9th Andrew Mallalieu/Alexander Mallalieu (Toyota Hilux), 2978pens
10th Julian Goddard/Stuart McChlery (Super-S Lubricants Isuzu D-Max), 3174pens etc
Route 1: 1st Alleyne/O’Neal, 240pens; 2nd D Armstrong/Croney, 248pens; 3rd C Armstrong/Clarke, 404pens; 4th Phillip McConney/Mark Western (HVAC Caribbean Land Rover Defender), 532pens; 5th King/Eastmond, 550pens; etc
Route 2: Alleyne/O’Neal, 166pens; 2nd D Armstrong/Croney, 210pens; 3rd Skeete/Allamby, 322pens; 4th C Armstrong/Clarke, 396pens; 5th King/Eastmond, 570pens; etc
Class B
1st Skeete/Allamby, 954pens – 4th overall
2nd Hinkson/K-J Manning, 1600pens
3rd Y Patel/A Patel, 2570pens
4th A Mallalieu/A Mallalieu, 2978pens
5th Goddard/McChlery, 3174pens etc
Route 1: 1st Skeete/Allamby, 632pens; 2nd Hinkson/K-J Manning, 908pens; 3rd Y Patel/A Patel, 934pens; 4th A Mallalieu/A Mallalieu, 1228pens; 5th Goddard/McChlery, 2046pens; etc
Route 2: 1st Skeete/Allamby, 322pens; 2nd Hinkson/K-J Manning, 692pens; 3rd Goddard/McChlery, 1128pens; 4th Y Patel/A Patel, 1636pens; 4th A Mallalieu/A Mallalieu, 1750pens; etc
Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship: Round 1 - April 13, Chefette April Safari; Round 2 - Jun 29/30, BRC MudDogs June Safari; Round 3 - Sep 14, Super-S Lubricants September Safari; Round 4 – Oct 20, Nassco October Safari
For media information only. No regulatory value.
For further media information, robin@bradfax.com [3]
Web sites: www.barbadosrallyclub.com [4], www.muddogsbarbados.com [5]
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