SOL JUNE SAFARI TAKES BRC BACK TO ITS ROOTS

The Barbados Rally Club (BRC) is not forgetting its past as it prepares to mark the end of its sixth decade. The Sol 60th Anniversary June Safari later this month (June 24/25) will carry the Club right back to its roots, following a circuitous route between Applewhaites and Vaucluse, both in the parish of St Thomas and the same start and finish points used for the inaugural event on Sunday, June 16, 1957.

  ‘The June’, as it is generally known, is the longest-established motor sport event in the region with a continuous history; weeks after it was first run, the organising committee called together the participants – there had been a 60-strong entry - and agreed to form the BRC, which is now the oldest organisation in the island devoted to a sport not played with a ball and the oldest motor sport club in the region still bearing its original name.

  Over the past six decades, the BRC’s unique place in island motor sport as organiser of both circuit racing and stage rallying events is well-documented. Having first encouraged overseas visitors to participate more than 50 years ago, the Club’s blue riband event, Sol Rally Barbados, is now a key pillar of the island’s sports-tourism product, hosting more than 400 competitors from around 30 countries since the turn of the century.

  BRC Chairman Mark Hamilton said: “Sixty years is quite the milestone and we, the membership as a whole, are pleased to be the current custodians of a Club with such a distinguished history. Hard work, perseverance through good times and bad, a healthy dose of social activity, some tough competition and an established administrative structure have all served the club well and are a credit to all those who have played their part through the years.

  “Motor sport, like the Club, has changed direction several times through the years, but we have remained focused on our core values of providing a safe, enjoyable and at times intense environment in which the membership can compete, our officials can officiate and our spectators can take in the action. Sounds simple, really . . . but I can assure you that it has taken a lot of work from many people over these past six decades.

  “Having said that, there is no doubt that the Club’s longevity has been significantly underpinned by the support of corporate Barbados, the respective Governments of the day, the many volunteers who give selflessly of their time, the competitors who provide the spectacle and, of course, the spectators who create the atmosphere. On behalf of the Club, I say thank you to everyone for their contribution through the past 60 years.”

  While it has been superseded as the Club’s premier event, ‘The June’ remains a keystone of the calendar as the highlight of the Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship for off-road four-wheel-drive vehicles, and a victory is on many a competitor’s ‘bucket’ list. Of the 71 winners, navigational rally veterans Leslie Alleyne and Wayne Clarke have been battling for the record since Clarke became the first to claim five wins in 2010; since then he has added one more, but it is Alleyne’s seven – two as navigator, five as driver, achieved between 1996 and 2015 – that place him at the top of the table.

  Route-setters for this month’s anniversary event are Sean Gill, Robin Hinds, Clive Howell and Paul Marshall, the first two both multiple winners of ‘The June’. Along with his driving partner of the day, Andrew Mallalieu, Gill still holds the record for the highest number of wins in the shortest time frame – four within nine years, 1989 to 1997 – while Hinds also won from the navigator’s seat, with Prince Willock in 1994, then with David Stoute when they tied for victory in 2000 with Clarke and Chris Armstrong.

  The Sol 60th Anniversary June Safari, the only event in the Chefette Championship to run through the night, will feature four routes. Crew number one is scheduled to leave the start at the Applewhaites Plantation Yard, St Thomas, at 3.00pm on Saturday, the first route concluding with the Dinner Halt at Sol Speightstown, St Peter at around 7.00pm. Suitably refreshed, the crews will head in to the night, route two carrying them south to finish at Sol Redmans, St Thomas, before heading east to Sol Six Roads, St Philip, where route three will finish at around daybreak. The final route will lead the crews back to the Vaucluse Raceway, St Thomas, arriving at approximately 10.30am.

  The route-setters are still fine-tuning the event’s timing, with full details to be confirmed at the 7.00pm Briefing Meeting next Tuesday (June 20) at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) Club House at Searles, Christ Church, after which the entry list will be published. Entries opened on Monday (June 12) at Motorsport Services in Haggatt Hall and will close this Friday (June 16) at 3.00pm.

JUNE RALLY and JUNE SAFARI  Winners – 1957-2016

1957 BRC June Rally - DeLisle Jones/Donald Wiles (Standard Vanguard)

1958 BRC June Rally - Maryse Greenidge/Mimi Clavenade (Borgward Isabella)

1959 BRC June Rally - Victor Gill/Clyde Redman (MG TD)

1960 BRC June Rally - Ralph Branch/Trevor Davis (Volkswagen 1100)

1961 BRC June Rally - Victor Gill/Clyde Redman (Porsche)

1962 BRC June Rally - Peter Farmer/Raynal Farmer (Hillman Super Minx)

1963 BRC June Rally - Dobbie Douglas/George Brancker (Riley 1.5)

1964 BRC June Rally - Bobby Gill/George Stoute (MGB)

1965 Esso June Rally - Heinz Meyer/Andrew Medford (Fiat 600)

1966 Esso June Rally - Trevor Gale/Hon Robin Lewis (Triumph TR4)

1967 Esso June 500 Rally - Bill Mallalieu/John Sealy (Alfa Romeo Sprint)

1968 Esso June 500 Rally - Richard Cummins/Richard Rose (Holden Special)

1969 Esso June 500 Rally - 'Stumpy' Goddard/Andrew Medford (Hillman Hunter)

1970 Esso June 500 International Rally - Richard Cummins/Richard Rose (Singer Vogue)

1971 Esso June 500 Rally - David Barnard/John Bain (Fiat 128)

1972 Esso June 500 Rally - John Allamby/Michael Mahon (Dodge Avenger)

1973 Esso June 500 Rally - John Allamby/Michael Mahon (Dodge Avenger)

1974 Ziebart 300 June Rally - Basil Watkins/Andrew Phillips (Holden Torano)

1975 Gordon Spice Accessories June Rally - Jimmy Carter/Michael Spence (Datsun 160SSS)

1976 Electrolux June Rally - Basil Watkins/Richard Rose (Datsun 1200)

1977 BRC June Rally - Ronald Vieira/Donald Porter (Fiat 128)

1978 BRC June Rally - John Sealy/Bill Mallalieu (Fiat 127)

1979 Simpson Motors June Rally - Don Hunte/Garry Clarke (Skoda Estelle)

1980 Rothmans June Rally - Don Hunte/Garry Clarke (Skoda Estelle)

1981 Rothmans Silver Jubilee June 500 Rally – Roger Manning/David Edwards (Mitsubishi Galant)

1982 Rothmans June Rally - Richard Cummins/Richard Rose (Volkswagen Golf)

1983 Rothmans June Rally - Michael Atwell/David Barnard (Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo)

1984 Rothmans June Rally - Roger Manning/David Edwards (Mitsubishi Lancer GSR)

1985 Rothmans June Rally - John Corbin/Kevyn Yearwood (Toyota Starlet)

1986 Rothmans June Rally - Phil Talboys/Hal Hunte (Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo)

1987 Rothmans Esso June Rally - David Barnard/Kevyn Yearwood (Toyota Starlet)

1988 Esso June Rally - Roger Manning/David Edwards (Mitsubishi Lancer GSR)

1989 Esso June 500 - Andrew Mallalieu/Sean Gill (Toyota Starlet)

1990 Esso June 500 - Michael Gill/Stewart Gill (Toyota Starlet)

1991 Mobil Checkered Flag Car Shop June Rally - Don Hunte/Wayne Clarke (Hyundai Excel Turbo)

1992 Esso CIBC June Rally - Andrew Mallalieu/Sean Gill (Suzuki Swift GS)

1993 Esso Pirelli June Rally - Don Hunte/Wayne Clarke (Hyundai Excel)

1994 BRC June Rally - Prince Willock/Robin Hinds (Daihatsu Charade Tiger)

1995 BRC June Rally - Andrew Mallalieu/Sean Gill (Suzuki Alto)

1996 BRC June Rally - Geoffrey Noel/Leslie Alleyne (Suzuki Vitara)

1997 Esso Yokohama June Rally - Andrew Mallalieu/Sean Gill (Suzuki Vitara)

1998 BRC June Rally - Derek Roach/Stewart Gill (Mazda 323 GTR)

1999 BRC June Rally - Kurt Thompson/Peter Wilkie (Suzuki Vitara)

2000 BRC June Safari - Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Isuzu Pickup)

  & David Stoute/Robin Hinds (Mitsubishi L200)

2001 BRC June Safari - Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Isuzu Pickup)

2002 BRC June Safari - Peter Bradshaw/Derek Gill (Land Rover Series II)

  & Ian Warren/Robert Warren (Isuzu Pickup)

2003 BRC June Safari - Leslie Alleyne/Anna-Lee Alleyne (Mazda B2500)

2004 BRC 4 x 4 June Safari - Philip McConney/Kenny Croney (Suzuki Samurai)

2005 BRC 4 x 4 June Safari - Derek Gill/Kevyn Yearwood (Suzuki Samurai)

2006 Toyota BRC June Safari - Leslie Alleyne/Anna-Lee Alleyne (Mitsubishi Pajero iO)

2007 Esso Courtesy Garage 50th Anniversary June Safari - Philip McConney/Tyrone Moseley (Suzuki Vitara)

2008 Shelbury Construction June Safari - Barry Gale/Neil Barnard (Mitsubishi L200)

2009 Shelbury Construction June Safari - Darrin White/Robert Warren

2010 Shelbury Construction June Safari - Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux)

2011 Shelbury Construction June Safari - Trevor Manning/Leslie Alleyne (Toyota Hilux)

2012 Sol Go Further 55th Anniversary June Safari - Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Isuzu D-Max)

2013 Sol Go Further June Safari - Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux)

2014 Sol Go Even Further June Safari - Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Isuzu D-Max)

2015 Sol Go Further June Safari - Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Isuzu D-Max)

2016 Sol June Safari - Michael Ward/Warrick Eastmond (Suzuki Jimny)