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Some of the island’s leading rally crews will go head-to-head at Bushy Park Barbados on Saturday (June 3) at The Rally Show, which will include a competitive element for the first time. In an echo of this year’s innovative Sol Rally Barbados safety video, the Carter’s Shopping Cart Challenge will allow them to let off some steam in a fun environment ahead of the island’s two biggest annual weekends of motor sport, First Citizens King of the Hill (June 4) and Sol Rally Barbados 2023 (Jun 9-11).
With co-drivers seated in the trolley and drivers pushing, the test will demand skill, energy and dexterity as the crews negotiate an intricate course around cones and tyres, with donuts to entertain the crowd. The drivers will be Carter’s Pitstop-sponsored Sean Corbin and Ryan Wood, plus others including Barry and Roger Mayers, Logan and Rhett Watson and Jason Tull.
More than 80 local, regional and international rally cars, 10 of them entered in Sol Rally Barbados for the first time, will be on static display . . . except when six of them take to a short purpose-designed rally stage to give passenger rides to lucky prize-winners of social media competitions in recent weeks. While many sponsors will already have showcased their teams at pre-event limes or revealed new liveries on social media, the Rally Show offers the only chance for local fans to see all the cars entered for the 33rd running of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) premier event gathered in one location.
Hosted for the second year at Bushy Park, the Show will run from 2.00pm to 6.00pm, with competition prizes, giveaways and a Kids Zone to keep the whole family engaged while the ‘petrol-heads’ enjoy unrivalled access to the cars and their crews. There will be sponsor competitions aplenty, with big prizes to be won in the bean bag toss and spin the wheel at Carter’s, a Virtual Reality Game at First Citizens and giveaways, merchandise and fun for patrons at Automotive Art, Chefette and Sol.
Promoting the theme Motorsport Island, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) will have a major presence with a Chattel House pop-up shop selling merchandise, while local importers Nassco and Platinum Motors will be displaying their ranges of Toyota and Honda vehicles respectively. The Rally Club stand is where patrons need to go for a free copy of the event’s 32-page Official Programme, with the Women in Motorsport booth nearby furthering the Barbados Motoring Federation’s (BMF) efforts to promote more inclusivity in the sport.
The Main Stage, located backing Gaskin Road and looking south across the show, will be the focal point of a series of interviews with drivers, special guests and sponsors, with the chance for fans to get closer to their idols and collect autographs. Cultural content includes the drums and steel pans of the First Citizens Rally Show Riddim Tribe, who will perform twice, joined in their second show by a stilt walker, dancers and shaggy bear.
A wide range of food and beverage booths will circle the display area, including Sol & Sunshine Snacks, smoked meats and fries from Bearded Hog, the Frosteez ice cream truck, Happy Tacos, Heavenly Flavours with Bajan cuisine such as souse and pig tails, Mike’s Rum Punch, bakery produce from Purity, Santia’s popcorn and cupcakes, West India Coffee and Zak’s Fish Cakes.
Co-ordinator Carrie Corbin says: “Since first moving The Rally Show to Bushy Park last year, we have changed the layout to create a central display area for the rally cars with the exhibitors, sponsor booths and food and beverage tents all facing in. I’m pleased to say we have more exhibitors and, thanks to help from Bushy Park, some lucky prize-winners will get to experience the thrill of a passenger ride on a short stage just below the spectator area, so everyone can watch the action as well. And the Carter’s Shopping Cart Challenge promises to be one whole lot of fun, so if you're a rally fan, or just enjoy a good lime, The Rally Show is the place to be on Saturday.”
Pedestrian access to The Rally Show, which is laid out in the main spectator area on The Hill overlooking the Clubhouse Straight, will be through Gate 3 off Gaskin Road, with parking outside the perimeter fence; there will be no access through the Pit Gate. Admission is Bds$5 for adults, children 11 and under are free.
Sol Rally Barbados (June 9-11) is a tarmac rally, with 20 special stages run on the island’s intricate network of public roads, under road closure orders granted by the Ministry of Transport, Works & Water Resources; First Citizens King of the Hill (June 4) runs under a similar arrangement and features four timed runs on a four-kilometre stage, the results of which are used to seed the running order for Sol RB23.
For media information only. No regulatory value.
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com [3]
www.rallybarbados.net [4]; www.barbadosrallyclub.com [5]
Facebook/BarbadosRallyClub; instagram/@barbadosrallyclub
