[1]The countdown to Sol Rally Barbados 2011, the Caribbean’s biggest annual motor sport international, steps up a gear in just over two weeks’ time (Sunday, May 8) when the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) stages the BRC Shakedown Stages, round three of the Club’s Virgin Atlantic Driver’s and Class Championships.
The opening of entries this week coincided with the re-launch of the BRC web site (www.barbadosrallyclub.com [2]), meaning competitors will be able to enter on-line for the first time for an event other than Sol Rally Barbados . . . and they are being urged to do so quickly by the organisers.
The Club’s PRO Neil Barnard said: “We are thrilled that the new site has come on line just in time for this event, and I am sure that it will help the entry process go more smoothly, something we have already found with our premier event.
“The timing for this rally is tight and the route compact, so it would have been extremely difficult to try to accommodate more than 60 cars. As we have close to 80 local entries for Sol Rally Barbados 2011, I strongly urge members to enter early.”
In addition to the on-line system, entries can also be made at Motorsport Services, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, where all entry fees must be paid before the closing time of 4.00pm on Friday, April 29. The running order will be published at the Briefing Meeting, which will be held at 7.00pm on Thursday, May 5, at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Sol Rally Barbados Chairman Barry Gale added further emphasis to Barnard’s comments: “Local competitors who may be new to this event are reminded of the ASRs, which state that inexperienced drivers (those that have never driven in a special stage rally), are required to drive in at least one such event before they will be considered eligible for Sol Rally Barbados.
“The Shakedown Stages is the last opportunity to fulfil this requirement, so people who fall into the above category should definitely either be logging on to the competitor section of our new web site, or making their way down to Motorsport Services if they want to meet the eligibility requirements!”
The BRC Shakedown Stages will start at 9.00am on Sunday, May 8, with competitors required to arrive no later than 7.30am; subject to permission, the service area will be in the Colleton Plantation Yard, St John, which will also be the venue for the start, lunchtime break, finish and post-event Prize-giving and lime.
The total stage distance is around 60 kilometres, with the morning stages in three loops of two, Colleton to Cliff followed by Padmore Village to Three Houses; after lunch, the stages will be reversed and run Cliff to Colleton followed by Three Houses to Padmore, with just one service break mid-afternoon.
Barbados Rally Club launches new web site
A year after the official Sol Rally Barbados web site was re-launched to coincide with the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) 20th Anniversary running of its inaugural International All-Stage Rally, the Club’s own web site – www. barbadosrallyclub.com – has undergone a total revamp, just in time to receive on-line entries for the BRC Shakedown Stages.
Like the Rally Barbados site, it is entirely the work of local companies: it has been completely redesigned by Cherie Edghill of local graphics and marketing consultants 809 Design Associates, and will be run by Caribbean New Media, which has been involved in the Club’s internet strategy from the start, and webmaster Sean Chandler.
The site bears a family resemblance to its Rally Barbados counterpart, with easy navigation between sections dealing with the interests of competitors and casual visitors. On-line entries will be available for all Club events, including the MudDogs off-road activities, there are pdf downloads of important documents, while a history and statistics section deals with the background to the Club, which was founded in 1957.
Club PRO Neil Barnard says: “We have been working towards re-launching the site for some long time and I am thrilled that, with everyone at 809 and CNM pulling together in these past weeks, we have managed to do so now. To be honest, there are some elements of it – particularly in the history and statistics sections – that remain a work in progress, as 50-plus years is a lot of history to document.”
Sol Rally Barbados (June 4/5, 2011) and Shell V-Power King of the Hill (May 29) are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007; Sol RB2011 is the 22nd running of the Club’s annual International All-Stage Rally and marks the start of a second three-year term of title sponsorship by the Sol Group, the Caribbean’s largest independent oil company.
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web site: www.rallybarbados.bb
