NASSCO NOVEMBER SAFARI TO SETTLE THE SEASON

Nassco is sponsoring the fifth and final round of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Chefette MudDogs Safari & Safari Novice Championships, which runs off this Sunday (November 8) in the central and northern parishes. The local Toyota dealer’s support for the BRC’s off-roaders is now in its eighth consecutive year.

Managing Director Roger Hill said: “Nassco Ltd is once again delighted to be supporting the MudDogs by sponsoring the Nassco November Safari. We hope that all the teams will have a challenging but enjoyable rally and wish them the best of luck."

Fourteen crews were confirmed at last night’s (Tuesday) Briefing Meeting at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) Club House at Searles, Christ Church, with three first-timers joining the ranks, one of whom will be the only female participant, Dean Springer’s new Navigator, Bridget Garity. MudDogs Chairman Ricky Holder said: “We are always pleased to welcome new competitors to the MudDogs family, and I wish them good luck and hope their involvement will encourage more competitors next season.”

The Nassco November Safari has been set by Biddy Barber and Nicholas Lorde, who is currently lying fourth in the points standings in the NL Engineering/Sam Lordes Inc Mitsubishi L200 Sportero, with Biddy’s son Brett as Navigator. The first crew is scheduled to leave the start behind the Fire Station at Four Roads, Airy Hill, St John at 8.01am on Sunday, with the lunch stop planned for Morgan Lewis, St Andrew, at around 11.30am and the finish at Country View, St Thomas. It is all Tulip navigation and there will be two Driver Challenges, at Morgan Lewis and Country View. The Prizegiving will be at the BCTSA Club on Tuesday, November 10 at 7.00pm.

Holder added: “I think this looks set to be a great way to end another very competitive season. The route-setters have promised an entertaining and challenging rally, which we’re told will also be very scenic. We wish everyone good luck.”

Having won the September Safari in the Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max, Leslie Alleyne and Chris O'Neal created a new MudDogs record, as the first crew to win three consecutive events overall since the BRC’s off-road navigational championship was launched in 2004; while they might be keen to extend their winning streak, they can expect strong competition.

Last year’s Nassco November Safari was won by former Champions Chris Armstrong and Wayne Clarke, appropriately in a Toyota Hilux, while Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins in the Birdies Restaurant Ford Ranger claimed their best result of a very consistent season in September – second, following seventh-third-third in earlier events – climbing to second in the Driver and Navigator standings. With the dropped score rule yet to be applied, the Chefette Championship is poised for an exciting conclusion.

Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship & Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Round 5 – November 8 – Nassco November Safari

Pro Class

1 George Mendes/Garry Mendes (G & G Sales & Services Inc Mitsubishi L200 Sportero)

2 Damien Johnson/Brandon Johnson (Western Union Suzuki Samurai)

3 Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Simpson Motors/Shell Spirax/Shell Rimula/Maxxis Isuzu D-Max)

4 John Pinto/Nicholas Branson (Paints Plus/Amsol GMC Sonoma)

5 Chris Armstrong/Wayne Clarke (Toyota Hilux)

7 Michael Ward/Warrick Eastmond (Regional Fire and Security/Automotive Art Daihatsu Feroza)

8 Julian Kirton/Dominic Straker (Kirts Connection Jeep Wrangler)

10 Wayne Manning/Willie Hinds (AS AutoStop Suzuki Samurai)

11 Dean Springer/Bridget Garity (Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger)

13 Nicholas Pinto/Jamal Brathwaite (Jeep Grand Cherokee)

14 Ben Norris/Kirk Watkins (Birdies Restaurant Ford Ranger)

Novice Class

6 Richard Hinkson/Kevin-Jon Manning (Goodyear Tyres Suzuki Samurai)

9 Christopher Haywood/Justin Corbin (Courtesy Garage & Rent a Car/ZNA/Tropical Battery/Windforce Tyres ZNA Rich)

12 Derek Pinto/Adam Hunte (Impulse Services Inc Toyota Hilux)

Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship Positions after round 4

Navigators 1st Chris O’Neal, 230 points; 2nd Kirk Watkins, 218pts; 3rd Garry Mendes, 214pts; 4th Brett Barber, 194pts; 5th Brandon Johnson, 192pts; 6th Warrick Eastmond, 184pts; 7th Willie Hinds, 172pts; 8th Wayne Clarke, 170pts; 9th Adam Hunte, 168pts; 10th Andrew Croney (Insurance Brokers & Solutions Inc Mitsubishi Pajero), 166pts; etc Drivers 1st Leslie Alleyne, 230pts; 2nd Ben Norris, 218pts; 3rd George Mendes, 214pts; 4th Nicholas Lorde, 194pts; 5th Damien Johnson, 192pts; 6th Michael Ward, 184pts; 7th Chris Armstrong, 170pts; 8th Derek Pinto, 168pts; 9th Derek Gill (Insurance Brokers & Solutions Inc Mitsubishi Pajero), 166pts; equal 10th Noel Edwards (Rubis West Indies/Barbarees Service Station Toyota Tundra) & Richard Hinkson, 144pts; etc

Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Positions after round 4 Navigators 1st Adam Hunte, 240pts; 2nd Kevin-Jon Manning, 172pts; equal 3rd Nicole Clarke & Nathan John (Suzuki Samurai), 58pts; 5th Kerry Renee (Sunshine Optimist Club Suzuki Samurai), 56pts; 6th Greg Gill (Suzuki Samurai), 54pts Drivers 1st Derek Pinto, 240pts; 2nd Richard Hinkson, 230pts; 3rd Alvin Leon (Suzuki Samurai), 114pts