NAVIGATIONAL SEASON GETS UNDER WAY

The success of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) first navigational championship in 2004 looks set to be repeated this year. Nearly 30 crews are expected to line up for the opening round of this season's Ruf 'N' Tuf BRC 4x4 Navigational Championship, which is scheduled for a 2.00pm start this Saturday (February 26).
And the good news goes beyond the healthy entry. The popularity of last year's championship has also attracted an increase in sponsorship; this weekend's event, titled the Toyo Tires 4x4 Safari, is sponsored by McEnearney Quality, and will start from the company's Wildey premises in St Michael.
Competitors will face a challenging route of approximately 85 kilometres, set by two of the BRC's leading exponents of the art of navigation, Kenny Croney and Philip McConney. Croney was the inaugural champion navigator last year, while McConney finished second overall in the driver's championship.
Crews will tackle the tracks and gullies of St Michael, St George, St Philip, Christ Church and St John, finishing at Kendal Plantation Yard, St John, at around 8.30pm. Both BRC and Tulip-type navigation will be used.
The entry has quantity and quality, potential front-runners including a number of family crews: father and son Stephen and Roger Mayers (Toyota Hilux), mother and son Biddy and Brett Barber (Daihatsu Feroza), brothers Ian and Robert Warren (Isuzu) and the husband and wife partnership of Leslie and Anna-Lee Alleyne, who have switched to a Suzuki Samurai.
New to the championship is reigning BRC Champion Driver Barry Gale, who is forsaking his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI for a Mitsubishi L200; his navigator will be Neil Barnard, who is currently without a rally car, having sold his Opel Corsa GSi to James Betts.
There is a good entry in the Novice class, too, including championship sponsor Mark Sabga of Barbados Industries Ltd, who will have Kreigg Yearwood sitting alongside him in his Kia Sportage.

Toyo Tires 4 x 4 Safari, February 26
Ruf 'N' Tuf BRC 4 x 4 Navigational Championship, round 1
Provisional entry *

Pro class
2 Keri-Dawn Watkins/Lisa Roett (Toyota RAV 4)
3 Mark Western/Robin Hinds (Suzuki Samurai)
4 Biddy Barber/Brett Barber (Daihatsu Feroza)
5 Derek Gill/Kevyn Yearwood (Suzuki Samurai)
7 Stephen Mayers/Roger Mayers (Toyota Hilux)
8 Jeremy Croney/Geoffrey Goddard (Suzuki Samurai)
10 Chris Beckley/Warren Gollop (Mitsubishi Pajero)
11 Ryan Wood/Darren White (Mitsubishi Pajero)
14 David Lewis/Harcourt Hinkson (Nissan)
16 Barry Gale/Neil Barnard (Mitsubishi L200)
18 Warrick Eastmond/Dwayne Nurse (Suzuki Samurai)
20 Leslie Alleyne/Anna-Lee Alleyne (Suzuki Samurai)
22 Peter Bradshaw/Chris O'Neal (Land Rover Series 11)
24 Noel Edwards/Jason Downey (Suzuki Vitara)
25 Ian Warren/Robert Warren (Isuzu)
26 Paul Marshall/Ian Huston (Mitsubishi L200)
Novice class
1 Philip Gooding/Marva Clarke (Mazda)
6 Kevin St Hill/Jailia Parris (Mitsubishi Pajero)
9 David Fenty/Lisa Sealy (Mitsubishi L200)
12 Mark Sabga/Kreigg Yearwood (Kia Sportage)
13 Simon Goodridge/Enrico McConney (Toyota Hilux)
15 Sean Gibbs/Kerri Gibbs (Toyota Hilux)
17 Gregory Dickenson/Anna-Marie Dickenson (Toyota Hilux)
19 David St Hill/Christopher Gajadhar (Mitsubishi Pajero)
21 Curtis Greaves/Jamal Brathwaite (Suzuki Samurai)
23 Mark Mayers/Sally Mayers (Suzuki Samurai)
27 Kirk Phillips/Kristian Yearwood (Suzuki Vitara)

* late entries will be accepted at AutoZone until close of business Friday

For further information, robin@bradfax.com