TEXACO CONTINUES BRC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP DEAL

For the second year, Texaco West Indies Limited will support the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) through sponsorship of the five-round Texaco BRC Rally Championship. By awarding points for overall success, rather than class position, this championship focuses on those front-running teams with the potential for outright victory and encourages and rewards that combination of attack and consistency that is the hallmark of true champions.
In addition to its title sponsorship of the BRC Rally Championship, Texaco will also once again sponsor the Texaco Sunday Cup on the second day of Rally Barbados, which will run over the weekend of June 3/4.
Andrea Gooding, Texaco's brand marketing specialist - Eastern Caribbean, said: "Texaco's association with the Barbados Rally Club dates back more than 10 years and we are very pleased to renew that relationship by supporting the BRC’s championship again this year. We hope that our continued support will enable the Club to further establish it as the region’s most important Rally Championship.
The Texaco BRC Rally Championship is the Club’s premier competition; a compact series, it comprises five rounds between March and October, all organised by the BRC. There are three one-day rallies – the first is next Sunday (March 12) - plus the two days of Rally Barbados 2006, which count as separate events.
More than 40 drivers scored points in the inaugural Texaco BRC Rally Championship last year; after victory in the opening round, Trevor Manning was the early championship leader at the wheel of the Shell Helix/Courts/Automotive Art/Kerridge/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, maintaining his advantage despite finishing second to Roger Mayers in round two.
The latter’s dominant performance in the Trivial Pursuit/McEnearney Quality Ford Focus WRC on the first day of Rally Barbados, however, allowed him to edge ahead in the championship table, a position he consolidated with victory on day two. Mayers finished second in the final round to become the first Texaco Champion.
Mayers beat Manning to the title by a margin of six points, with Roger Hill finishing in third place, a further five points behind Manning in the Mobil 1/Nassco/Motormac/Michelin Toyota Celica GT4. Meanwhile, younger brother Barry in his Trivial Pursuit/Nassco Toyota Starlet claimed an impressive overall victory in the final round, then walked off with the year-end awards for fourth place, highest-placed two-wheel-drive car and Texaco Star of the Championship.
BRC competition secretary Barry Gale said: "One of our aims with last year’s new format was to curtail the steady expansion of the motor sport calendar, and the attendant cost. Running just five spectator-friendly events certainly helped concentrate the interest of the fans, and was welcome by competitors, too.
"One aspect of the championship that particularly pleased me was that two drivers from outside Barbados – Jamaican John Powell and Steve Olliviere from St Vincent – registered to compete. That speaks volumes for the status of the Texaco championship, and I am delighted to say that we already have at least one new enquiry from Jamaica about competing here this year", added Gale.

Texaco BRC Rally Championship - qualifying rounds:
Mar 12 Round 1 – BRC March Gravel Challenge
Apr 9 Round 2 – BRC Carnival Warm-up Tarmac Rally
June 3/4 Rounds 3 & 4 - Rally Barbados 2006
Oct 22 Round 5 – BRC Last Call Gravel Stages
* drivers will count their scores from all rounds

Texaco BRC Rally Championship - points system:
Points will be awarded at each round on the following scale:
1st, 15 points
2nd, 12 points
3rd, 10 points
4th, 9 points
5th, 8 points
6th, 7 points
7th, 6 points
8th, 5 points
9th, 4 points
10th, 3 points
all other finishers, 1 point
All scores will count toward a driver’s year-end total

For further information, robin@bradfax.com