MUDDOGS MAKE READY FOR CHEFETTE APRIL SAFARI

  For the second qualifying round of the 2013 season, the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship returns to its roots: when the Club gave Championship status to its navigational events for the first time in March 2004, the opening event was set by Jason Downey and Richard ‘RC’ Daniel . . . and Downey returns to reprise his role for the Chefette April Safari on Saturday, April 13.   Being staged just four weeks since the March Safari launched the Championship’s 10th season, the second round looks set to keep competitors on their toes. BRC MudDogs Chairman Darnley Rayside notes: “Jason is trying his best to find parts of Barbados that have not been burned, if that’s possible! He is promising a great event, with lots of fun tricks and a few challenges. Jason and ‘RC’ were the ones who set the first MudDogs Safari, which I understand from competitors was not only tricky, but also very entertaining. I am hoping for much the same from Jason this time round.”   Downey’s 2004 event was not only a testing one for competitors, but also for the results crew, who had to resort to the rule book to resolve a dead heat, after what had been a very competitive day’s sport. At the finish, Derek Gill and Kevyn Yearwood (Suzuki Vitara) were tied on 300 penalties with Lindsay Farmer, who had been a prime mover in the BRC’s determined efforts to revive navigational rallying, and Rhett Watson (Mercedes) – Gill/Yearwood, however, had covered more of the route before incurring their first penalties, so got the nod.   The 2013 Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship for Drivers is currently being led by Leslie Alleyne, who finished third behind Gill/Yearwood and Farmer/Watson in that 2004 event, 100 penalties adrift, when his Navigator was wife Annalee; currently, Chris O’Neal is in the left-hand seat.   While Downey is keeping details of the route close to his chest, the Chefette April Safari will start at Chefette Wildey, St Michael. The first crew is scheduled to leave at 3.00pm for route one before the Dinner Stop at Sand Dunes, St Joseph; crews then head back west towards the Finish at Chefette Warrens, St Michael, at approximately 11.30pm.   Entries are now open at Motorsport Services in Haggatt Hall and will close next Tuesday (April 9) at noon; the Briefing Meeting will be at 7.00pm the same evening, at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association Club House at Searles, Christ Church, after which the entry list will be published. The Prizegiving for the Chefette April Safari will be held at the same venue on Monday, April 15, once results are made final.   The pricing structure for competitors remains the same as last year: entry fee $45.00, insurance $40.00, Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) annual restricted licence fee $60.00; in addition, BRC membership fees are $200.00 for annual subscription or $50.00 for temporary membership. Late entries will attract a penalty.   Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship Positions after round 1 Drivers & Navigators 1st Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (Simpson Motors/Rimula Lubricants/Spirax Lubricants/Sol Isuzu D-Max), 60 points 2nd Audley Croney/Jeremy Croney (Arthur’s Electrical/CC Motorsports Suzuki Vitara), 58pts 3rd Mark Western/Robin Hinds (Kar Parts Store/GWS Nissan Patrol), 56pts 4th Adrian Sinckler/Andre Murrell (Suzuki Samurai), 54pts 5th Gregory Dickenson/Rorie McConney (Toyota Hilux), 52pts 6th Dominic Straker/Ben Norris (Land Rover Discovery), 50pts 7th Wayne Manning/Willie Hinds (AMAT Trading Suzuki Samurai), 48pts 8th Damien Johnson/Corey Williams (Western Union Suzuki Samurai), 46pts 9th Joshua Plaza/Rashid Nakhuda (Boston Jerk Pit/Auto Solutions Suzuki Samurai), 44pts 10th Noel Edwards/Jason Downey (Esso Barbarees Hill/GWS Nissan Patrol), 42pts etc   Chefette MudDogs Safari Novice Championship Positions after round 1 Drivers & Navigators 1st Johnson/Williams, 60pts 2nd Plaza/Nakhuda, 58pts 3rd Nicholas Pinto/Jamal Brathwaite (Jeep Grand Cherokee), 56pts   Forthcoming events Round 2 - April 13 – Chefette April Safari May Day MudFest - May 1 Round 3 - June 29/30 – Sol Go Further June Safari Round 4 - September 15 - BRC MudDogs September Safari Round 5 - November 10 - Nassco November Safari   For media information only. No regulatory value.   For further media information, robin@bradfax.com Web sites: www.barbadosrallyclub.com, www.muddogsbarbados.com