Neil Armstrong and Barry Ward will carry start number 1 for Sol Rally Barbados 2013 next weekend after winning yesterday’s (Sunday) Scotiabank King of the Hill, the final shakedown before the Caribbean’s biggest annual motor sport International, in the Monster/Sol/Chefette/Digicel/Virgin Atlantic/Gunk/Hankook Tyres/Redline Fuels/Simpson Finance/Simpson Motors Suzuki SX4 WRC.
  On a day when rain threatened, but held off, thousands of motor sport fans and their families lined the 2.5-kilometre Luke Hill course in St Lucy, the island’s northern-most parish, for six hours of competition between nearly 90 cars, battling in 15 classes.
  Armstrong said: “We had a really good time today and were definitely pushing hard from the start. It was a bit of a task, when we saw early on that we were about two seconds off Paul Bird on such a short stage, but we knew where we could regain some of that time and we worked on it.”
  The practice run, which started shortly after 10am, was the only one of the four subject to any significant delays, following a number of incidents. Last year’s KotH winner, former UK National Rally Champion Paul Bird, set the pace, clocking 1m 19.30s, in the Frank Bird Poultry/Rapid Solicitors/Fuchs Titan Race Oils Ford Focus WRC08, 1.7secs ahead of Steve Perez (Kick Energy Drink Focus WRC07), another ex-UK Champion.
  Armstrong was third, eight-tenths adrift of Perez, but two previous local winners, Paul Bourne and Roger Skeete, both stalled on the line, so lay well down the order. Driving the Sol/Michelin/Simpson Motors/Da Costa Mannings Auto Centre Subaru Impreza WRC S12, Skeete said: “We had some launch control issues which we believe may be hydraulics, so have to do some problem solving there.” Bourne, troubled by alternator (solved) and gearshift (not solved) problems during the week, lost time all day, manual shifting in the Chefette/Banks/LIME/Castrol Focus WRC07, to finish 17th.
  On the first official run, Bird improved to 1:17.64, while Skeete posted a near-identical time to Bird’s practice run to jump to second (1:19.35), with Armstrong still third (1:19.61) and Perez (1:19.92) now fourth. All four improved on the second run, but the order remained the same, ready for the final run, with the top 10 in reverse order.
  Perez found another 1.3secs, which briefly promoted him to second, but a massive improvement of nearly 2.0secs to 1:16.73 launched Armstrong into the lead; Skeete improved also, sufficient to consolidate third place, then Bird’s final run was his slowest since practice, which he put down to dropping a wheel off the road early on the hill.
  Behind this four-way fight among the WRC-1 cars (those built after the end of 2003), the WRC-2 cars and the leading two-wheel-drives were scrapping for slots in the top 10. After the second official run, Britain’s Kevin Procter was fifth overall, back after a three-year absence in the CIBC-FCIB/Automotive Art/PowerMaster Batteries/Simpson Motors/Maxi Malta/Eaton’s Jerk Seasoning/Coaches2.com/Procters Coaches Impreza WRC S7, but an all-out final run from another former UK Champion Roger Duckworth (Intrinsys/Kumho Impreza WRC S6), promoted him to fifth, after early anti-lag issues. Procter slipped to eighth, while local Toyota dealer Roger Hill (Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC) made his only top 10 appearance of the day when it counted, finishing ninth.
  The short course cut the time gap between the WRC cars and top 2wds, five of them lying sixth to 10th after the second official run, the top four covered by less than 1sec: Josh Read (Stihl/Gliptone/Hankook/SDRR/Weetabix/Royal Purple/EZone/Coffee Bean Toyota Starlet), Roger Mayers (Chefette/Digicel/Pennzoil/Illusion Graphics/Hankook WR Starlet) – brother Barry was also 10th in the shared car - Ian Warren (Simpson Motors/Automotive Art Suzuki Swift) and Brett Clarke (Western Union Citroen C2).
  While Read improved on his third run time by nine-tenths, Mayers found a little over 1sec to end the day top 2wd and sixth overall, just two-tenths between them; and Warren (10th) also stayed in the top 10 finish, while Clarke slipped to 13th.
  More than half the 28 International crews entered finished in top three class positions, two really shaking up the local landscape. Reigning Modified 7 Champion Daryl Clarke (Honda Civic) was pushed harder than ever before by Irish newcomer Tommy Doyle (Renault Clio R3), four-tenths behind on the first official run. Clarke said: “I got a good surprise. I was not expecting the visitors to be so close so soon. This lit the fire behind me and I had to really drive much harder to stay ahead.”
  In M6, reigning Champion Neil Corbin (Starlet) had even more trouble, running second all day to the Clio Sports 1600 of Ireland’s Keith Power, finishing four-tenths behind. Corbin said: “It feels good to come second to a full spec S1600 car with a local machine. I am definitely looking forward to next weekend and having a fantastic fight.”
  Clubman also produced a good fight: Jeremy Croney (Peugeot 206) was fastest in practice, Trevor Mapp (Mitsubishi Mirage RS) in the first official run, then Conor Roach (Peugeot 106) in the second. On the final run, Roach found a further 1.1secs, but Mapp – returning to the sport after a 20-year lay-off, having previously competed against Roach’s father, Derek – dug deep to improve his previous best by 1.4secs and win by nine-tenths.
  In other classes, Avinash Chatrani (Mistubishi Lancer Evo VI) was the sole Group A runner, Geoff Noel (Evo XI) saved the best to last to win Group N, Rhett Watson (BMW M3) was dominant all day in SuperModified 12, Dane Skeete claimed a debut SM11 win in his Peugeot 306 Maxi, Rhett D’Andrade (Daihatsu Charmant) won SM9 and Sean Cox (Suzuki Swft Gti) M5. Greg Cozier (Escort MkII) won Historic, England’s Andrew Siddall (Ford Escort MkII) International Historic, while the Group B wins were shared between Geoff Ulyett (Nissan 120Y) and Ulsterman John Hardman (Nissan Micra).
Sol Rally Barbados 2013 (June 1/2) and Scotiabank King of the Hill (May 26) are organised and promoted by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007; title sponsors are the Sol Group and Scotiabank. Marketing partners are Simpson Motors, LIME, Automotive Art, Banks and Karcher; official partners are the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Barbados Tourism Authority, Tourism Development Corporation, Divi Southwinds Beach Resort, Geest Line and Virgin Atlantic Airways; associate sponsors are Chefette, Field Insurance, Glacial Pure, Little Switzerland, Redline Fuels, Stoute’s Car Rental and West Indies Rum Distillery.
For media information only. No regulatory value.
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web sites: www.rallybarbados.bb; www.barbadosrallyclub.com
Sol RB13-35a: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 27, 2013
SCOTIABANK KING OF THE HILL 2013
Results
Key to nationalities (competitor from Barbados unless shown): ENG – England; IRL – Republic of Ireland; NED – The Netherlands; NIR – Northern Ireland; SCO – Scotland; TRI – Trinidad & Tobago; WAL – Wales
1st Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (WRC-1 Monster/Sol/Chefette/Digicel/Virgin Atlantic/Gunk/Hankook Tyres/Redline Fuels/Simpson Finance/Simpson Motors Suzuki SX4 WRC), 1m 16.73s
2nd Paul Bird - ENG/Aled Davies - WAL (WRC-1 Frank Bird Poultry/Rapid Solicitors/Fuchs Titan Race Oils Ford Focus WRC08), 1m 17.07s
3rd Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (WRC-1 Sol/Michelin/Simpson Motors/Da Costa Mannings Auto Centre Subaru Impreza WRC S12), 1m 17.95s
4th Steve Perez – ENG/Paul Spooner – WAL (WRC-1 Kick Energy Drink Ford Focus WRC07), 1m 18.29s
5th Roger Duckworth - ENG/Alun Cook – WAL (WRC-2 Intrinsys/Kumho Subaru Impreza WRC S6), 1m 19.52s
6th Roger Mayers/Barry Mayers (SM10 Chefette/Digicel/Pennzoil/Illusion Graphics/Hankook WR Starlet), 1m 19.66s
7th Josh Read/Mark Jordan (SM10 Stihl/Gliptone/Hankook/SDRR/Weetabix/Royal Purple/EZone/Coffee Bean Toyota Starlet), 1m 19.88s
8th Kevin Procter – ENG/Dave Bellerby - ENG (WRC-2 CIBC-FCIB/Automotive Art/PowerMaster Batteries/Simpson Motors/Maxi Malta/Eaton’s Jerk Seasoning/Coaches2.com/Procters Coaches Subaru Impreza WRC S7), 1m 20.10s
9th Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (WRC-2 Esso/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC), 1m 20.41s
10th Ian Warren/Robert Warren (SM10 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art Suzuki Swift), 1m 20.90s
etc
WRC-1: 1st Armstrong/Ward; 2nd Bird/Davies; 3rd Skeete/Venezia; etc
WRC-2: 1st Duckworth/Cook; 2nd Procter/Bellerby; 3rd Hill/Gittens; etc
Group A: 1st Avinash Chatrani/Julian Goddard (Electric Avenue/iShop Barbados/PowerBass/Formula 1/Sign Station/1 of K Jeans/Niagra Waters Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 1m 26.42s
GpN: 1st Geoff Noel/Nigel Reece (Kick Energy Drink/Sentry Insurance Brokers/Automotive Art/CIAC Air Conditioners/Mix 96.9FM/Dewalt Tools Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 1m 23.91s; 2nd Andrew Mallalieu/Geoff Goddard (Terra Caribbean Subaru Impreza N10), 1m 24.00s; 3rd Martin Donnelly - IRL/Brian Docherty - IRL (Eire Concrete Inc Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 1m 26.93s
GpB1: 1st Geoffrey Ullyett/Jason King (Ullyett's Machine Shop/Algae-X/MG America Datsun 120Y), 1m 24.54s; 2nd Frans Verbaas – NED/Kees Hagman – NED (Verbaas Preparations/Koni Mini Cooper S), 1m 25.58s; 3rd Maurice Moffett – IRL/Jason McKenna – IRL (Maurice Moffett Ltd/Premier Welding Products/Haughey Metals/The Squealing Pig/MS Motorsport Toyota Starlet), 1m 26.36s; etc
GpB2: 1st John Hardman – NIR/Vishal Dhanraj - TRI (John Hardman Engineering/Chicken Pen Racing/PEC Tyres Nissan Micra), 1m 31.35s; 2nd Randy Reid/Antonio Charles (Double A Transport & Wrecker Service BMW 320i), 1m 32.04s; 3rd Andrew Costin-Hurley - ENG/Rob Brook - ENG (Earl’s Performance Hoses/Zeta Engineering Ford Puma) 1m 33.73s
SuperModified 12: 1st Rhett Watson/Sean Corbin (Oreo/Chips Ahoy!/Armstrong Agencies/Power King Batteries/Unknown Entity/Hankook Tyres/SpringBoard Marketing Platforms/In support of Little Pink Gift  BMW M3), 1m 23.06s; 2nd Owen Cumberbatch/Kelly-Ann Sandiford (SY Auto Parts/ACS Maintenance/Cool N World BMW M3), 1m 25.11s; 3rd Martin Atwell/Chris King (Meow Mix/Ullyett's Machine Shop BMW M3), 1m 26.93s; etc
SM11: 1st Dane Skeete/Tyler Mayhew (Rubis/Williams Trading Inc Peugeot 306 Maxi), 1m 24.10s; 2nd Andrew Jones/Mick Squires - ENG (Lucozade/AP Jones Pharmacy Ford Escort MkII), 1m 24.77s; 3rd Nigel Worswick – ENG/Lindsey Pilkington – ENG (Worswick Engineering Ford Escort MkII), 1m 26.24s; etc
SM10: 1st R Mayers/B Mayers; 2nd Read/Jordan; 3rd Warren/Warren; etc
SM9: 1st Rhett D’Andrade/Tristan Gibbs (Rent-A-Tool Daihatsu Charmant), 1m 33.67s; 2nd Danny O’Brien - IRL/Barry McNulty – IRL (Midtown Concrete Toyota Starlet), 1m 34.50s
Modified 7: 1st Daryl Clarke/Russell Brancker (Amir’s Fresh Chicken/Ellco/Mum’s Pasta/P & N Hardware/Robert’s Manufacturing Honda Civic), 1m 22.56s; 2nd Tommy Doyle - IRL/Liam Moynihan - IRL (McCormack Contracting Inc Renault Clio R3), 1m 23.67s; 3rd Norman Catwell/Kyle Catwell (Ellesmere Quarries/John Hardman Engineering/Elite Transmissions/Valvoline/Tec Tyres Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk2), 1m 27.97s; etc
M6: 1st Keith Power – IRL/Jonathan McGrath - IRL (Power Groundworks Renault Clio), 1m 26.18s; 2nd Neil Corbin/Matthew Staffner (Nassco/Jason Jones/Auto Solutions/Castrol/Emtage Electrical Toyota Starlet), 1m 26.63s; 3rd Jeremy Gonsalves/Chris Corbin (Makita/SSP/Champion Auto Wrecker/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Yamaha/John Hardman Engineering Opel Corsa), 1m 30.42s; etc
M5: 1st Sean Cox/Cody Foster (Simpson Motors/Gliptone/Johnsen’s Suzuki Swift Gti), 1m 37.95s; 2nd Paul Rees – WAL/Paul Briggs - ENG (‘Ali my wife’ Vauxhall Astra), 1m 39.68s
International Historic: 1st Andrew Siddall – ENG/Jamie Marsh (Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd/Kick Energy Ford Escort MkI), 1m 28.91s; 2nd Rob Weir - ENG/Ross Weir - ENG (Weir Laundry Equipment/H J Weir Engineering Triumph TR7 V8), Im 41.49s
Historic: 1st Greg Cozier/Natasha Farnum (Hyundai Lubricants/Barbados Historic Rally Carnival/Sailun Tyres Ford Escort RS2000), 1m 29.01s; 2nd Stuart White/Jason O’Neal (Lucky Locks BMW 325), 1m 31.32s; 3rd John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (Valvoline/Automotive Art/Prosales/Klarkodio/Corbins Garage Toyota Corolla), 1m 34.80s; etc
Clubman: 1st Trevor Mapp/Talia Mapp (Valvoline Lubricants/Automotive Art/Mackeson Stoute/Ellesmere Quarries/Chicken Pen Racing/Freekz Customz/Codgi's Customs Brokers Mitsubishi Mirage RS), 1m 35.24s; 2nd Conor Roach/Damien Johnson (Peugeot 106), 1m 36.12s; 3rd Jeremy Croney/Andrew Croney (Warren’s Lubricants/SRG Engineering/Sign Station/Sweet Temptations Peugeot 206), 1m 38.10s; etc
For media information only. No regulatory value.
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
web sites: www.rallybarbados.bb; www.barbadosrallyclub.com