The Barbados Rally Club (BRC) is poised to launch its competitive season this Sunday with the highly anticipated Shakedown Stages, featuring nine challenging routes across the island’s northern region. This closed-road rally event serves as the critical preliminary test for both local and international crews ahead of the premier BCIC Rally Barbados championship.
A formidable field of fifty-one vehicles will compete, led by top-seeded Jamaican driver Kyle Gregg in his Ford Fiesta Rally2. Gregg enters the competition with significant momentum, having secured victories in both last year’s BCIC RB25 and the BRC Winter Rally, achievements that earned him the 4WD Championship title. He now returns with a freshly redesigned livery on his championship-winning vehicle.
The competition features a robust twelve-car FIA R5 class—the event’s largest category—which dominates the top starting positions. Notable contenders include two-time Rally Barbados champion Dane Skeete in his Subaru Impreza WRC S12, starting third behind Gregg and Josh Read (Fiesta Rally2). The field deepens with Adam Mallalieu debuting a brand-new Fiesta Rally2 at fourth position, while five-time event winner Jeff Panton of Jamaica starts fifth in another Fiesta Rally2.
Adding to the drama, former Rally Club champion Stuart Maloney returns to home territory for the first time since his accident during BCIC RB25, starting sixth in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. His brother Mark follows closely in seventh position in a newly acquired Fabia RS Rally2. The top ten is completed by British driver Rob Swann, island veteran Roger Hill (both in Fabia Rally2 evos), and David Husbands in his Volkswagen Polo GTi R5.
The two-wheel drive category promises equally intense competition. SuperModified 2 front-runners Barry Mayers (Ford Fiesta) and reigning class champion Rhett Watson (BMW M3) lead the seeds at positions 12 and 14. They face formidable challenges from Suleman Esuf in his V8-engined BMW M1 and Logan Watson, who demonstrated impressive speed in his Ford Escort MkII during the recent Motoring Club Barbados Inc Spring Blaze 26 event.
Significant off-season developments include Ahmed Esuf joining his brother in SM2 class with V8-powered BMW M3, Chris Hoad advancing to Modified 3 in Ian Warren’s former BMW 325, and Jermin Pope upgrading to a newer generation Honda Civic previously driven by Geoff Noel.
The competition will unfold across two northern venues with the Service Park established at Conrad Hunte Cricket Ground in St Andrew. The morning segment features three runs from Lamberts to Pickering (3.50km) alternating with two stages from Swanns to Rock Hall (3.10km). Following the 2:15 p.m. restart, drivers will tackle reversed Pickering stages and two additional Rock Hall runs in the same direction. Organizers anticipate concluding the event approximately at 5:30 p.m., with prize ceremonies scheduled within the hour.