One week after a dramatic, rollover crash at a pre-event shakedown competition, defending Rally Barbados champions Kyle Gregg and co-driver Kreigg Yearwood are confirmed to line up for the start of BICIC Rally Barbados when the iconic motorsport event kicks off this Friday with the Riddara Bushy Park Super Special stage.
Rumors had swirled in local motorsport circles over whether the pair would be able to compete, after widely circulated footage of their high-speed crash at last Sunday’s First Citizens King of the Hill event showed their vehicle overturn and sustain severe chassis damage – though both competitors walked away from the incident completely unhurt. Sources close to the team have confirmed to Barbados TODAY that rapid repair work on their Ford Fiesta Rally2 has proceeded on schedule, clearing the way for their entry.
Rally director Neil Barnard confirmed the updated entry list in an interview with Barbados TODAY following the mandatory pre-event competitor briefing on Wednesday, adding that another driver involved in last weekend’s crash, Jamaica’s Frasier McConnell, will also compete after sourcing a replacement ride. McConnell will pilot a R5-spec Skoda Fabia this year, stepping in for his heavily damaged original Mitsubishi Evolution that was written off in the Sunday rollover.
Beyond the last-minute entry adjustments, this year’s running of Rally Barbados brings back a fan-favorite format that hasn’t been featured on the event calendar in years: mixed day-and-night stage action. Barnard explained that through the event’s first 15 years, it was standard to run a marathon 12 to 15-stage Saturday schedule that extended well into the evening, before organizers shifted to an all-daylight format with only limited Friday night competition. For 2024, organizers are revisiting that classic format without reviving the punishing 10 to 12 hour full-day grind, adding a small set of twilight stages to Saturday’s running to bring back the unique skill challenge of after-dark rallying.
Organizers are projecting record crowds to turn out across the island for the weekend’s racing, and Barnard shared his top picks for spectator viewing locations across all three days of competition. For Saturday’s running, Barnard highlighted the Automotive Art Padmore stages as an unbeatable option for fans, noting the large open areas south of Bushy Park offer free unrestricted access and ample convenient parking for spectators. On Sunday, multiple accessible vantage points avoid the congestion and road access issues common at popular stages, with the corridor between Cherry Grove and Culleton ranked among the best. Areas around Easy Hall and Malvern also offer solid viewing, but Barnard said the event’s closing Sunday stage – which runs from Three Houses to a finish line inside the Bushy Park circuit, directly ahead of the awards podium ceremony – offers the most comfortable experience for casual fans.
Last Sunday’s King of the Hill pre-event, which served as a warm-up for many competitors, crowned Britain’s Joe Cunningham and co-driver Kari Bates overall champions, with Suleman Esuf and Asif Suleman taking the top spot in the two-wheel drive class.
With defending champs Gregg and Yearwood recovering from their crash, a deep competitive field including 2024 class champions Stuart Maloney and Kristian Yearwood, and the withdrawal of leading two-wheel drive contender Roger Mayers, Barnard says this year’s event is one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. “It’s one of the most open rallies that we’ve seen, whether it’s for outright runners, four wheel drive or two wheel drive competitors, and I think that it’s going to be closely fought,” he explained.
Forecasters are calling for dry conditions across the rally route, a factor that should level the playing field for all competitors, but even with that clarity Barnard says predicting a winner is far from certain. “The weather forecast is for a dry rally, which is a good thing, but honestly, you’d be a brave man to bet on who’s going to win,” he concluded.