The fifth running of the Barbados Rally2 Championship has already cemented its status as the most competitive iteration in the series’ history, with unprecedented parity among top contenders turning the title race into a nail-biting contest ahead of the final two rounds. After four completed rounds, the championship table reflects the sheer unpredictability of this season: three different drivers have already claimed round victories, and a total of six competitors have secured podium finishes. Most notably, just eight points separate the top three title hopefuls as the series enters its home stretch. Jamaican driver Kyle Gregg, piloting his Ford Fiesta Rally2, emerged as the biggest mover from the recent BCIC Rally Barbados 2026 double-header. A strong points haul across the two rounds catapulted him from fifth place in the overall standings up to third, reigniting his bid for the season crown.
Gregg’s path to BCIC RB26 was far from smooth. Just one week before the event, a crash on his opening run at the First Citizens King of the Hill left him scoreless, dropping him from second to fifth in the championship and 12 points adrift of current leader Stuart Maloney, the 2022 series champion. With a maximum 66 points still up for grabs across the remaining rounds, the double-header at BCIC RB26 was a make-or-break weekend for Gregg, who knows what it is to compete at the sharp end of the standings: he finished third overall in the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) championship in 2024, and claimed second place behind fellow Jamaican Jeff Panton last season.
The opening stage of BCIC RB26, the Friday night Riddara Bushy Park SuperSpecial, delivered its own share of drama. Mark Maloney, driving a Fabia RS Rally2, took the stage win, edging out his brother Stuart Maloney and Adam Mallalieu, who was also competing in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. Northern Ireland Tarmac champion Aaron McLaughlin, piloting a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, crossed the line in fourth, though as an overseas guest competitor he was not eligible to score championship points. Fifth place went to Jeff Panton, five-time winner of Rally Barbados, while 2024 Rally2 champion Josh Read (Ford Fiesta Rally2) finished sixth.
The Barbados Rally2 Championship will now go on a short break before returning to action on September 12, for the penultimate round of the season: the Rally of the Sun & Stars, the premier annual event hosted by the Motoring Club Barbados Inc. With the title race still hanging in the balance, all eyes will be on the top three contenders as they fight for every point to secure the 2026 crown.