The rising popularity of the FIA R5 category across Barbados has driven a sharp increase in four-wheel-drive entries for the 2026 edition of BCIC Rally Barbados, the island’s most prestigious motorsport competition. But for local motorsport enthusiasts, the fight for the two-wheel-drive (2WD) title remains one of the event’s most anticipated and fiercely contested attractions.
The history of 2WD success at the rally tells a story of consistent local dominance: since Roger Skeete claimed the last overall rally victory in a 2WD Peugeot 306 S16 back in 1997, 11 different drivers have taken home 2WD class honors. Leading that pack of champion drivers is Barry Mayers, who has notched six 2WD wins between 2001 and 2018 — one more than his brother Roger, who is forced to sit out this year’s event after sustaining an ankle injury.
Early signs from the 2026 BRC Shakedown Stages, held in March and the only competitive rally outing so far this year, point to an extraordinarily tight fight for the top spot. Mayers, who dominated all four afternoon stages in his rear-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta, put in a performance that cements his status as a title favorite. He ultimately finished second overall at the shakedown, just behind Rhett Watson in his BMW M3, with Nigel Reece rounding out the top three. Remarkably, less than four seconds separated the three frontrunners, hinting at the close competition fans can expect at the main event.
Watson enters the 2026 rally riding high after securing a record-breaking fourth BRC 2WD Championship last year, even as he dropped from 14th to 60th place in the overall standings at the 2025 BCIC Rally Barbados. This year, new rule changes have added an extra layer of challenge to the competition: on-route servicing between each three-stage loop is now banned, with only adjustments that drivers and co-drivers can complete using on-board equipment permitted. The new regulation has put a greater premium on car reliability than ever before.
An interesting new storyline enters the 2WD fold this year with Logan Watson, Rhett Watson’s brother, making the move back to 2WD competition after spending one season campaigning in the FIA R5 class. Following a year of reflection and preparation, during which he acquired a classic MkII Escort, Logan has already adapted smoothly to his return. He has posted competitive lap times matching those of Andrew Jones, the top 2WD finisher at the 2020 rally who has campaigned his own MkII Escort consistently for years.
While the overall 2WD top five rarely consists exclusively of drivers from the SuperModified 2 (SM2) subcategory, SM2 remains the largest class in the 2WD division, with no shortage of title contenders. Beyond the Watsons, two BMW entries are expected to challenge for the top: Suleman Esuf’s 4-litre V8-powered 1M and Mark Kinch’s M3 Compact.
Overseas victories in the 2WD class remain a rare occurrence: it has been more than 20 years since Martin Stockdale became the only non-local driver to claim 2WD top honors in his BMW M3, and international visitors have rarely cracked the 2WD top five since that win. This year, Irish driver Damian Toner was widely expected to challenge that trend, driving his MkII Escort, but a high-profile accident on the Circuit of Ireland earlier this month forced him to withdraw from the Barbados event.
With Toner out, Ireland’s Declan ‘The Milkman’ Gallagher will now lead the overseas charge, piloting his legendary Starlet. Boasting a decorated resume that includes multiple Irish championship titles, dozens of overall rally wins and podium finishes, and nearly 40 class wins to his name, Gallagher has the experience and skill to pull off an upset. Gallagher is on-island to oversee the car’s outing; New York-based Irish driver Barry McKenna, who drove the Starlet at the 2025 BCIC Rally Barbados, returned for another run this year, though he did not get the opportunity to log any seat time at the recent King of the Hill event. McKenna still put in a solid performance in 2025, finishing top 2WD in the Sunday Cup after encountering mechanical issues on the opening Saturday of the event.
Last year, attrition among top SM2 competitors allowed Gary Smith, who works with McKenna in New York, to climb to second in 2WD behind Roger Mayers, good for fifth overall in the 2WD standings. Smith is back to compete again this year, joined by former South-East Stages Champion Niall Fitzpatrick in his MkI Escort and first-time competitor Brian O’Neill, who brings a newly built MkII Escort to the event.