Wednesday 21, April-2004

by Trevor Thorpe

No injuries, but a badly damaged car. That was the outcome of a racing accident during the second day’s racing of the Barbados Auto Racing League at Bushy Parkon Sunday.

It happened during an Automotive Art Group 3 race with two laps completed when Kirk Worrell, in the C&W Toyota Starlet, ran wide at the Hammer bend and Chris Parkinson, in a similar car made contact with each other and Parkinson was launched into a series of rolls and ended in the nearby field, the car badly damaged.

He was unhurt, but it was disappointment for the driver who had only recently prepared the car. He took no further part in the day’s action, but Worrell was able to effect repairs and return later.

A race for the top-class competitors, it was eventually won by defending champion driver Stuart Williams, in the Leeson Moe-prepared Williams Industries/Castrol Toyota Starlet, who also made a clean sweep of the races allotted to Group 3C. He was followed home by the experience Doug Maloney in a well-prepared Peugeot 306 S16 and Trevor Whitehall in a Castrol Toyota Starlet.

At the same time, Wayne Clarke in a Mazda RX7, won 3A, while the Group 3B winner was Simon Gillmore in the DHL Worldwide Express/SRG Engineering Peugeot 205 GTI.

After experiencing mechanical problems Whitehall was side-lined, but this did not detract from the excitement as Williams and Maloney engaged each other in what turned out to be one of the best races this year.

Williams led off the start line, but Maloney passed him as they came out of the Hammer bend. However, Williams fought back and took the lead only to be overtaken by the veteran driver, who was having a good day.

Maloney took the lead again and held it for two laps, but Williams reclaimed it on lap three, and held on for a well earned victory.

Monty Farnum in a Hyundai Pony, Nigel Brown in the West ‘N Motors/Motoring s Nissan, and Wesley Coombes in a VW shared the honours in Digicel Group 1B, with good drives coming from Alex Whitehead in a Nissan and William Jones, also in a Nissan.

Former champion driver Arron Parris accounted for two wins in Group 2A, while Greg Catwell in a Moe-Works Nissan took two wins in Group 2B after fending off strong challenges from Kenrick Husbands, Simon Gillmore, Kurt Thompson and Steven Watson.

Mechanical problems of varying kinds robbed fans of an exciting HOTT FM Handicap, but saw William Jones lead from the start and held on to win from a fast-finishing Charles Lynch in a Nissan, and Kenrick Husbands, who had clawed his way up from 11th position from the start. Doug Maloney finished fourth after aflat tyre had forced out Williams earlier in the race. View results

Compliments of the Nation News

Sporting islands

Caribbean rally racing

Revs up for Rally Barbados-

Saturday 29, May-2004

by Trevor Thorpe

Defending champion Paul Bourne and nine-time winner Roger Skeete head a total of 90 drivers to face the starter in the Rally Barbados which will start at Simpson Motors, Warrens, today at 9 a.m. and continues tomorrow.

Of the 90 starters, 54 are from Barbados and eight from the region, including Jamaica’s championship leader Greg Gregg and his compatriot and former champion driver Jeff Panton who will this year be partnered by Justin Morin. Read more

BARBADOS