Micey Watches His Tail
Red Bull International RallySprint promises spectacular
action
The provisional entry for Saturday's (May 19) Red Bull International
RallySprint is already knocking on 50, and the final list
could well be more than 60 by the time the first wheel turns
in anger at the Vaucluse Raceway to start the seventh annual
Barbados Rally Carnival.
The entries already received promise island motor sport
fans a day of spectacular action, as lap record-holder and
acknowledged 'King of Vaucluse' Trevor 'Electric Micey' Manning
(Shell V-Power Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII) faces a mixture
of known and unknown quantities.
The known quantities are headed by Paul 'Surfer' Bourne,
himself a former lap record holder at the St Thomas facility,
and a man on the top of his form after a strong start to the
local rally season in his Plus-backed Subaru Impreza World
Rally Car. It will be Bourne's first visit to Vaucluse this
season, and he is determined to do well.
The unknown quantities are well-known by name, but arrive
with new machinery. At the end of 2005, Roger 'The Sheriff'
Skeete reverted to two-wheel-drive with a reincarnation of
his former Peugeot 306 Maxi, but he is expected to launch
himself back into Modified 8 with a bang on Saturday, at the
wheel of an ex-factory Havoline-backed Ford Escort WRC.
Skeete's absence from the venue has lasted even longer than
Bourne's, but it is unlikely that he has forgotten his way
round. That said, his focus may be somewhat divided on Sunday
by the presence of son Dane, who is sharing his Citgo/Goodyear
Peugeot 106 with Conor Roach.
Perhaps the most interesting entry, though, is that of popular
British competitor Kevin Procter, returning for his fifth
visit to Rally Carnival with a fifth different car; for 2007,
he arrives with the most successful ex-works Hyundai Accent
WRC of all . . . it was driven to fourth place in the 2001
Network Q RAC Rally by Alister McRae. While the former WRC
Accents are regular winners of national championship rounds
in the UK and Procter has already won a single-venue rally
in his recently-acquired Procters Coaches/ITC-backed example,
the two events of Rally Carnival will present a new challenge.
Three of his earlier Barbados cars are here, too - well,
at least parts of them. The dark horse of the British contingent
is Dave Bellerby: although this will be the first time he
has driven in competition here, he has been a regular visitor
to the island with Procter. Reigning British Rallycross SuperModified
Champion, at the wheel of a Lotus Exige, Bellerby's determined
driving style is well-suited to the ex-Procter Sapphire Cosworth,
which is now powered by the Millington Diamond engine which
used to sit in the stable's Puma 4 x 4 Evo.
Another popular driver from the north of England, Fred 'The
Builder' Davidson is back once again, his Deansbury Homes
Ford Escort Cosworth being the car that Procter drove on his
second visit to the island.
Further spice is added by the debut of Brett Clarke, who
steps up to four-wheel-drive for the first time, after achieving
Group wins in Modified 5; work continues on preparation of
his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5, in which he will use Saturday's
event for valuable seat time, prior to Rally Barbados the
following weekend.
With Vaucluse regulars such as Barry Gale (Dentyne Ice Mitsubishi
Lancer Evo VI) and Kirk Watkins (Abacus Builders Mitsubishi
Lancer Evo V) also in the mix, not forgetting the ever-popular
two-wheel-drive runners led by the BMWs of local ace Jonathan
Still and England's Martin Stockdale, Saturday at Vaucluse
promises fireworks.
Qualifying is slated for 10.00am, with the Group heats scheduled
for a 3.00pm start; the sun will have set long before the
Group Winners Handicap KnockOut begins. A prize-giving will
complete the day's activities.
The Red Bull International RallySprint (May 19) is the third
and final round of the Vaucluse Raceway RallySprint Cup and
a round of the BRC Driver's Championship. It is organised
by the Vaucluse Raceway Motor Sport Club and sponsored by
Red Bull.
|