Popular international event to run between 15 and 28 AugustFive-times British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae has contested two Barbados Historic Rally Carnivals, finishing on the podium both times; his enthusiasm for historic rallying and broad experience have been of immense help to the Carnival organisers' work, ensuring that the 2013 event will be the best ever.
Competitors, their families and friends will enjoy 14 days in the sun, with top-level motor sport competition over two weekends: a RallySprint over the first weekend and an asphalt Historic Rally over some of the most challenging roads the Caribbean island has to offer on the second weekend.
While there is no time to 'hang about' during the two motorsport events, that is certainly not the case for the remainder of the Carnival experience.
There is ample time, both for rally recceing and for every sort of social activity Barbados offers, from beachtime 'Lime' by the gentle waters of the Caribbean Sea, through boat cruises, island tours and much more; the list is almost endless and Rally Carnival's traditionally well-organised, often impromptu, social activities will remain a big part of the reason why so many rally competitors have visited the island over the years.
More good news is the affordable entry cost: an all-inclusive fee of less than 5,500 [US$8,800] covers the cost of return shipping of one rally car from Portsmouth to Barbados, entry to the Historic Rally and the RallySprint, two return flights from London, one double hotel room for 12 nights and free entry to all Carnival social events. Rates on additional rooms and flights are also discounted for families, service crews and friends, all of which will be posted on the www.barbadosrallycarnival.com website shortly.
Key Carnival dates are:
Thu 15 Aug: Arrive Barbados; 'meet and greet' at hotel bar at 1700
Friday 16 Aug: Scrutineering at 1700; welcome party at 1900
Sat 17 Aug: RallySprint at noon; prizegiving party after
Sun 18 Aug: Beach Party and Hog Roast at noon
Mon 19 Aug: Recce
Tue 20 Aug: Recce
Wed 21 Aug: Rally briefing meeting and Party at 1900
Thu 22 Aug: Late scrutiny and unrestricted testing at 1500
Fri 23 Aug: Recce
Sat 24 Aug: Historic Rally at noon (1100 sign-on)
Sun 25 Aug: Historic Rally results posting and prizegiving at noon
Mon 26 Aug: Pack-up cars to ship out
Tue 27 Aug: Coaches from hotel to airport for trip home
Five of the 30 available overseas entries are already spoken for; please email Greg Cozier at greg@barbadosrallycarnival.com to register interest.
There are four classes of eligible cars: 'Historic' for modified two-wheel drive production cars marketed before 31 December 1967; 'Post-Historic' for modified two-wheel drive production cars marketed between 1 January 1968 and 31 December 1974; and the 'Classic' category for modified two-wheel drive production cars marketed between 1 January 1975 and 31 December 1981. Specific 'clubman' post-1981 classics, such as Peugeot 205s, Astras, Novas, Toyota SR5s and so on, are also allowed - see the regulations in full detail on the Historic Rally Carnival website: www.barbadosrallycarnival.com.
The final vehicle category is 'Group B', which caters for cars homologated into Group B by the FIA, plus Groups One, Two and Three cars not conforming to the technical regulations (like Irish 'Modified' cars); such cars are eligible for class positions, but not overall results.
Party! Party! Jolly Roger pirate ship - perfect after a day and night of rallying. . .
Improvements to the 2013 Historic Rally Carnival include a major boost to its organisational strength, with the arrival of Roger Allen as Marketing Manager. A very experienced motorsport professional and Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Roger was an engine man at Ford Motorsport Boreham, mastered in CAD suspension analysis at Cranfield University, worked in motorsport marketing for Ford and the British Grand Prix, before becoming General Manager for Mountune Race Engines until 2012.
Greg Cozier, founder of the Barbados Historic Rally Carnival, comments: "We started the Barbados Rally Carnival in 2001 as a bit of a craic and to bring some international exposure to our local rallying; we never really expected it to become as popular as it is and certainly never dreamed we could grow it to be a major international historic rallying event.
"The vast majority of the people who have helped to make the Rally Carnival what it is today are volunteers, so the unparalleled level of motorsport business expertise which Roger brings to the Carnival is a breath of fresh air. Not only does he happen to be a friend who has experienced Rally Carnival hospitality first-hand, but he is also a most welcome asset who will work with us to ensure that Carnival competitors will continue to get one of the very best experiences in historic rallying anywhere while we continue to grow."
