Going to Barbados ….
Twice overall runner-up (but winner of the Historic Class each time), Jim McRae will be hoping for a third time lucky outing when he returns to the Barbados Historic Rally Carnival this coming August.
Partnered by Ian Grindrod, Jim will be driving a Francis Tuthill Porsche 911 saying: “The event is fantastic; the atmosphere is like rallying used to be in the UK 30 years ago.”
Ian’s first visit was on the 2011 event: “We were all made to feel very welcome and the organising team made it a truly memorable trip. Relaxed, to say the least. We also made many new friends, and that always helps to make an event special. I’m hooked.”
The McRae/Grindrod entry is supported by RUBIS, a French international brand with over 20
years’ experience distributing petroleum, aviation fuels, LPG and lubricants throughout Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.
The Barbados Rally Festival has been going for over 10 years now and for anyone not contesting a full season of championship rallying, it could well be worth considering.
The carnival comprises a Rallysprint at the start of the week with a rally at the end of the week, but the show lasts for fourteen days! That’s down to the pre-event, during-event and post-event partying which is apparently every bit as fiercely competitive as the driving!
At first glance it looks away expensive but when you look more closely it’s not that daft. For an Entry Fee of £5,500 you get your car shipped (and back again) from Portsmouth, third party competition and road insurance, two free return flights (for the crew from London), one double hotel room for 12 nights and free entry to all the social events.
Additional return flights can be booked from under 700 quid per person and vehicle hire for the duration starts from around 500.
Admittedly, travelling from Scotland adds more cost but think of it is a summer holiday with the rally car.
The 166 square miles of coral reef that comprises Barbados makes it a bit like Mull (340 sq. mls) – but with added sunshine, rum instead of whisky, and cou-cou in place of Tunnock’s Teacakes!