All eyes on King of the Hill

A classic battle between local, regional and international rally drivers gets under way at Flow King of the Hill this Sunday.

Winners of Sol Rally Barbados 2019, Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew, will be hoping to start their title defence by claiming the Number 1 door plates for Sol Rally Barbados 2020 for their Subaru Impreza WRC S12, but they are not alone. Jamaica’s Jeff Panton and Mike Fennell Jr, who have four consecutive King of the Hill wins to their credit, return with a Ford Fiesta WRC, while adding Britain’s Rob Swann and Darren Garrod to the mix in a similar car sets the stage for a first-class battle and a thrilling day of sport for island fans.

The event returns to Stewart’s Hill, although the course is shorter for 2020, at 3.3 kilometres. In 2016 Panton shared the crown with Simon Jean-Joseph (Focus WRC08) after a rain-affected final run at Hangman’s Hill, then won twice again on the St Thomas course to equal Roger Skeete’s record of three in the Impreza S12 now campaigned by son Dane.

Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew

This year’s Zero Car driver Roger Mayers was the two-wheel drive (2wd) King of the Hill last year in his Toyota ‘WR’ Starlet, fifth behind Panton, Swann, Skeete the younger and Britain’s Kevin Procter (Fiesta) equalling the best overall finish for 2wd, first achieved by Ian Warren in the legendary Simpson Motors Suzuki Swift in 2010.

The provisional running order published today (October 23) lists the 43 starters in 13 classes, one more than last year, with clubman 3 attracting entries for the first time. Cars will run in reverse order of seeding, from clubman 1 up to WRC, with the first of four runs – two each before and after the lunch break – slated for 10.20 a.m. There is no practice run, with the fastest time deciding competitors’ finishing positions. The results of Flow King of the Hill will be used to seed Sol Rally Barbados 2020 – drivers who either don’t compete or fail to set a time will be seeded behind the last car in their class, unless safety considerations dictate otherwise. (RB)