Crews prepare for ‘Donks’ September Safari

The Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) off-road navigational fraternity will remember one of the Club’s stalwarts this Sunday when the fourth round of the Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship is named in honour of Philip McConney, whose sudden passing in July was a shock to the whole community. The ‘Donks’ September Safari is titled for the affectionate nickname by which he was known in motor sport across the island for many years.

‘Donks’ had been a competitor, marshal and official for more than 30 years and there was rarely a motor sport event from which he was absent. Most recently, he had been the Start and Service Park Co-ordinator for Sol Rally Barbados 2022 (RB22), spending many hours working at The Rally Show, First Citizens King of the Hill and then RB22 itself, before enjoying the other side of the sport as a participant in the 65th Anniversary running of the June Rally, an event he had won twice.

Twelve crews were confirmed at last night’s briefing meeting at Ocean Park, Christ Church, where it was also announced that the plaques and trophies for Sunday’s event are being sponsored by Realtors Ltd and Serenity Pest Control. All of the leading championship contenders are entered, headed by multiple champions Leslie Alleyne and Chris O’Neal, who have an unbeaten record so far this season in the POD Store/Maxxis Suzuki Jimny they debuted on the March Safari.

Keen to challenge their supremacy are Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins (Jeep Rubicon), who finished second in both March and May, and Christopher King/Warrick Eastmond, who will be starting at number one in their Suzuki Jimny. In Class B, Adam Hunte and Samantha Gibbs have claimed two wins in the Doverwood Projects Mitsubishi L200, while Ben Moore, who was the winning navigator in ‘The June’ with first-timer Greg Cozier is paired up with his father Stephen for Sunday’s event in the Moore & Moore Services Isuzu D-Max.

Route-setters are Jason Downey and Kristina Pinto, more usually seen these days rallying together in a BimmaCup. Sunday’s route is concentrated in the centre and south-east of the island, visiting Christ Church, St George and St John after starting at Oughterson in St Philip at 8 a.m. There will be one Driver Challenge towards the end of Route 1 close to Foursquare in the same parish, with the lunch break at the Armag Vegetable Depot at approximately 11 a.m. and the finish back at Oughterson at around 4 p.m. The results will be declared at the Prizegiving on Tuesday evening (September 20) at Ocean Park, Christ Church.

MudDogs chairman Ricky Holder said: “This will be our first event without Donks for as long as we can remember, either as a marshal or competitor. We had all worked together at King of the Hill and Rally Barbados, then he finished seventh in ‘The June’ with Willie Hinds as navigator. Throughout all of that, he was his usual cheery self, so his passing was such a shock. We all miss him and will be thinking of him over this weekend.”

Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship

Round 4 – September 18 – ‘Donks’ September Safari

Class A

1 Christopher King/Warrick Eastmond (Suzuki Jimny)

4 Stephen Mayers/David Reece (Toyota Hilux)

5 Willie Hinds/Wayne Manning (Black Bess Group Suzuki Samurai)

7 Dean Springer/Bridget Garity (Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger)

8 Gary Mendes/tbc (G&G Sales and Service Daihatsu Rocky)

12 Ben Norris/Kirk Watkins (Jeep Rubicon)

13 Leslie Alleyne/Chris O’Neal (POD Store/Maxxis Suzuki Jimny)

Class B

2 Joel Smith/Simon Parravicino (Jeep Wrangler)

3 Stephen Moore/Ben Moore (Moore & Moore Services Isuzu D-Max)

6 George Mendes/Leslie Evanson (Suzuki Vitara)

9 Adam Hunte/Samantha Gibbs (Doverwood Projects Nissan Patrol)

10 Joseph Tseu/Maya Ramsey (Suzuki Samurai)

11 Winston Drakes/David Boyce (Mitsubishi L200)

Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship: Round 1 – Mar 13, BRC MudDogs March Safari; Round 2 – May 14, Chefette May Safari; Round 3 – Jun 25/26, The Shelbury Construction 65th Anniversary June Safari; Round 4 – Sep 16, ‘Donks’ September Safari; Round 5 – Nov 19, BRC MudDogs November Safari (RB)