Hilton/Petcom Rally Jamaica 2009 – Launch
November 23, 2009 by SCampbell · Comments Off
The Hilton/Petcom Rally Jamaica 2009 was officially launched on Thursday November 19, 2009 at The Hilton Kingston Hotel. See pics of event below. Click on the link below to view the advertisement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqNYiTZsRk8
Hilton/Petcom Rally Jamaica 2009 – Event Preview
November 23, 2009 by SCampbell · Comments Off
It has been a sobering year for the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club and Rally Sport in Jamaica. The global recession has almost claimed its next victim, with ‘almost’ being the operative word. Jamaican rally sport enthusiasts have taken for granted that there would be two Tarmac Rallies to start the year. This year proved to be quite different compared to recent years, as there were no tarmac rallies.
Rallies are arguably one of the most costly events to stage, as they are normally held on public roads or private property covering vast areas of land. This has almost always resulted in the inability of the organizers to recoup expenses by way of an admission to the event. So, the organizers are left with no option, but to rely solely on funds received from corporate sponsors and rally entrants. Corporate sponsorship has been severely lacking and the number of entrants has dwindled to the point where entrance fees alone would not come close to covering the expenses incurred by the organizers for preparing the stages, let alone other event associated costs. As a result, we have seen cancellation of both tarmac rallies this year.
Albeit, the second half of the year has seen an improvement by way of events, as all loose surface events scheduled have been held and the increase in the number of competitors to the most recent Spot Valley Sprint has turned out to be very encouraging. That being said and still with numerous financial challenges being faced we are now at the staging of yet another PETCOM/Hilton Kingston Rally Jamaica 2009. (
The competition will be fierce: Four WRC Spec cars, seven overseas entries from 3 different countries, a full JN8 class, a returning veteran Jamaican driver in a BMW, and I could go on and on.
Changes
Quite unlike last year, the event will begin in New Kingston with a Parc Expose on Friday December 4, 2009. This will not be accompanied by racing. Competitors and sponsors alike will have the opportunity of showcasing their products and allow the public to view the different machines before the onslaught of the next two days. Like any Rally Sport event, some competitors’ vehicles may not be seen again, so this provides the enthusiast with the rare opportunity of seeing just about all entrants and the shiny, glistening machines in their awesome livery, sporting their stunning engines with massive rotors and formidable suspension setup.
Saturday morning, the normally quiet hills of Lydford, Moneague and surrounding areas in the parish of St. Ann will be awakened by the thunderous roar of the competitors’ cars on their first stage. The normally grueling Reynolds stage will be replaced by another stage in the neighboring community. This should bring hope to many competitors that they would not be part of the usually large list of cars making an exit from the event due to the high mortality rate of previous years on the grueling Reynolds stage.
Day 3 will take us to the usual Bog Walk Orchards where the Trade Winds Citrus property, home of Tru Juice, will be our playground for the first half of the day. We can always look forward to the spectacular water splash stages and the green elevated landscape used to view the powerful machines thundering through the orchards. We will then mount our steeds and convoy to the National Stadium in Kingston for a stunning display of three special stages. The Stadium gala as it is being dubbed, will be the venue where the various competitors attempt to gain or regain the lead in their respective classes, so we can look forward to an all out war for two stages and the final honors to top off a magnificent weekend.
Big Juice
Big Juice is normally used as a moniker for the most potent competitors in the class. Up until 2008, this term usually referred to the JA8 class which sports modified 4WD machinery with a restrictor in place. However, these days Big Juice now encompasses the JA9 class, reserved for World Rally Championship Spec (WRC) vehicles. Provisionally, there are four entrants, of which, two are from overseas.
The defending Rally Jamaica Champion, Jeffrey ‘Fudgie’ Panton with co-driver Michael Fennell Jr. will be prepared for 
the onslaught, as Jeff’s Ford Focus WRC has afforded him the opportunity of much seat time this year, making him 
more familiar with it in his second year of ownership. All events entered by Jeffrey this year have him winning overall honors by a clear margin. He has, no doubt, gotten used to being victorious and both he and Michael are seen as having a distinct advantage in keeping the coveted trophy in Jamaica for yet another year. There is not much change to the ride, and they are looking forward to the competition from the other contenders.
Gary ‘The Colonel’ Gregg has been active in 2009, only in a completely different ride. He acquired two race-prepared 
Honda Civics at the start of the year and has been having a whale of time with his son Kyle, competing in numerous events, including circuit racing at Dover Raceway. He hasn’t been spotted in a 4WD car this year, but sources close to the JMMC say that he and co-driver Hugh Hutchinson will enter Rally Jamaica in a new Ford Focus WRC 2005 Spec monster. Spy shots have been taken and it is heard that the vehicle will be here in time for the event, but not much is revealed by the three-time champion.
Paul ‘The Surfer’ Bourne with circuit racing luminary Stuart Maloney from Barbados, who had an early exit last year in their Subaru WRC, will e returning in a very potent 2007 Ford Focus WRC. 
Viewed as the most potent of the overseas competitors, Paul and Stuart have yearned to ship off with the Rally Jamaica trophy for some time. Both Gary Gregg and Jeffrey Panton have gone to Barbados and captured their trophy, and the favor has yet to be returned. Paul and co-driver Stuart are sporting the strongest car he has brought to rally sport and they are very familiar to Rally Jamaica. I wouldn’t bet against them.
John ‘Penti’ Powell is a Jamaican who resides in Trinidad. 
There is still a debate on which country he represents when he competes. However, he and co-driver Michael March have also brought new machinery to our landscape in the form of a Subaru WRC S12. They missed the event last year due to unavailability of their Subaru S9 WRC which was sold, but they will be here in 2009 and are also top contenders.
So, with all four WRC (JA9) competitors being favored for the trophy, the battle will truly be epic.
15 Other 4WD Cars
Of the approximately 11 other 4WD cars to enter the event, it can be noted that in this group, there are at least 4 entrants who can legitimately cop overall honors for the event. The 11 entrants are divided into 2 classes: JA8 – quite potent machinery with major modifications that, put in the right hands, can go head to head with the WRC Spec machines. JN8 – mostly stock 4WD street cars with minor modifications.
The JA8 class had one entrant (Rerrie/Dawson) last year but they unfortunately DNF’d the event. Doug ‘Hollywood’ Gore will return with co-driver Mark Nelson in his Mitsubishi Evolution X this year only it is now in Group A trim.
Richard ‘Sir Rich’ Rerrie will be returning with ‘Trauma’, the Subaru WRX STi along with co-driver Winston Dawson with the aim to finish the event. 
Quite arguably, one of spectators’ favorite rally sport drivers, Sir Rich has had some amount of shakedown in his ride this year and will prove to be the odds on favorite to overthrow Hollywood in the JA8 class. Both have had a friendly rivalry in recent times, where who has the upper hand is still debatable.
Not to be taken for granted is Junior Barnes in his very fast Bay Waata Mitsubishi Evolution IX. Barring any mishaps during the event, Junior can produce a good result.
In the JN8 class, there is currently slated 9 entries, but favored to repeat their win in the class is James Betts 
with co-driver Jeremy Go
nsalves in a Subaru Impreza N9, if Dave ‘Bush Tiger’ Lee with Colin ‘Stuffy’ Chambers are found sleeping on any one of the stages. Dave Lee has proved to be a high caliber competitor in this class amongst other Jamaican rivals, but James Betts is of a totally different breed. We have been told that nobody drives with the type of commitment as James.
Natasha ‘Chiney Dolly’ Chang and Michael Worme will return in her very colorful Mitsubishi Evolution V, with more experience to boot. She will be competing alongside other Jamaican entrants Joel Jackson/Dmitri Dawkins, Salvador Solis/Nigel “Nya” Lyn.
Other foreigners to gang up on the Jamaicans will include Harold Morley/Geoffrey Goddard of Barbados in his Subaru Impreza N14, Dean Serrao/Brian Gibson also of Barbados in a Subaru Impreza and Steve Olivierre/Dominic Olivierre of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a Mitsubishi Evolution XIII.
Three Time’s a Charm
Bobby Marshall has been to Trinidad and captured class honors, he has travelled to Barbados and represented, and he has two straight Rally Jamaica trophies on his mantel. He is looking to win the JA3 class for a third time, Bobby and co-driver Carlington Brissett Last year the team also won overall 2WD honors.
Competing against Bobby will be Ian “Wee Wee” Warren of Barbados in the very capable, ex Sean Gill Harry Hockley built Suzuki Swift. Once h
e is able to complete the event, he should be odds on favorite to wrest the JA3 trophy from Bobby Marshall. Not to be counted out is Dion ‘Baby Bomb’ Gardner with co-driver yet determined in a Mitsubishi Mirage. Until Dion’s recent hiatus from motorsports, he has been very consistent in rally sport events.
For 2009 the overall 2WD trophy may no longer reside amongst the JA3 class as the JA2 class is filled with fire power with their smaller sized engines.
Matthew ‘The Magnet’ Gore with co-driver Raymond Farquharson in their newly acquired Toyota Starlet, has proven that the ride is a potent whip in the hands of a very skilled driver. Matthew has proven to be a top contender for the class honors due to his recent exploits on the rally sport scene.
Other JA2 teams of Jordan Powell/Chad Pearson, Maurice Whittingham/Phillip Ogilvie, Ivan Lee/Robert Singh and Mark Groves Jr/Tricia Groves added to the mix will stir a great pot of warfare for the front wheel drive competitors.
In the JA4 class, the defending National Driver’s Champion Thomas Hall and co-driver 
Andre Gordon will return his Toyota Turbo Starlet after a flying exit from the competition last year on the infamous Reynolds Stage in St. Ann. Thomas is no slouch in his front-wheel driven Toyota Turbo Starlet, and the team’s untimely exit in the rally last year was enough to give Bobby Marshall added comfort towards the end of the event.
However, Thomas will not have an easy time of it this year, as another talented driver, Christopher ‘
Chippy’ Addison has returned to active competition, and should provide competition for Thomas in the JA4 class. The veteran amongst racers returned for a shakedown at Spot Valley in November to remind everyone that he hasn’t forgotten how to drive. He will be sporting his BMW M3 to display his rear wheel drive prowess in the JA4 class. Chippy should erase the disappointment of Stillo’s exclusion.
Conclusion
Yes, we had a relatively difficult year in rally sport, but the conclusion to the year should erase all the disappointments of the start of the year, because we will be witnessing one of the toughest, most competitive, most entertaining rallies in a very long time. This battle will be epic!
In addition to Petcom and Hilton Kingston Hotel, this event is also brought to you by the following associate sponsors:
- Xsomo International
- True Juice – Trade Winds Citrus
- KFC
- Bay Waata
- Seaboard Shipping and Freight Ja. Ltd
- Seafreight Jamaica Limited
- Kingston Industrial Garage
- Hose Assembly and Supplies
- Jamaica Bauxite Mines
- Tankweld Equipment
- CVM
- Advance Performance Parts
- Tropical Battery
- MegaJamz FM
- ProSound Jamaica Limited
- Windalco
Petcom & Hilton to be Title Sponsors for Rally Jamaica 2009
November 9, 2009 by SCampbell · Comments Off
Long time sponsor of Rally Jamaica, Petcom (Petroleum Co. of Ja. Ltd.) has joined forces with Hilton Kingston Jamaica to be title sponsors of this years prestigious event. Other sponsors below are:
- Bay Waata
- True Juice – Trade Winds Citrus
- KFC
- Xsomo International
- Seaboard Shipping and Freight Ja. Ltd
- Seafreight Jamaica Limited
- Kingston Industrial Garage
- Hose Assembly and Supplies
- Jamaica Bauxite Mines
- Tankweld Equipment
- CVM
- Advance Performance Parts
- Tropical Battery
- MegaJamz FM
- ProSound Jamaica Limited
- Windalco
