Last year's winners, Jamaicans Gary Gregg and Hugh Hutchinson, carry start number 1 for Rally Barbados 2007 this weekend (May 26/27). Their ex-Carlos Sainz Ford Focus World Rally Car will be flagged away from The Start at Simpson Motors at 9.00am on Saturday by the Minister of Tourism, the Hon Noel Lynch, to kick off possibly the most competitive contest in the 18-year history of the Barbados Rally Club's (BRC) premier event . . . a fitting salute to the Club in its 50th Anniversary year.

With six ex-works World Rally Cars - the largest number ever assembled for one event in the Caribbean - and a host of top-calibre drivers, who have won more than 150 motor sport championships between them, there is quality and quantity aplenty. National Rally Champions from Britain, Holland, Jamaica and Trinidad will go head-to-head with the island's best, in an event not even the bravest pundit is attempting to second-guess.

Even though Trinidad-based Jamaican John Powell is driving an ex-Didier Auriol Toyota Corolla WRC in which Henning Solberg won the European Rally Championship twice back-to-back, he is in no doubt about the challenge ahead: "This year the competition is going to be fierce - there are the two WRC cars from England, with Kevin Procter and Steve Perez, who have both been in Barbados before. Take that and add Roger Skeete to the equation with his new car, then Paul Bourne, Micey Manning, Gary Gregg, Jeff Panton and myself . . . then, on the outside you have other quick men like Barry Gale and Roger Hill, so you have one big battle for RB'07."

Powell's sentiments were echoed by 2003 winner Bourne, who will start at number 2 in his Subaru Impreza WRC: "With the drivers we have in this year's event, I can think of at least six that are capable of setting fastest stage times . . . and that means at least six who can win the rally, plus one or two more who might do so just through being consistent over the two days."

Final statistics countdown:
+ 81 entries
+ drivers from 12 nationalities - 33 drivers or co-drivers from Europe, 16 drivers or co-drivers from the Caribbean
+ 12 female co-drivers
+ 22 four-wheel-drive cars
+ 14 manufacturers - with 19, Toyota tops the list, ahead of Ford on 18

Daylight Screen at Canefield

Spectators at Canefield on Saturday will not be short of something to do between the six runs - three north and three south - through the popular 4.9-kilometre stage; thanks to support from Digicel, McEnearney Quality, Simpson Motors, SOL and Williams Equipment, Merville Lynch Productions will be keeping the action alive on the Lighthouse Daylight LED Screen, which has already been seen at a number of social and sporting events in recent weeks.

A spokesperson said: "The plan is that, when the stage is not running, the Daylight Screen will air rally DVDs from previous years, also some unedited footage of Saturday's action at other stages, Sailor Gully and Dark Hole, although this will depend on the ease with which tapes can be moved around."

Global tracking on the Internet

For those who cannot make it to RB'07, there's now a way of tracking the event and some of the key drivers involved from a computer screen at home or in the office: GeoOrbis has partnered with the BRC and Digicel to put live vehicle tracking units in 10 cars, also car zero and the sweeper car, just in case someone might want to leave home in time to reach the next stage.

The competitors being tracked - in seeding order - are 2006 winner Gary Gregg, Paul Bourne, Trevor Manning, John Powell, Roger Hill, Barry Gale, Jonathan Still, Sean Gill, Ian Warren and St Elmo Cumberbatch. Thanks to the remarkable technology, anyone who logs on will be tracking these cars live through the stages, with additional information such as speed and heading.

Rally Barbados chairman Barry Gale said: "We tried out the system last year on three vehicles and we were very happy with the results. This year, we have 12 units and are using them as not only an information tool for fans, but also to enable the Clerk of the Course keep a better track of the rally."

All interested persons have to do is log on to www.rallybarbados.bb, check the link at the bottom of the home page, which will lead them to easy-to-follow instructions on the GeoOrbis rally page; high-speed internet or ADSL is required.

Rally Barbados is organised by the Barbados Rally Club; each day is a separate qualifying round of the Texaco BRC Rally Championship and the BRC Driver's Championship. Principal sponsors are Automotive Art, Banks Holdings Ltd, DaCosta Mannings Auto Centre, Digicel, McEnearney Quality, Simpson Motors, Texaco and Williams Industries. Associate sponsors are Armag, the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Crane & Equipment, Essco, Harris Paints, Nassco and SOL.

RALLY BARBADOS 2007
Final running order

Key to nationalities (competitor from Barbados unless shown):
ENG - England; ESP - Spain; HOL - The Netherlands; IRL - The Republic of Ireland; JAM - Jamaica; NIR - Northern Ireland; SCO - Scotland; SVG - St Vincent & The Grenadines; TDAD - Trinidad & Tobago; USA - United States of America; WAL - Wales

No driver/co-driver (group sponsors car)

1 Gary Gregg - JAM/Hugh Hutchinson - JAM (M8-WRC McEnearney Quality Inc/Wheel World/Prestige Autotech/NG Racing/BD Gregg Bros Ford Focus WRC)
2 Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (M8-WRC BF Goodrich/Plus Subaru Impreza WRC)
3 Trevor Manning/James Betts (M8-WRC Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
4 John Powell - JAM/Michael March - JAM (M8-WRC Intercontinental Shipping/Trinidad Mooring and Launch Services/Toyota Trinidad Toyota Corolla WRC)
5 Steve Perez - ENG/Howard Davies - WAL (M8-WRC Vodka Kick Ford Focus WRC)
6 Roger Skeete/Ian Griffith (M8-WRC Havoline/Michelin/FB Batteries Ford Escort WRC)
7 Jeffrey Panton - JAM/Justin Morin - JAM (M8-WRC Air Jamaica/Miami Freight & Shipping Co/Bearings & Seals Ltd/Catherines Peak/Amsoil/Luberfiner/Dr Glass/Seaboard Marine Mitsubishi Lancer Evo XI)
8 Kevin Procter - ENG/Stewart Gill (M8-WRC Procters Coaches/Swift Signs/Delta Holidays/ITC Hyundai Accent WRC)
9 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-A Mobil 1/Nassco/Motormac Toyota Celica GT4)
10 Barry Gale/Ryan Rodriguez (M8-A Simpson Motors/Dentyne Ice/VP Racing/Nitrous Formula/Automotive Art Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
11 Dave Bellerby - ENG/Kevin Franks - ENG (Procters Coaches/Swift Signs/Delta Holidays/ITC/MG Design & Build Ford Sapphire Cosworth)
12 Brett Clarke/Garry Clarke (M8-WRC Simpson Motors/Marshall Trading/Plus Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5)
13 start number not issued
14 Harold Morley - ENG/Geoff Goddard (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
15 Steve Ollivierre - SVG/Dominic Ollivierre - SVG (P4 Empire Cigarettes/East Caribbean Metal Industries Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
16 Kirk Watkins/Max Ferri (M8-A Abacus Builders Inc/Hankook Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V)
17 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (P4 Shell Helix/Hankook/Soldier Seal Gunk Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
18 Geoff Noel/Kriegg Yearwood (P4 Ezone/Globe Finance/Weisers/Café Blue/Sign Stop/Summa Graphix/Essco/Autozone/Automotive Art/Sunbeach/Sentry Insurance Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
19 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (S11 Red Bull/Hitachi Power Tools/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipment BMW M3)
20 Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (S10 First Caribbean VISA/Shell V-Power/Automotive Art Suzuki Swift)
21 Adrian Linton/Jonathan Linton (M7 Ravensden/Crane & Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/West Coast Garden Centre/Edwin Clarke Furniture Vauxhall Astra GSi)
22 Nicholas Gill/Sue Rogers (S11 Castrol Syntec/Hennessy/Vita Malt/Lysol/Listerine/McEnearney Quality Inc/Mazda Genuine Parts Mazda 3)
23 Andrew Johnson - ENG/Tony Walker - ENG (M8-A North Yorkshire Homes Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
24 Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (S10 Consolidated Finance/McEnearney Quality Inc Ford Escort MkII)
25 Sammy Cumberbatch/Nicholas Yarde (S11 Williams Equipment/F A Taylor Associates/Hilti/Castrol/Digicel BMW M3)
26 Fred Davidson - ENG/Richard Pulleyn - ENG (M8-A Deansbury Homes Ltd Ford Escort Cosworth)
27 Martin Stockdale - ENG/Mark Swallow - ENG (S11 Plasterland/Drive-a-Matic BMW M3 GTR)
28 Ainsley Lochan - TDAD/Scott Sheppard - TDAD (M8-A Stag/TTRC/National Petroleum Company/Josef's Sports Bar/TriniTuner/Zorce Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI))
29 Robert Dick - WAL/Barry Green - ENG (S11 Line Maintenance Contracting/Auto Colours of Rhyl/John Hardman Engineering Ford Escort MkII)
30 Cliff Roett/Bryan Hurley (S10 Thorogood Shoes/Nassco/Michelin/Lucky Horseshoe/ Sunpower/Castrol/Roetts Garage)
31 Ian Warren/Matthew Staffner (M6 MQI Collision Repair Centre/Subzero Services Ltd/Details Car Valet Inc Peugeot 206)
32 John Hardman - NIR/Carole Hardman - ENG (GpB John Hardman Engineering/Line Maintenance Contracting/PEC Tyres Ford Fiesta)
33 St Elmo Cumberbatch/Owen Cumberbatch (S11 Michelin/F Taylor/Carib Supply BMW E36)
34 Graham Manning/Alex Whitehead (S11 McEnearney Quality Ford Escort MkII)
35 Paul McMullan - ENG/Tom Jordan - ENG (S10 McMullan Plant/Simpson Motors/The Boatyard Suzuki Swift)
36 Graeme Finlayson - SCO/Martin Atwell (P4 www.GGR.net Communications/www.racedandrallied.com/www.fauldsport.com/Pagid/Red Line Oils/www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 RS)
37 Greg Cozier/Antonio Da Silva (M7 Citgo/Hyundai Commercial & Industrial Ford Escort RS2000)
38 Geoffrey Ullyett/Jamie Marsh (S11 Ullyetts Machine Shop Service/Sikkens/Champion/Crane & Equipment/Goodyear/Nissan 200Y)
39 Tarik Minott - JAM/Peter Clarke - JAM (M6 Minott Motorsport/Simpson Motors/Stewarts Oil Sales/Miphone Suzuki Ignis JWRC)
40 Andrew Jones/Mark Thompson (S11 A P Jones Pharmacy/McEnearney Quality Inc Ford Escort MkII)
41 Josh Read/Mark Jordan (S9 Automotive Art Toyota Starlet)
42 Ryan Hutchinson/Melissa Blades (P4 Auto Airtronic Services/Simple Green Toyota Celica GT4)
43 Andrew Costin-Hurley - ENG/Michael Carrington (GpB Earl's Performance Products/Grand Prix Racewear/CA Automotive Ford Puma)
44 Ralph White/Chris O'Neal (S10 Island Safari/Drive-a-Matic/Going Places Travel Toyota Starlet)
45 Edward Corbin/Mark Perkins (M6 Corbin's Garage Ltd/Rezults Auto Shop/Klark-Odio Ltd Daihatsu Charmant)
46 Logan Watson/Rhett Watson (M7 The Unknown Entity/New Media Advertising/Toshiba/Office Solutions & Systems Ford Escort MkI)
47 Freddie Gale/Kyle Proverbs (M7 Gale's Hatcheries/NASSCO/Castrol/VP Racing/Barbados Industries Toyota Corolla RunX)
48 Roger Marshall/Bruce Lambert (M7 Photofinish/One Hour Photo Hyundai Accent)
49 Jason Clermont/Duane Linton (S11 Castrol BMW M3)
50 Kenny Hall - SCO/Fenny Wesselink - HOL (M5 Car Parts 4u/Simpson Motors/Valvoline/Halltune Garage Opel Corsa)
51 Stuart McChlery/Julian Goddard (S10 Lubriguard/Trivial Pursuit/Undercover Ford Escort MkI)
52 Wayne Manning/Willie Hinds (M7 Black Bess Quarry/Citgo Oils/Wolverine Shoes Ford Escort MkI)
53 Daryl Clarke/Russell Branker (M6 Mom's Pasta Products/246 Tuning/Area 5 Auto Works Mitsubishi Mirage)
54 Andy Carter - ENG/Rob Brook - ENG (M5 Ebor Heating Services/Used Garage Equipment Vauxhall Nova)
55 Neil Thompson/Winston Agard (S10 Glassesco/NKM Clothing/NKM Surf Shop Toyota Corolla)
56 Mark Chandler - ENG/Michael Lund - ENG (S10 Ford Escort MkII)
57 Calvin Briggs/Hulita Brathwaite (S11 Ford Escort MkII)
58 Winston Thompson/Brian Gibson (S9 SDRR/Ellesmere Quarries/Sponsors Welcome Toyota Starlet)
59 Stuart White/Brandon McKenzie (S9 Flyin' Fish/Cloudbase Embroidery/Catch Chocolate/Budex Couriers/Crane & Equipment Toyota Starlet)
60 David Williams/Kristian Yearwood (S9 Bacassa/Caribpak/Castrol/Ibox/SRG/Roxy Supermarket/Dynamic Limo Toyota Starlet)
61 Jeremy Gonsalves/Natasha Farnum (S9 Kendal Sporting/Champion Auto/All Terrain Plus/Star Products Suzuki Forsa GTi)
62 Ryan Wood/Raymond Parris (S9 Flyin' Fish/Ackee Tree/KD's Food Fair/Rent-It/Sitemasters Construction/Bonito Restaurant Toyota Starlet)
63 Neil Corbin/Jeremy Roach (S9 Nassco/Jason Jones Foods Toyota Starlet)
64 John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (M7 Corbin's Garage/Klark-Odio Toyota Corolla)
65 Simon Wallis - ENG/Stuart Leach - ENG (M7 Toyo Tyres/SRG/Halton Graphics Peugeot 205 GTi)
66 Josh Delmas/Lisa Roett (M6 Weetabix/Go Motorsport Toyota Corolla GTi)
67 Jamal Brathwaite/Kyle Catwell (M6 AM Electrical Solutions/Arthur Construction Inc/Arthur Lifting & Freighting Toyota Starlet)
68 Allan Maynard/Jeremy Croney (S9 Marshal Trading/Woodworks/Castrol Toyota Starlet)
69 David Brewster/Robert Simmons (M7 ACP The Tile Outlet/SRG Engineering/Castrol Peugeot 205GTi))
70 Jordan Powell - JAM/Gina-Kay Tomlinson - JAM (M7 Cable & Wireless Online/Jamspeed/Dominoes Pizza/Juici Patties/Tru-Tuice/Tyre Warehouse/Jetcon Racing/AMJ Auto Limited/ACCRA/Chefette/Warren's Motors Peugeot 206SW GTi)
71 Frans Verbaas - HOL/Mascha Corvers - HOL (P3 Koni/Valvoline/Kumho/Holland Huis Souvenirs Opel Astra SPort)
72 Neil Barnard/Kevin Massiah (P2 First Caribbean VISA/Shell V-Power/Automotive Art Suzuki Ignis Sport)
73 Ryan Corbin/Christian Sampson (P2 Caribtrans/Suntraders Peugeot 106)
74 Martin Taylor - IRL/Janet Brown - IRL (P2 Dublin Crystal Proton Satria)
75 Ron Layne/Giselle Layne (M7 Pavements & Foundations/SDRR Hydraulics & Spares/General Welding Workshop/L & N Workshop Nissan Sunny)
76 Peter Gallagher - IRL/Dario Hoyte (M7 Peter Gallagher Design/Dublin Crystal Peugeot 306)
77 Keeva Seegobin - TDAD/Kevin Mohammed - TDAD (S11 Daimann Publishers Toyota Corolla Turbo)
78 Danny Williams/Nick Fields (M6 All Connect/Sunbury Plantation/Scarlets/Neptune Tours/Barbados Paragliding Association Ford Fiesta)
79 Rohan Hall/Pedro Thomas (S10 RDH Group/AC Delco Ford Escort MkII)
80 Shareef Walcott/Barry Hill (M6 Corbin's Garage/Klark-Odio/Motoring News Toyota Corolla)
81 Eric Allamby/Dwayne Marshall (S11 ACT Sandblasting/ Consolidated Finance/Container Services/Rent-Equip Mitsubishi Lancer)
82 Gary Mendes/Russell Gilkes (P1 G & G Sales & Service/Slam Condoms/Dysfunctional Motorsport/ACT Sandblasting/Barbados Muffler Centre/Lunatics Inc Toyota Starlet)

Production 1 entries merge up to Production 2; Production 3 entries merge up to Modified 7; Modified 5 entries merge up to Modified 6