Rabbitt Returns for Williams Digicel International

Irish touring car racer Barry Rabbitt, whose determined driving style earned him instant motor sport folk hero status on his debut at Bushy Park last year, will return to the St Philip track at the end of this month to compete in the Williams Digicel International Race Meet (August 27/28), organised by the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL).

While the weekend's feature races will be those counting towards the 2011 Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC), there is little doubt that Rabbitt's return will be a major topic of hype on internet forums and in rum shops in the final build-up to BARL's ninth annual international, which celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Bushy Park opening.

Last year, at the wheel of the impressive Tuning Factory Honda CRX, Rabbitt ran in Group 3A, qualifying on the front row of the grid, less than two-tenths off pole-sitter Hugh Simpson. While all did not go as well on Sunday, Rabbitt won the second of the three races from fifth on the grid, his never-say-die approach earning kudos among local fans. Although gearbox damage sustained in race two meant he missed race three, he vowed to return.

Within a few days, he joined in the debate on Zhaust, the island's popular internet chat room, saying: "I would just like to thank everyone for their support. The whole Tuning Factory team had a fantastic weekend and were blown away by the people, the cars and the competitors in Barbados. The racing scene is the most fanatical I have seen anywhere."

As well as joining in local discussions, Rabbitt guested on Radio Le Mans, a popular European motor sport network. Asked by presenter John Hindhaugh on his impressions of Bushy Park, he said: "What it has to make up for what European visitors might consider a lack of facilities is the huge enthusiasm of the spectators. It's an amazing place to be, and there are some very well put-together cars that are very well-driven."

This year, Rabbit will step up to Group 3C, at the wheel of a spaceframe racer, purpose-built a decade ago for the Dunlop Supercars Championship in his native Ireland. John Whelan, against whom Rabbitt now races in the Irish Touring Car Championship, won two Supercars titles in this car, which is powered by a 2-litre Merlin Developments-built Ford Zetec engine; it is front-engined and rear-wheel-drive, running all Ford components, including gearbox and differential. Rabbitt is sponsored this year by www.ticketfriend.com, Hankook Tyres Ireland and Event Deal.

Of his second trip, Rabbitt notes: "I'm really looking forward to returning, I had such a great time last year. This is my first time driving this particular car, though I did race an identical car about six years ago and finished on the podium. This is the first time in a rear-wheel-drive saloon for quite a while, so I hope that proverbial 'like riding a bike' saying kicks in!"

As the regional teams shipped their cars within the past week, one or two changes in the final line-ups have been confirmed. On the Jamaican front, Chris Campbell was forced to withdraw his Mitsubishi-powered BMW, which will disappoint local fans in an island where the German marquee enjoys great popularity.

Even more complications surrounded the Guyana team, though: faced with recurring gearbox problems with the Evo VIII in which he was so impressive in the second half of last year, Kevin Jeffrey was set to race Shawn King's Mazda RX-7, determined not to miss Bushy Park, a track he enjoys racing on. In testing, however, the engine blew, counting him out.

On the plus side, Guyana's reigning Group 2B Champion Danny Persaud will record a Bushy Park ‘first', when he races his Buy Me Auto Sales Mazda Miata, the first of its type to be seen on a track which should suit its nimble handling characteristics. He made his Barbados debut last year in a Toyota Starlet, but endured a number of mechanical problems throughout the weekend. His Mazda, which will run in Group 3B, has already proved its worth at South Dakota, where he qualified second and claimed two Group 3 wins at the second round of the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club's Race of Champions in July.

Williams Digicel International Race Meet timeline

Friday, August 19 – 4:00pm: Meet the Drivers promo, Mall Internationale, Haggatt Hall
Friday, August 26 – 4:00pm: Meet the Drivers promo, Bushy Park, St Philip
Saturday, August 27 – 1:00pm: Qualifying, Bushy Park
Sunday, August 28 – 8.00am: Williams Digicel International Race Meet
Monday, August 29 – 7.00pm: Prizegiving
* all times are approximate