Cumbrian rally driver Paul Bird saw his bid to win SOL Rally Barbados thwarted once again when he had to settle for a third place finish after a high speed off towards the end of the event.

After twice finishing runner up on the annual Caribbean festival, the Frank Bird Poultry-sponsored Ford Focus WRC08 driver from Langwathby and Scottish co driver Kirsty Riddick were hoping to be challenging for victory and were soon dicing with local aces Roger Skeete and co driver Louis Venezia in their Subaru WRC as well as fellow Bajans Paul Bourne and Ronald Plant’s Ford Focus WRC.

The Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared car was upping the pace around the narrow and tricky lanes of the island and was in with a shout of victory going into the final loop. However, it nearly all ended in disaster as the 2005 MSA National Gravel Rally Champion pushed hard on the final stage and ended up off the road at over 100mph.

Despite the incident, the Kawasaki World Superbike Team boss recovered to end up just half a minute behind eventual winner Skeete and five seconds off runner up Bourne to claim his third podium in as many years and in doing so, was the first foreign crew home.

Speaking afterwards Bird commented: “That was the scariest moment I’ve had in a rally car as the data said we were doing over 110mph when I was heading into a ploughed field. I had to make a split second decision as if I hadn’t, we would still be rolling now. In one way I’m pleased to get a podium but I really felt I was capable of winning this year so I’ll just have to keep coming back until I do win! Roger and Paul know these roads so well and their cars are so fast, it’s easier said than done, though!”

Bird will miss this weekend’s round of the BTRDA Rally Championship, the Rainworth Skoda Dukeries Rally, as he travels instead to Misano whereby his Kawasaki WSB team is in action.

Results

1 Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (Subaru WRC S12) 1:05:51.95
2 Paul Bourne/Ronald Plant (Ford Focus WRC07) 1:06:15.88
3 Paul Bird/Kirsty Riddick (Ford Focus WRC08) 1:06:21.12
4 John Powell/Nicholas Telfer (Subaru Impreza WRC S12) 1:07:24.44
5 Rob Swann/Darren Garrod (Subaru Impreza WRC S12) 1:07:34.06
6 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (Toyota Starlet) 1:09:49.07
7 Roger Duckworth/Aled Davies (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1:09:49.28
8 Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 1:11:36.50

Picture attached courtesy of Himal Reece (www.JustBajan.com). Paul Bird and Kirsty Riddick on their way to third place on SOL Rally Barbados.

ENDS