TODAY is the start of the Jamaica Millenuim Motoring Club (JMMC) Rally Jamaica 2010 with the opening on Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, billed to be a breathtaking event to close out the motor sports calendar year.

Drivers Gary Gregg and Jeffrey Panton are geared up for the highly anticipated meet where they will take on international competitors from the Caribbean and Great Britain. The rally weekend continues on tomorrow with the Lydford, St Ann stage and on Sunday climaxing with the Bog Walk, St Catherine stage later in the day.

With at least seven overseas drivers from Barbados, Trinidad and Great Britain set to compete in this annual racing spectacle, Jamaica has its local contingent revved up for the gritty encounter. Defending Champion Gary “The Colonel” Gregg, and many time Champion Jeffrey ‘Fudgie’ Panton say they are fully focused and ready for all stages.

Rallying is a very tough sport and any card can play, we need luck and reliability and hope to be there at the finish.

I am looking forward to some good competition from Jeffrey, John, Roger and Sean,” said Gregg.

“Roger and John have tried to win the rally for many years so they both will be coming for the win. Jeffrey has won many times so he is well seasoned, Sean has been a class winner but he never had the car to win the Championship, let’s see what he’s coming with this year,” he added.

Caribbean rival Roger ‘The Sheriff’ Skeete, who has dominated rally events in Barbados, is aiming to place a firm grip on the Jamaican Championship driving his WRC Subaru Impreza S12. Jamaican John ‘Penti’ Powell, who resides in Trinidad, is returning to Rally Jamaica for only the second time, with his eyes fastened on the 2010 trophy, also driving a Subaru Impreza S12 WRC. Sean Gill will be calling all horses in his WRC Suziki SX4, a car that has triggered much anticipation amongst fans while Richard ‘Sir Rich’ Rearie will be gunning for honours in his Subaru WRX STI.

“It will be good rally racing this weekend, the Bajans are our main competition, although I always watch out for everybody, everybody is my competition. There is a good rivalry between Jamaica and Barbados, we go there and rally and they come here and rally, but we’re all friends so it’s good competition,” said Jeffrey Panton, who will be competing in his Ford Focus WRC.

“We have done our routine maintenance on the car, the car is in good shape and is ready to go, with all our gears this time, and we did our pace notes so we are well prepared,” continued Panton, with a chuckle.

Although the number of local drivers for Rally racing has declined in recent times, Panton believes the Rally Jamaica culminating in December is usually well supported, despite the economic challenges faced by many drivers.

“It is true that local entrants have been declining due in part to the downturn in the economy. In fact there are a quite a few factors why this happens, but this particular rally brings everybody out so it will be a great weekend of racing and the spectators really shouldn’t miss it, it’s gonna be spectacular,” said Panton.