As motorsports gets back to normality, the first rally of the year will be held this Sunday, October 2, in Bog Walk, St Catherine.

“This is the first rally of the year. Most are looking forward to it. However, it has been challenging as some competitors are still preparing cars and may not make this event which is the only rally that will be staged before a pending Rally Jamaica,” Marcia Dawes of the Drivers Rallysport Club (DRC) told the Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Auto magazine.

Dubbed The Rally of the Kings, it will traverse the famous Bybrook stage as a single venue event with eight stages and a total of just over 43 kilometres.

Given the lack of events due to the moratorium on motorsports during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Dawes said the event is a building block for the genre and the route back to the traditional end of year rally.

“The Stewart’s team had mechanical damages from the last sprint and are still awaiting parts from overseas so they will miss the event. While a few other competitors who are in the process of moving up to four-wheel drive are still not quite ready. But the club plan is to still host the events for those competitors who are ready so they can get back in rally mode,” she said.

With one of the biggest teams out of action the DRC is expecting a small competitor turn out. Still, the DRC hopes the event allows teams new and old to shake off their rust or work out their bugs.

“The hopes is that this is a prelude to Rally Jamaica. It also gives some competitors who need co-drivers the opportunity to do a seat test with their prospects.”

The last rally held by the DRC was in 2019, which saw Kyle Gregg, whom Dawes co-drives for, as DRC rally champion.

“The numbers will be small but we have to start somewhere and build back the sport over time,” Dawes said.