Early Motor Sport Island
Driving fast was the order of the day!
Andrew 'Tenderfoot' Philips at Turners Hall hill sprint aug 19 1969
Tenderfoot was my older sister Lois's first boy friend. I remember some exciting rides from Rockley to DeFreitas for soft serve ice cream with Tfoot driving his Dad's red Austin A40 – more excitment! I also remember his frog eye Sprite, but that car was not long for this world!
The first Rally Club event I experienced, when I was about 8, was a dexterity test held on the main tarmac in front of the old terminal at Seawell Airport – there was lots of burning rubber and squeeling tires and a car rolled – more excitment!
So it was a given that my first photos with my father's Nikon (somewhat old and injured) would be of motor sport – the Turner's Hall Hill Climb of August 19th 1969 fit the bill.
Once processed I would show contact sheets at the driver's work or home or on the side of the road – I was now a professional photographer!
Harry Watkins at Turners Hall hill sprint aug 19 1969
Chris Alleyne Testing the Limits! Woodburn, 1980 #5
Over the years 1969-70 and 1974-81 I photographed most of the Rally Club events - hill climbs, rally's, dexterity tests and of course the beginnings of circuit racing at Bushy Park.
It amazes me how much motor sport has progressed in Barbados since those days. Racing at Bushy Park has been greatly developed with international stars like Lewis Hamilton visiting to partake in what Barabdos has to offer. Stage rallys have also progressed to an incredible degree with drivers coming from all over the world.
We now have a strong contender in international single seat racing -
is racing in his second year of Formula 2 and is amoung the top contenders and a powerful voice promoting Barbados worldwide!
Wishing Zane the best of luck going forward!
Mike Atwell 1975 feb 02 sh5 019 sepia
Great memories and photos!!