Since 1972 Barbadian motor sport organisers have invited foreign competitors to our shores to compete against the 'local boys'. Over the years this practice has increased local spectator interest as well as given local competitors a chance to test their skills and machinery against the best the world has to offer. 'Racing improves the breed', as they say, and it has been proven in Barbados time and time again as our local motor sport has kept pace with international trends.

LOCAL MOTORSPORT CONDITIONS
We keep hearing the old adage "stick to what you're good at". As it applies to motor sport in Barbados, what we're 'good at' is rallying, whether it is road rallying or special-stage rallying. Barbados has organised and hosted internationally-acclaimed special-stage rallies since 1988. Our dense network of paved public roads is especially suited for tarmac rallies, with motor sport character as diverse as any in the world. Our rallying focus was further developed with the construction of a RallySprint track at Vaucluse Raceway in 2000.

BARBADOS RALLY CARNIVAL
Exhaustive research and discussion with international competitors regarding the features that make rallying in Barbados of interest to them led to the following conclusion: while a holiday in Barbados is always a fantastic experience, being able to enjoy motor sport while here adds a special attraction.

The Barbados Rally Carnival is made up of two motor sport events (Rally Barbados and the International RallySprint) and was conceived to maximize visiting competitors' motor sport enjoyment. The non-motor sport days of the Carnival host numerous social events that allow visiting competitors, service personnel and spectators alike to enjoy all that Barbados has to offer as a tourist destination.

In the four years since its inception, Barbados Rally Carnival has grown to become the biggest motor sport event staged in the Caribbean region. With an annual intake of 30 crews from Europe and steadily-growing interest from around the region, particularly Jamaica, the 50 or so Bajan crews are made to work harder each year to uphold home honour. Barbados Rally Carnival's sporting success is matched by a steady growth in its impact on tourism, not least from those competitors who return to the island for family holidays. In 2003 Barbados Tourism Authority senior vice-president Stetson Babb congratulated the organisers on what he called "a perfect fit with the BTA's strategy to continuously expand the range of sports tourism events and activities".