THE BARBADOS RALLY CLUB (BRC) and the Sol Group, the Caribbean's largest independent oil company, have confirmed a three-year agreement which will see them working closely together to expand the club's premier annual event -

to be known as

Sol Rally Barbados.

When they addressed a media conference at the Hilton Barbados, just outside The City, yesterday, the principals

of both organisations were up-beat about the future.

The overseas contingent for the first event to be run under the new title, over the weekend of May 31/June 1, will be led by two well-known world-class drivers competing

in Barbados for the

first time.

The first-ever World Rally champion, Sweden's Bjorn Waldegard - he won the title in 1979 - will drive a Porsche 911, while one of rallying's brightest hopes for the future, Ireland's Kris Meeke, will campaign in a Toyota Corolla World Rally Car.

Although final details are unconfirmed, the BRC anticipates an overseas entry of nearly 30 cars.

"Sol is proud to be partnering with the Barbados Rally Club

in the sponsorship of Sol Rally Barbados 2008.

"This sponsorship of the rally is a continuation

of our long association with motor sport.

We believe in Barbados and in the sport and it is our belief that there is definitely a great synergy between motor sport and Sol," said Sol's general manager Roger Bryan.

Mark Hamilton, chairman of the Barbados Rally Club, added: "This agreement with Sol is the largest single sponsorship deal in the history of the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

"It marks a really positive start to our second half-century. Sol's commitment over

a three-year period has given the club the security it needed to develop plans for steady growth in the scope and stature of Rally Barbados, as the event approaches its 20th anniversary in 2010.

"All of us in the club look forward to working with Sol to maximise the benefits this arrangement can bring, not only for ourselves, but for motor sport in the island and the wider Caribbean."

Sol will also be backing a new BRC event the weekend before the rally through its major brand name in the region. The Shell V-Power King of the Hill will run on May 24, as a prelude to the "main event".

This hill sprint will double as a qualifying round of the club's

newly- created Sprint Championship and as a "shakedown" for overseas competitors in advance

of Sol Rally Barbados.

A top-class entry

is anticipated.

The rally's title sponsor is Sol and associate sponsors and marketing partners are McEnearney Quality, Simpson Motors, Automotive Art, Banks Holdings, DaCosta Mannings Auto Centre, Digicel, Nassco, Consolidated Finance, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Crane & amp; Equipment,

Little Switzerland,

Armag, the Barbados Hotel & amp; Tourism Association and the Barbados Tourism Authority. (PR)