DAY FIVE: Modified 1, Modified 2, Super Modified 1 & 2; A 2WD Drive Battle of Epic Proportions

Modified 1 might not be a heavily subscribed group for this year's Sol Rally Barbados, but it's not short on quality. The fist name that jumps out at you is Edward Corbin. Edward is the clear favourite to win the group. Having won Modified 1 last year, and putting down yet another impressive display in the Carter's Pit Stop Stages, can he steer his Daihatsu Charmant to first place once again? Having placed third last year, Paul Inniss will be looking to improve on that finishing position by the time he crosses the finish line at the Bushy Park Super Special on June 3rd. His work will be cut out for him, though and his Honda Civic will need to be on song.

Canadian Benjamin Hartling is a dark horse in this group. Having made his local debut in the Carter's Pit Stop Stages, he got a feel for what the road conditions will be like (both wet and dry). He also has an idea of what can be expected regarding the pace of the group. He has the machinery for the job though, behind the wheel of a Citroen C2 R2 Max. Shareef Walcott will be looking to have a strong showing in his Toyota Corolla DX. He might be a little short on seat tie this year, but he's been competing long enough for this not to affect him too much, if at all. England's Simon Nutter boast a wealth of experience of international rallies and has competed in Barbados previously as well. This year, he'll be driving a Toyota Corolla. He hasn't done much testing with it, so he;ll have to do it all on the fly on our slippery limestone stages.

Modified 2 promises to be yet another keenly contested group, with some very nice machinery to be found therein. Turks & Caicos' Paul Horton is in good form and the man to beat in this class. Taking the group win last year in Rally Barbados and this year's Carter's Pit Stop Shakedown Stages, Horton and his Citroen DS3 R3 Max are proving to be a potent combination. He will have to face some stiff competition if he wants to repeat as group champion, however. Local driver Jamal Brathwaite will definitely be aiming at the bull's eye on Horton's back. Having won Modified 2 in 2016, Brathwaite will be using his Honda Civic Type-R in his attempt to reclaim top spot.

New Zealand's David Proud should be in the mix this year. Returning in his Peugeot 206 GTi 180, Proud will be looking to better his 2017 result of fourth place. Dominic Linton in his Vauxhall Astra SRi will be looking to turn the tables on Proud, having finished behind him in 2017. Behind the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf GTI, Norman Catwell will be hoping for better fortunes this year. Once the mechanical gremlins stay away, the boss of Chicken Pen Racing should be in the mix. England's John Carroll is the unknown entity of the group. Having made the trip across the pond with his Honda Civic Type-R, could he set the cat among the pigeons and cause an upset or two? Chris Ullyett is back, and so too is his Ford Escort RS2000 Cosworth. Having been rebuilt and fired up very recently, the car should be good to go this weekend.

Here's where the pace goes up a couple notches...Super Modified 1. Neil Corbin is the man to beat, but there is a caveat. Neil and his team are facing a race against time to get his Toyota Starlet ready, following an off during an event earlier this year. Neil has been in ripping form and his car on song. Neil has been able to marry driving hard and adding in some sideways, becoming a fan favourite. We're all anxiously awaiting the good news that the Starlet is ready to rock. Having won the group last year, a repeat has to be on his mind. Clifford Cox, entered in a Toyota Starlet as well, will be in the mix for group honours. Having finished second to Corbin last year, Cox might very well be motivated even more to bring home the outright class win.

Jeremy Gonsalves is in with a shout to be at the head of the group. Quick and confident, once he and his Opel Corsa are dialled in, they won't be pushovers. Fourth in group last year, he has a very good chance of placing higher in 2018. England's Marcel Freling is one to look out for as well. Having contested Sol Rally Barbados before, he's back with the same type of car, an MG ZR, but a different version. So different, in fact, that it's packing a Honda Civic motor. Having already tasted group success in Sol Rally Barbados, Freling will see if he can bring that winning feeling to SM1. New Zealand's Craig Marshall is back as well, in the popular Peugeot 106 Maxi. Not only will Craig be looking to better his fifth placed result in 2017, there's also the small matter of finishing ahead of his brother Nick in the Fiesta. Yes, that Fiesta. No pressure.

Jason Harewood is competing in his first Sol Rally Barbados. "Star Boy" as he's known is going to be up against some stiff competition, but there is valuable experience to be gained here. He might very well surprise a few in his Toyota Starlet. Phillip Moe is back as well, driving his Toyota Corolla. He and Harewood should have a fairly interesting battle. Ryan O. Wood's Toyota Starlet has been reclassified, after originally being entered in Clubman 1. This group is sure to be an even steeper learning curve, but there's no harm in a learning experience. Winston Thompson is another member of the Toyota Starlet clan. He's a seasoned campaigner, and with a sixth placed finish last year, he will no doubt be looking to move up the order.

Super Modified 2; a 2WD Drive Battle of Epic Proportion.

Super Modified 2...boy, it's getting hot in here. I'm not brave enough to pick an outright favourite in this group, but there are quite a few front runners who all have the potential of taking the win. Class winner in 2017, Barry Mayers is a firm favourite. While progress has still being made in his rear-wheel drive Ford Fiesta, there is more to come from the car, and Barry is just the driver to extract it. Barry comes into Flow King of the Hill and Sol Rally Barbados on good form, having achieved class victory in the Carter's Pit Stop Stages. He will face some very stern opposition, though, first and foremost from his brother, Roger. Roger Mayers, group winner in 2016 in the Toyota WR Starlet is a force to be reckoned with. Although not seen in competition yet for the year due to the Starlet's engine getting some work done to it, his return is greatly anticipated, even more so now that the engine has gone up in spec. The car was rapid before, how much quicker will it be this time?

Dane Skeete is a tarmac terrorist- literally. His Peugeot 306 attacks asphalt with a ferocity which is spellbinding. Definitely one not to be counted out, Dane takes no prisoners when he's on the charge. Mechanical gremlins have reared their head in recent times, let's just hope they stay away so that Dane can really take a fight to the group for the entire rally. Up next is a driver who made everyone stand up and take notice...Daryl Clarke. Even before moving to SM2 Daryl was a giant killer, but now that he's stepped up in class, he's surely got people looking over their shoulders. His Honda Civic is no candy, and Daryl drives it on the limit. He might very well have the package to upset the established order.

Stuart McChlery is another fan favourite in Super Modified 2. Not only because he drives a quick Ford Escort Mk1: he sends it sideways. That's a winning combination, no matter how you spin it. After placing second in 2017, what does 2018 have in store? Kurt Thompson has made the step up as well. Will he be able to keep up with the incendiary pace of the front runners in his Honda Civic? After a foray in WRC-1 last year, Englishman Dick Mauger is back in SM2 in his Ford Escort MkII. Having finished tenth in this group in 2016, Dick's sights are set higher up the ladder for 2018. Welshman Gary Thomas is looking to improve on his twelfth place finish in 2016, and his Ford Escort MarkII is his weapon of choice. Can he and Dick lead an overseas assault on local turf?

This group needs not be spoiled by any mechanical problems or accidents. What this group, this rally and fans all need to see is for every competitor in this group especially fight it out to the very end, dare I say even at the Super Special at Bushy Park. This is definitely one of the classes that you cannot take your eyes off..