This year’s Sol Rally Barbados will see another newcomer experience the fantastic roads of the Caribbean Island.

Coleford’s Dave Jenkins will take the wheel of a brand new Escort RS1800, built for Rob Weir by Jenkins’ own company Dave Jenkins Motorsport, he will be co-driven by Barbados returnee Ross Weir. This Chepstow based co-driver has, in previous years, co-driven for dad Rob and national rally stars Rob Smith and Roger Duckworth on the event.

For Jenkins, this will be a whole new experience, as the former AWMMC champion has spent nearly all his career on the gravel.

A former motorcross rider from the age of six, he entered his first event back in 1979 aged just 17. “I passed my test on the Wednesday or Thursday and started a road event on the Saturday night.”

After doing his apprenticeship so to speak in the lanes, one of his first gravel events was the 1980 D’Isis Stages (now the Nicky Grist Stages) which was held entirely in Radnor Forest and saw him finish 42nd overall.

During the early 80s Jenkins secured the AWMMC title in his 1600 BDA Mk2.

But early 1984 saw a setback after a huge accident on the Woodpecker Stages in Wyre Forest which saw long time co-driver Graham Cox hospitalised for months with his injuries, but the Jenkins & Cox partnership has stood the test of time and is still going strong to this day.

With the help of his mentor, the late great Rex Paddock, the man responsible for preparing Graham Elsmore’s cars in the 70s with great success, a RWD mk3 Escort was commissioned and not only did he win BTRDA 1600 class with numerous class wins, but he also did Course Car on the Lombard RAC Rally over the stages used in the Forest of Dean.

Escorts continued to come and go as Jenkins built a reputation as one of Britain’s finest young drivers, but with a young family to support and an expanding panel beating business his outings became more sporadic.

In 1996 Jenkins achieved his life time ambition by finally winning the Wyedean Stages, the first local since Graham Elsmore’s hat-trick of wins in 75, 76 & 77, to step on the top step of the podium.

Over the last 20 years Jenkins and Cox’s names have graced the entry lists of events up and down the UK, mainly in the ex Gary Smith Escort WRC. He even took local TV news presenter Ken Goodwin for a ride at a Wyedean Press Day.

In 2015, taking a break from the newly formed Dave Jenkins Motorsport, he returned to finish 2nd overall historic on 40th running of the Wyedean. “I couldn’t miss the 40th, I built a new car for myself to do the event in.”

Over the last three years his company and glowing customer list has grown, simply down to his meticulous car preparation.

“I had a fantastic mentor in Rex Paddock, he gave me so much help and advice for years.

“I always prepared my own cars, so I prepare my customers cars the same as I would like my own done, I’m sure Rex would approve of the workmanship we put into the cars today.”