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Irish
Notes 5th May '04.
Derek McGarrity's victory on last weekend's Rally of the Lakes
puts him at the head of the Pirelli Tarmac Championship points
table on 38 points. Austin MacHale is 2nd on 30 and Eugene
Donnelly slips to 3rd following his non finish in Killarney.
Eugene's total is 24.
Colin McRae was an interested spectator on the Rally of the Lakes
and took time out to chat to Jamie Kent, the young Waterford
driver who was so badly injured on last Autumn's Cork 20
International. Jamie is thankfully making a slow, but steady
recovery.
Billy Coleman took Rally of the Lakes Event Director Mike
Marshall for a run in a Ford Escort on the new Killarney Super
Special on the Friday evening before the event. Billy was
the first winner of the rally 25 years ago, which was also Mike
Marshall's first year as Clerk of the Course.
An interesting side issue on Coleman's run was that he dislodged
a bale which rolled down the track as Derek McGarrity was
approaching in his new Impreza. Derek could not avoid the
obstruction and damaged the front spoiler and mud guard of the
new car. Happily this was the only damage McGarrity inflicted
over the weekend.
Ollie O'Donovan competed on the Lakes Rally in great pain from 2
broken ribs sustained in a motor bike accident on London's
Circular Road on the Tuesday before the rally. O'Donovan
did well to bring his Impreza into 10th overall.
Former National Champion Stephen Murphy returns to the stages
this weekend when he runs as No1 seed of the 151 entries, plus
reserves, on his home Carlow Rally, driving Noel Redmond's
Impreza WRC.
Although not a round of the Dunlop National Championship series
this year, the Carlow Rally has attracted a top entry. Patrick
Elliott, Ray Breen and Tommy Graham, all in Impreza WRC's, are
among the top entries. Hugh Dunne was expected to make a return
to rallying in his Subaru but has reportedly withdrawn.
A major feature of the Carlow Rally will be the participation of
57 Mk2 Escorts. Billy Coleman, James Cullen, Michael Reddy, Pat
Donegan, Camillus Bradley and David James are just some of the
top names. Although an integral part of the rally, there is a
separate full award list for the best Mk2 Escort performances.
Ballygowan's Hubert Scott recently took overall victory at a
Gwyndaf Evans judged MG Xpower rally competition. Hubert will
drive an MGZR on the 12th/13th June Midlands Rally.
Regards: Brian Patterson
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ã
2003 www.rallynews.net
(Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised
duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 05/05/04 00:10
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