Irish Notes 6^th March 2006.

 

Gareth Jones made an impressive start to this year’s Pirelli Tarmac Championship when he finished 8th overall on the Galway International just a few seconds behind Austin MacHale.  Gareth was driving an Impreza WRC S7 and a few small mechanical problems surfaced during the event hampering progress.  He plans now to compete on the Circuit of Ireland and the rest of the Tarmac Championship in a Focus WRC, the car campaigned by Eamonn Boland in the latter half of 2005 and then JJ Fleming in Galway this year. Gareth hopes to compete on the Circuit of Kerry as a shake down before the Circuit.

 

Noel Redmond is due to take delivery from Prodrive on 23^rd March a newly converted  RHD Impreza WRC S11. Noel plans to concentrate on the Dunlop National Championship, starting with the Circuit of Kerry. Wexford man Noel has also concluded a deal to hire the new car to former National Champion Stephen Murphy, to use on the Killarney Rally of the Lakes, plus four further events. 

 

In a surprise move Kenny McKinstry will now drive on this weekend’s Rally Ireland, taking over Andrew Nesbitt’s entry. The car remains the same, an Impreza WRC, and the co-driver, James O’Brien, remains the same as on the original entry.

 

Current GpN Pirelli Tarmac Champion Garry Jennings has taken delivery of a new Lancer and will use the new machine on this weekend’s Rally Ireland. Former National Champion Willie Fannin reckons he is unlikely to make the start of Rally Ireland as he is still short of some parts for his new Impreza N12.  

 

Further changes to the published Rally Ireland entry list are that Jaan Molder is non-starting, taking his Fiesta S1600 to the Malcolm Wilson rally instead. Peter Wilson was to run at 29, but is non starting and his co-driver John Kilmurray is now sitting with Paul Elliott. Andrew Bushe was listed at 47 in his newly acquired Saxo S1600 but he also cannot make the start.

 

An interesting entry in Rally Ireland is that of former National Champion Paul Harris in at No.28 to drive a Group N Lancer Evo 8.5.  Letterkenny man Paul made his name driving GpA cars and this will be his first appearance in a GpN machine.

 

Liam Wall crashed his Escort heavily on the opening stage of last weekend’s Mayo Stages Rally, and his co-driver Bob Kelly received fractures to his leg and other injuries. Following an operation in Castlebar hospital on Sunday evening to reset the bones in his leg, Kelly is reported as stable and comfortable and hopefully will make a speedy recovery.

 

Doubtless there will be many words written elsewhere about the great performance that Gareth MacHale and Paul Nagle put up in their Focus WRC on last weekend’s WRC Rally Mexico. It is some measure of Gareth that, despite the 6 hour time difference, he took time out throughout the Sunday to ring back to Mayo to see how his brother Aaron was doing there. Unfortunately Aaron’s Corolla WRC ground to a halt on the Partry Mountain stage, at Coleman’s bridge, with a mechanical problem.  There had been a sudden onset of heavy rain and Aaron was caught on slick tyres for the 2nd visit to the Partry stage and his Corolla clipped a chicane.  Aaron reckons he left his braking just a fraction late and got caught out on standing water. There was light damage. The bolts sheared to the stub axle and he is confident that the Corolla will be sorted out for this weekend’s Rally Ireland. Gareth will arrive back in Ireland on Tuesday to start his Rally Ireland recce on Wednesday and will be using the 05 Focus for the Sligo based event.  

 

Brian Patterson.