Kenny
McKinstry, with Sean
Mullally co-driving,
is a surprise entry
for this weekend’s
Limerick MC Tom
White Memorial
Forestry Rally.
There was a worry
that the Adare based
event, a replacement
in the Hankook
Southern Forestry
series for the
cancelled Wicklow
event, wouldn’t get
a decent entry. That
seems to be far from
the case, as besides
all the forestry
regulars, led by
Stepehen Moore in
his Focus WRC, Kevin
Lynch is also now
considering
competing, in an
effort to get more
miles in his Focus
WRC.
Former
Ulster Rally winner
Derek Boyd, who now
lives on the Isle of
Man, is considering
a comeback on Manx
National in a GpN
Lancer Evo 9. Mark
Higgins father Tony,
who was looking
after the ‘gravel
notes’ for Mark’s
victory on the UAC
Easter Rally last
weekend, is also
considering a
comeback. Tony,
whose wife Christine
will co-drive, has
done a deal for
Alister McRae’s
Escort.
Andreas
Mikkelson was
delighted with his 3rd
palce on last
weekend’s UAC
International Rally,
and plans his next
rally with his Focus
WRC to be the
Killarney Rally of
the Lakes, and then
further rounds of
the Global Group
Tarmac Championship.
In the meantime, its
back to school in
Norway for 17 year
old Andreas.
Magherafelt
man Martin
McCormick, winner of
the classic section
on the Killarney
Historic, plans to
compete on the
Histortic section of
the Pirelli
International with
his Escort Mk2.
Letterkenny’s Conor
Harvey, co-driven by
Tony McDaid, scored
a thrilling victory,
by 7 seconds over
Alastair Fisher, on
the Fiesta Sporting
Trophy section of
last weekend’s UAC
Easter Rally. Fisher
and his co-driver
Barry McNulty were
fastest on the final
stage but couldn’t
rein in the flying
Harvey. Jonathan
Greer was 3rd.
First round winner
Tadgh Buckley was on
the pace through the
first 3 stages,
mixing it with the
leaders but a bad
bump on stage 4
caused his Fieasta
engine to cut out
for 3 minutes and
any chance of a good
result was lost.
William Mavitty
crashed his example
heavily on the
Rousky stage,
fortunately without
injury to himself or
co-driver Mark
Ammonds. Conor
Harvey now leads the
Fiesta Sporting
Trophy with 55, as
against Alastair
Fisher on 47, Tadgh
Buckley with 44 and
Jonathan Greer with
42.
Efforts are
being made behind
the scenes to enable
Kris Meeke to have
another run in Kenny
McKinstry’s Impreza
WRC, possibly on the
Killarney Rally of
the Lakes. Emma
McKinstry finished a
creditable 18th
o/a on the UAC
Easter Rally. Emma
was driving one of
her dad Kenny’s WRC
Subarus and lost a
little time on day
two through niggly
suspension set-up
difficulties.
Former NI
Rally Champion
Dennis Biggerstaff
made a conservative
start to the UAC
Easter International
Rally, but got well
into his stride as
the event
progressed. He was
not only enjoying
it, but was into the
top ten until a
puncture on the
Barnes Gap stage,
which also damaged
his Impreza WRC’s
steering, meant he
slipped out of the
top ten, to 11th.
Andrew
Bushe, normally a
front runner in the
1600 class, switched
to an ex McShea Saxo
for this season.
Andrew has totally
rebuilt the car and
was forced to miss
Galway so debuted
the Super 1600
machine last weekend
on the UAC Easter
International.
Through the Saturday
stages he battled
against suspension
that was far too
stiff. When the got
the car handling to
his liking the times
started to flow, but
then a drive shaft
snapped just after
the start line of
the Barnes Gap stage
on day 2 and Andrew
was sidelined.
Brian
Patterson.
