Irish Notes 16th April 2007.

Kevin Lynch, following his win on the Limerick forestry event last Sunday, commented, “ A good rally, I enjoyed it. The aim was to get some miles on the Focus. I’m beginning to get there, to understand how the car and the diff maps work. I like a milder map, along ther lines of the Subaru. The Ford ones are very aggressive. I like the the car to absorb the bumps, looser, to feel the car under me. The idea with the Focus seems to be more understeery, like on ice. I’m getting there though. This was my first time on the gravel since the Bushwhacker. I’d like another run out before Killarney. I really need a familiarisation year on the Tarmac Championship. I’ve never even been spectating on the Jim Clark and the Manx. We’re not trying to beat the ordinairy 5/8ths here. Drivers like Mark Higgins, a professional, isn’t worrying about their 300 men Monday to Friday! I hope to have an ’06 Focus later this year, and I think that will make a difference as well.”

Kenny McKinstry’s co-driver on the Limerick Forestry, Sean Mullally, had to drive the road sections for Kenny, while Kenny of course drove the stages. The reason for this was because Kenny forgot to renew his IRDS insurance, and despite having all sorts of cover, including a certificate from Dermot Hanafin’s rallyinsurance.co.uk, that was all to no avail, as the regulations in Southern Ireland are crystal clear -  no IRDS, no start, no wriggle room! At one point, as Kenny and Sean levered their substantial frames in and out of the rally car to change places once again, Kenny said to Sean, “You realise people usually give me about ten grand a day to get driving this thing”, cue more laughter – it was that sort of day!

Lisburn’s fastest oil delivery man Phillip Morrow is all geared up for this weekend’s Pirelli International.  Phillip did some testing at Sweet Lamb last week and said. “It went well.  We tweaked the Lancer up a bit more. I reckon I will struggle a little in the dark on the Pirelli so we managed 15 miles at night in Sweet Lamb.  Because I wear glasses I find it difficult in the dark.  If it is a good clear night it shouldn’t be too bad.  If I can sit with the top drivers I will give it a good go on the Saturday”.  Phillip’s main goal is to try and win the Pirelli Star Driver award with the dangling carrot of a run on the Junior World Championship and then the World Championship.  Phillip, who is being supported in his British Chanpuionship quest by Dermot Hanafin’s insurance company and also by Brendan Kelly’s Toyota business in Letterkenny, went on to say. “My ambition this year is to win a British Championship round”. 

Early details of the Killarney Lakes, scheduled for the 4/5/6^th May, show three MacHales in the entry, Gareth, Austin and Aaron, along with the Tarmac Championship regulars such as Eugene Donnelly, Mark Higgins Tim McNulty, Kevin Lynch and Eamonn Boland. Extra sparkle is provided by Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen in his Focus WRC, while intrigue surrounds the Kris Meeke entry as regards obtaining the necessary budget this week. A further interesting situation is the entry of former multiple Tarmac Champion Andrew Nesbitt, in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC.

Suzuki UK is tipped to be joining forces with Suzuki Ireland to run the two works Suzuki Swift Sports of James Wozencroft and Lorna Smith on three Irish rounds of the Tarmac Championship – the Killarney Lakes, Donegal and Cork ‘20’, to go along with the three ‘joint’ rounds which are also counters in the British series – the Manx, Jim Clark and the Ulster.

Welshman Melvyn Evans, the current 023 Tiles Southern Four Champion,  has entered  the Killarney Lakes, as has previous Champion Denis Cronin, both in Subaru WRC’s. Michael Barrable currently leads the points following his West Cork win, with Tim McNulty 2^nd, Liam McCarthy 3^rd and Denis Cronin 4^th.

Adrian McElavaney won his home Monaghan rally last year, but because of pressure of work in his various truck garages has done few miles since in his Impreza WRC. Adrian will however be competing on the Monaghan rally this weekend in his Subaru. Despite being on home territory, the talented young man will be hard pushed to take another win. He is up against the Dunlop Championship regulars on this 3^rd round, especially Patrick Elliott, Ray Breen, Aaron MacHale, Niall Maguire, Kevin Barrett, Glenn Allen and Noel Redmond. There are 9 asphalt stages on the list, three repeated three times, within shouting distance of Monaghan town. Aaron Machale is the overall Dunlop points leader, while Michael Curran tops the GpN points list.

Such is the demand for entries on the established events such as Monaghan and the Killarney Lakes, which are showing substantial reserve lists, new rallies on the scene, such as Bob Kelly’s mini stages at Skibbereen, are benefitting. Kelly is Clerk of the Course for the Skibbereen Mini Stages, scheduled for the weekend of 28th/29th April, and despite the entry being ‘restricted’,is fast approaching a maximum 151 car entry. On the same weekend there is a Midlands stages rally, based in Roscommon’s Abbey Hotel and it is also fast approaching a maximum entry. Top drivers already listed for Skibbereen include Paul Purtill, Willie Whitty, Ed Synan and Dave Slattery.

Martin Laverty tested his new Citroen C2R2 last weekend, and apart from running out of petrol when the fuel gauge was showing quarter full, had a successful run. Martin, always a front runner in the Peugeot 206’s  found the Citroen ‘aggressive’, and exciting to drive. Laverty’s first event is the Pirelli International where half a dozen of the C2R2’s will be competing for their own cup. Andrew Roughead will co-drive for Laverty.

Brian Patterson.