 |
|
|
Irish Notes 20th
February 2008.
Enfield’s Tom Holton plans to test a James Foley Lancer in
Nenagh this weekend on the Birr Rally, and also plans to use his
Celica GT on the Rally Tout de Nord in Northern France.
Following his win, by just 0.7s from Connor McCloskey last
Saturday at Kirkistown, Sean Devine confirmed that he is going
ahead with his trip to the Sunseeker Rallye this Saturday. Sean
does intend to contest the full NI Rally Championship this
season, as well as selected events. He will use his Impreza WRC
S11 for the asphalt rallies and his Impreza WRC S9 for gravel
events.
George Robinson had Derek Murdoch co-driving for him last
Saturday on his fine run to 3rd at Kirkistown. George’s usual
man on the maps, Tommy Speers, is in hospital (for the first
time in his life) and is expected to be released in a week or
so. We wish Tommy a speedy recovery.
A surprise competitor at Kirkistown was Londoner Harvey Bell.
Harvey has co-driven many times in Ireland, with Jim Harrison.
This time he was guiding his brother Gary through the twists and
turns of Kirkistown. They were in one of Kenny McKinstry’s cars,
the one that Emma normally drives. The intention is to compete
in West Cork on St Patrick’s weekend, and this was a warm-up.
The reason for Emma’s retirement the previous weekend from the
Mitchelstown forestry, was that a fuel pipe came loose at the
back of car, the cab then filling up with fumes to such an
extent that Emma was forced to pull out.
Paul Barrett was driving a beautiful new rear wheel drive
Focus at Kirkistown. An early problem with the radiator cap
meant that Paul wasn’t able to shine, but the new car certainly
looks very special.
Geoffrey McMahon, driving a James Foley Lancer, led GpN at
Kirkistown for 4 stages, then spun on the 5th to let John Walker
into the lead. McMahon, a farmer from Markethill, then retired
on the 6th and final stage, but it was still an impressive
drive.
Talking of impressive drives at Kirkistown, Wesley Patterson
turned in a fantastic drive in his Mk2 Escort to finish 7th, and
at one point was ahead of a few WRC machines. James Kennedy also
produced a fabulous drive to finish in a class wining top ten
position with his 2-litre example. Wesley Patterson took maximum
points in the Superdrive Two Wheel Challenge, which now also
includes the Ulster Automobile Trophy. This latter Trophy is an
old Circuit of Ireland award recently uncovered by Russell
Brookes. Called the Larne Perpetual Trophy, just some of the
names engraved on it include Roger Clark and Cahal Curley
including Brookes himself.
West Cork man Keith Cronin and his co-driver Anthony
O’Connaill took their Lancer Evo 7 to the Emerald Stages at
Rockingham last weekend and had a ‘relaxed’ run to 6th overall
and 2nd in GpN. The event was as much an acclimatisation run for
the Billy Coleman Award winner in preparation for this weekend’s
Rallye Sunseeker, where they are due to debut a new Evo 9.
Also heading to the Sunseeker is Enniskillen’s Richard
Cathcart. Co-driven by Martin Brady, Richard took his new Evo to
the Snowman Rally and finished 3rd o/a and won GpN. Richard is
maturing into a very fine driver indeed. He has fabulous car
control and although the Sunseeker isn’t a really technical
rally, and perhaps won’t give Richard a terrific platform on
which to shine, he could be right in the forefront of the action
this season, along with the likes of Cronin and several more
very promising young drivers.
Gareth MacHale in his Focus WRC heads a very interesting
entry list for this weekend’s Nenagh based Birr Stages Rally,
with Patrick Elliott in his Subaru at 2 and Noel Redmond, also
in an Impreza WRC at 3. Alan Ring at 7 and Willie Fannin at 8
are the top GpN seeds. There is a bulging entry list, well over
the 151 maximum, plus a Junior category. Cathal McGrath is the
Clerk of the Course, and he has laid on a challenging and very
enjoyable series of four stages, to be run twice. The rally is
the opening round of the Top Part West Coast Championship and
also Grove Car Sales Midlands East Rally Championship. Further
events this weekend include the always popular Fivemiletown
based Omagh Spring Rally and also the Donegal Forestry,
restricted to two wheel drive, which apparently has a rather
thin entry.
Brian Patterson.
|
|
| © 2008 www.rallynews.net (Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
|
|
