Irish Notes 10th March 2010.
There was a collective sigh of relief when Kris Meeke and his co-driver Paul Nagle took victory in style on last weekend’s Brazil round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Kris seems to have shaken off any mental after effects of his Monte Carlo Rally accident, and stormed the Brazilian stages to score a start to finish win. It was the best possible way for Kris and Paul to get back on track to defend their Champions title. This week Kris and a few of his friends from home are having a touring holiday across the USA on Harley Davidson bikes which, knowing those guys, could be a lot more precarious than the rally in Brazil!

Meanwhile….
Under the bright lights of Ulster Television’s News studio Kevin Barrett’s Triton Showers Subaru provided the backdrop for 7 times Circuit of Ireland winner Jimmy McRae to announce the new Circuit sponsor, UTV Drive.co.uk. Bobby Willis, who has taken over the running of the event from the Ulster Automobile Club was massively upbeat about the future of the rally. As well as becoming an official IRC Supporter event Bobby has clinched this main sponsor, as well as backing from the Government department DCAL (Department of Culture Arts and Leisure). Bobby does contract work for the Volkswagen Dakar team and has persuaded them to bring the Dakar winning VW Race Touareg to the rally. It is mooted that Dieter Depping may drive this technological marvel through the stages, although this has to be confirmed.

The rally, which starts in Dundalk and has bases in Newry and Banbridge, has top Rally Ireland personnel Gordon Noble and Tom Walsh steering the event over the 2 days of 15 special stages at Easter. Jimmy McRae gave the new regime his total backing and in typical Jimmy form when asked would his 7 wins ever be challenged, he replied. “No. If anyone gets close I will just come back and win it again!” Knowing Jimmy and his mastery of the Irish stages he probably could too!

Last weekend…..
Vodka Kick supremo Steve Perez battled back after losing a nearly minute when he spun his Focus WRC to claim victory on the Malcolm Wilson Rally last Saturday. Paul Bird appeared to be heading for victory but two punctures ended his chances on the icy and snowy event. Jonny Greer was a heroic 2nd o/a on his first run in an M-Sport Focus WRC and Cork man Owen Murphy did well to take 7th o/a and 2nd in GpN. We were led to believe that Matthew Cathcart had withdrawn his entry when Martin Brady was unable to co-drive. However the young Fermanagh lad then had a change of heart and went to the rally. He won the Fiesta R2 class and was 15th o/a. Gwyndaf Evans’ son Elfyn made a welcome return to the sport and he won class N3 and was 13th o/a in his Fiesta ST. These two had a fierce battle throughout. Elfin built up a good lead in the middle part of the rally and Matthew charged at the end setting 7th fastest time overall on the final stage, but just couldn’t catch the young Welshman. Galway man Jonathan Cunningham, who works in the body shop of M-Sport building new Fiesta Super 2000’s, had a good run. Cunningham, who was a runner up in the Billy Coleman selection last year was co-driven by Richard Millener and was 2nd in class driving his Fiesta ST. Cunningham was the highest finisher in the Fiesta Sport Challenge and collected £500 for his efforts.

Keith Cronin, who was ‘00ing’ on the Malcolm Wilson in his new Pirelli GpN Subaru, reported after his first test in the Impreza, “I’m very happy with the car. Conditions were tricky and we have identified a little bit of work to do in certain areas.”

Also last weekend was the Willie Loughman Forestry Rally. Pat O’Connell, with Mark Wiley on the notes, won the event in his Lancer. This start to finish victory in Carrick-on-Suir reinforces Pat’s first round win at Mitchelstown and gives him a great head start in this year’s Petro Systems Championship. Once again John Reid was 2nd, which keeps the Corolla WRC driver well in the Championship hunt. Enda McNulty can’t be ignored either and he took 3rd last Sunday despite a few mechanical issues with his Subaru. The expected challenge from Andrew Purcell failed to materialize. This time it was a new engine fitted to his hired Lancer which cried enough.

Fastest man through the woods was Craig Breen who was ‘00ing’ in his Fiesta Super 2000. Craig’s times were unofficial, but from what we could see he was seconds per mile faster than winner Pat O’Connell. It’s amazing really. The top GpN cars such as the Lancer Evo and the best of the Subaru’s seem so quick, but then when you see them in action beside a Super 2000 car they seem cumbersome, slow and old fashioned!

There are always hard luck stories on any rally and just two of them from the Willie Loughman were: Sarah & Amy Moynihan sidelined when lying 5th, their Lancer’s throttle body deciding to call it quits. Ian Cochrane could have been on for a top three finish but was left off the final results when it was discovered he didn’t get a time at the arrival control of stage 4 Anner. There is a common entry/exit to that stage tucked in behind Slievenamon, so how this could have happened is somewhat of a mystery. In typical Ian fashion he didn’t question the official decision.

Looking Forward…….
This weekend’s Mayo Rally, based in Claremorris, has attracted a terrifically strong top entry and along with Norwegian Mads Ostberg performing OO duties in the Mick McQauid Mk2 Escort it should be an interesting event. Aaron MacHale, Melvyn Evans, Niall Maguire, Kevin Barrett and Derek McGarrity are the top five seeds, all driving World Rally Cars. Craig Breen is at 6 in his Fiesta Super 2000 and the top GpN entry is Kevin Kelleher in his Lancer. Daniel McKenna is the top seeded modified in his Mk2 Escort and he starts at 8.

For most of the top drivers the name of the game is going for points in the National Championship. For No.1 seed Aaron MacHale though, it’s more a matter of supporting the rally and also as a warm up for the Circuit of Ireland. Aaron commented from his Dublin base, “The car’s fine, but it will be a useful shakedown for the Circuit. I'm a club member and have connections with the rally, so I want to support it.” For Craig Breen it’s a matter of building up more experience with the Fiesta Super 2000. It is going to be very interesting indeed to see Craig’s pace against the Championship regulars and who would bet against the young Slieverue man providing a major upset? Mick O’Brien has entered the rally but the St. Albans based heavy plant contractor, who has a house in Mayo, may not be able to make the time to take part.

As well as being a round of the Dunlop National Championship the rally is the first counter in this season’s Hass Border Championship. In addition there is €1000 to be won by the driver of the highest placed GPA car, homologated between 1987-1997. Gerry Ronan Transport is putting up the prize fund. There is a ceremonial start on Saturday night and no doubt the evergreen Dougie Hughes will be doing the commentating, as well as celebrating his 77th birthday.

Derek McGarrity will also be in action this Saturday on the McGrady Insurance backed Bishopscourt Stages, round 2 of the Hankook NI Championship. Over 90 entries have been received for the rally and behind No.1 seed McGarrity is George Robinson, Gary White and Stuart Biggerstaff, all in World Rally Cars. At 5 is Raymond Johnston in his GpN Lancer, hoping to capitalise on his category victory at the first round in Kirkistown. Behind Johnston are three very strong GpN entries, Kieron Graffin, John McGlaughlin and Alan Carmichael, all in Lancers. Two Escorts, Drew Stewart in one and rally sponsor Fintan McGrady in the other, are at 9 & 10.

The Quality Hotels West Cork Rally is looking really good with over 160 entries received to date including four former winners of the event, Michael Barrable, Denis Cronin, Liam McCarthy and Bob Fowden. Tim McNulty has also entered as a shakedown for the Circuit of Ireland. Another interesting entry is from regular BTRDA front runner Hugh Hunter from North Wales in his Focus WRC. Hugh last competed in West Cork in 1995 in a GpN Sapphire Cosworth. Juniors and Historics make up another 35 entries. The Modified entry looks no less exciting with the Darrians of John Dalton and Washington James capable of challenging the top runners over West Cork’s fast flowing and beautiful stages. It is interesting to see that Des Moore is making a comeback following his accident last year and his Escort could be right in the thick of the battle. Other Escort drives include Adrian Hetherington and Neil Williams. The rally is the opening round of this year’s Southern 4 Championship and Denis Cronin will be defending his title. The Slowly Sideways GpB cars will also be traversing the stages. For the first time there sill be a ceremonial start in Clonakilty on Friday night 19th March at 7pm.
Another interesting entry in West Cork will be current S1600 Tarmac Champion Daragh O’Riordan in a Subaru. Daragh has switched from his Clio to the ex Melvyn Evans Impreza S11. O’Riordan knows full well that the new car will take a bit of getting used to but he hopes that West Cork will provide the stage miles to prepare him for the remaining rounds of the Tarmac Championship. Tony McDaid will co-drive.

Plum Tyndall, of RPM/Tyndall Productions, has produced two interesting, as well as entertaining, DVD’s for sale. One, ‘McKinstry on Count Back’, documents the 1994 Tarmac Championship when Kenny in his Legacy and Stephen Finlay in his Michelin Pilot Escort Cosworth tied on points in the Tarmac Championship, and Kenny won it on the strength of the better score on the opening round in Galway. Finlay looked to have the title won going into the last round, the Cork’20’, but he put his Escort Cosworth into a ditch on a deceptive Left Right tightens. The other DVD is ‘Fantastic Fisher’, telling the story of Bertie’s battle with Stephen Finlay, Frank Meagher and James Cullen, all in Escort Cosworths. Bertie was in his famous Legacy and there was an up and coming young driver in a Celica called Andrew Nesbitt! For further information contact: www.rpm-motorsport.com. Plum himself may not be able to look after you personally as he is recovering from a major knee operation and is struggling a bit! We wish him a speedy recovery.
Round 3 of the Petro Systems National Forestry Championship, which is also a round of the Triton Showers South East series, will be the Birr Forestry on Easter Sunday, 4th April. Eoin Longworth is Clerk of the Course and he can be contacted at 086 8179297. The Club is promising 55km of improved stages.

The Laois Rally Sport Club is promoting a mini stages rally on Sunday 13th June to be based at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel. There will be a prize draw for all finishers, with two prizes on offer, one for €1,000 and one for the €350 entry fee to be refunded. The two 20km stages that the club has picked are reportedly of very good quality.

Looking even further ahead, the Lurgan Park Rally which was backed last year by Orchard Motorsport, will take place this year on July 31st. It is hoped that there will be a big participation of Metro 6R4’s. Just some of the drivers who are expected to enter in 6R4’s include Denis Biggerstaff, Sandy

Gary Sheridan/Lloyd Cochrane won last weekend’s Erne Safari navigation rally in their Proton Compact. Wm & David Howard were 2nd in their Astra while 3rd was Willie McKeown/Patrick McCollum in their Corsa. Patrick, who now looks after the results so well on the NI Stage Championship, is also producing them for the Circuit of Ireland this year.

The Circuit of Kerry Stages is round 3 of this year’s National Championship, and the club is offering all rally fans who take photographs the chance to have their work published. Contact www.tanddbarrett@eircom.net