Irish Notes 24th June 2015

Last weekend’s Donegal Rally, sponsored this year by Ian Barrett’s heating company Joule was once again a massive affair, in just about every respect. There were massive crowds of spectators at every turn to witness the winning performance of Garry Jennings and his co-driver Rory Kennedy in their Subaru Impreza WRC. Theirs was an enormous, adrenalin pumping drive over classic stages, vintage Garry Jennings demonstrating all his old flair. Garry’s father Jim was at the finish ramp outside the Mt Errigal Hotel on the Sunday evening and commented ‘What a Father’s Day present this is!” Rory Kennedy said when he climbed out of the Impreza, “We had a fantastic team looking after us and Garry drove a brilliant rally incredibly well!’
That just about sums the job up. The rally never lost interest throughout the three days of action. At first it looked as if Donagh Kelly was going to extend his all-conquering rally success sequence, but Garry quickly countered that with a series of very solid fastest stage times. There was big pressure at the front, and when Donagh’s Focus sustained a puncture and a bit of damage early on the Saturday morning, the writing was on the wall. Donagh steadied the ship and was able to score a couple of fastest times, but Jennings was not to be denied. Garry really set the seal on proceedings with a string of dominant fastest times on Sunday morning.
 
Last year’s winners Declan and Brian Boyle did wonderfully well, probably much better than most people thought they would, by quickly getting to grips with their new LHD Fiesta WRC. They not only got to grips with it, but set sizzling times as well. It was only really the brilliance of Garry Jennings that denied Declan another visit to the top tier of the podium. There is still a feeling that the new 1600 WRC machinery won’t beat the older 2 litre cars. Well maybe, maybe not, but with the constant development of the new cars along with their enormous cornering and braking powers, allied to Declan Boyle’s determination and talent, surely the new breed of WRC will be the winning car of the future.

There were many winners on this Donegal Rally. Think for example of Manus Kelly/Donal Barrett taking the National Title in their Escort – that is a million dollar dream come true for the two Donegal men. But there were dozens of heartbreak stories and hard luck episodes. Donegal is definitely not an easy rally to tame. Ask Adrian Hetherington for example, whose Escort was heading for a glorious 2nd in the Nationals following a truly heroic effort by Adrian against the ‘local’ men, only for the engine of his Escort to cry enough on the Fanad stage, within sight of the finish. What a disappointment for the crew, and the team. Perhaps that is what brings people back year after year to Donegal.

The magnitude of the rally is such that the fact it is the fifth of seven rounds of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Tarmac Championship to a certain extent gets lost in the furore of all the action. Anyway, Donagh Kelly’s 3rd place on the rally keeps him in the series lead with 60 points. Sam Moffett, who missed Donegal as is heading to Ypres this week, remains 2nd on 40 points. Aaron MacHale, who had a troubled Donegal as his Lancer was plagued with an obscure electrical problem and continually cut out, still did enough to move into 3rd o/a in the series on 34 points and leads GpN. The driver battling with MacHale for GpN on the Tarmac is Brendan Cumiskey, but the Dundalk man, despite completing a three day recce, was unable to start Donegal as he took a very bad pain in his foot and wasn’t able to walk, let alone drive! Following his very accomplished drive in Donegal to 7th and Class 5 winner in his Skoda S2000, Joe McGonigle is now 4th o/a in the points.

Declan Gallagher remains at the top of the Tarmac Modified points table, with Frank Kelly moving up to join him in equal first. Frank surged through the entry in Donegal to eventually take 2nd in the National. John O’Sullivan leads the Junior points, while Rob Duggan earned a maximum score with a brilliant Junior win in Donegal.  Ernie Graham has got ahead of Gareth Lloyd to lead the Tarmac series Historic points.
 Following all his exertions in Donegal, Donagh Kelly is due to be back in action again this weekend on the Ravens Rock Rally, 5th round of the Triton Showers National Championship. Kelly has a substantial lead in the series, but has a bit to go yet to take the title. Donagh’s closest pursuer is former multiple champion Niall Maguire and he could be switching cars this week to a more powerful Subaru, the ex- Declan Boyle-Tim McNulty example. This is possibly the most successful car ever in Irish rallying.
Just some of the other top drivers who will be doing their best to get on the podium this Sunday outside Dooley’s Hotel in Waterford include Peadar Hurson and Welshman Melvyn Evans, both in Subarus. Other top drivers include Alan Ring and Kevin Barrett. James Belton and Gwynfor Jones in their Fiesta R5 make a welcome return to the series. Joe Connolly who planned to debut a Fiesta R5 unfortunately has had to withdraw due to family reasons. Roy White in his MG will no doubt be going flat out as usual and starts at 7, and there is an exciting array of Escorts as well, headed by Chris Armstrong, who is 4th o/a in the Triton Showers National series. In general there is a top class entry. European Rally Championship leader Craig Breen is even flying back early from Belgium on Sunday morning to drive a James Coleman Escort on his home event!

This weekend’s magical Ypres Rally has once again received a top class entry, and besides Craig Breen in the Peugeot Academy ‘works’ 208 T16, both Sam and Josh Moffett should be in the thick of the rally action with their respective Fiesta RRC’s. Marty McCormack and James O’Reilly are competing in Ypres in Marty’s Skoda S2000 and could get a decent result, although it is a top class European entry. Jon Armstrong is doing the Ypres recce, but isn’t competing on the rally as his car isn’t ready. Alastair Fisher is flying out to Belgium later this week, to do the gravel notes for Craig Breen. 

Looking briefly ahead, full details of the 4th July Orchard Motorsport Lurgan Park Rally will be released in the next couple of days as well the ALMC rally that takes place the day after Lurgan Park. Both events are attracting a lot of interest, and for Lurgan Park there are certainly some good entries in the pipeline including father and son Stuart and Dennis Biggerstaff in their Metro 6R4 and Impreza WRC respectively.

Late News……
The following statement has just been issued by T.R.O.A regarding the points structure for the 2016 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (T.R.O.A.) wishes to announce changes to the points structure for the 2016 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. These changes do not affect the various vehicle classes which will remain the same as set out in the 2015 Regulations.

The 2016 season will see competitors running in Classes 1 to 5 inclusive scoring points for the Overall Championship. Competitors running in Class 6 will be in a standalone class and therefore only eligible for class points. Competitors running in Class 7 will be able to score points for a new trophy, called the WRC Class 7 Trophy. The changes to the points structure are subject to MI approval.

There are no proposed changes to the Historic and Modified Championships.