Irish Notes 1st July 2015

Last weekend’s European Championship Ypres Rally produced mixed results for our drivers. It was all looking good for quite a while as Craig Breen/Scott Martin held the lead, albeit a slender one – until their Peugeot took a small deviation through what appeared to be a cabbage patch and the radiator got blocked with vegetable foliage. Almost immediately the engine overheated and that was the end of Craig’s Rally. The only consolation for Craig is that he still leads the European Championship. Craig is due to drive an Escort on this weekend’s Lurgan Park Rally, and his next European Championship outing is the Rally Estonia (17th/19th July).

Also not so fortunate were Sam and Josh Moffett. Sam was knocked back with a few small problems with his Fiesta RRC but still set some decent times and acquired some knowledge of the extremely specialised Belgian stage roads until his Fiesta retired due to an issue with the water pump. Josh also went well, despite getting knocked back with a puncture, but still seemed to be heading for a top ten place until an accident on the final stage abruptly finished his rally. Josh was really unfortunate in the way his car bounced out of one of the many massive cuts through corners that are all part of the Ypres technique. Marty McCormack/James O’Reilly did manage to get their Skoda S2000 to the finish, and that was despite some dramatic overshoots. As always Marty seemed to have a ball. He managed to finish inside the top ten, in 9th, and even picked up a tasty wee cheque from the ERC ‘privateer’ fund for his efforts.

Through all the dramas at the front of the rally, Freddy Loix managed to come from behind and drove his new Skoda R5 brilliantly to take victory, his 10th Ypres win. Not for nothing is he called ‘Fast Freddy’ on his home event. Bryan Bouffier made a great bid for victory but his Citroen DS3R5 suffered an excursion which cost several minutes and he finished 2nd.

Meanwhile, nearer home, in Co. Waterford, Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan in their Focus WRC, strengthened their stranglehold on the Triton Showers National Championship with a start to finish win on Round 5, the Ravens Rock. Kelly was fastest on every stage including the final one, the power stage, which earned him a points bonus. Melvyn Evans/Mark Glennerster and Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy, had good runs in their respective Impreza WRCs but had no answer to the flying Kelly and they finished 2nd and 3rd.

The stages were to the South East of Waterford City, passing the seaside village of Dunmore East providing pleasant attractive roads. On the opening stage, Ballymacaw (9.72km) Donagh Kelly was fastest by 3s from Melvyn Evans, with Alan Ring just a fraction of a second up on Mick O’Brien. Niall Maguire was driving the ex Declan Boyle Subaru for the first time. The former multiple National Champion held 5th and was settling into the car well, although there were some fumes in the cabin initially. Niall also observed that he did find the roads slippy. Top Mk2 Escort exponent Chris Armstrong put his car off the road and out of the rally on that opening stage, so perhaps the conditions flattered to deceive.

At service in the Waterford airport complex after three stages, Donagh Kelly had increased his lead over Melvyn Evans to 30s. Kevin Barrett had put his Impreza WRC off the road on stage 3, and a scratch time was applied to those cars caught behind the stricken Subaru.

By 2nd service Donagh Kelly had extended his lead to 52s from Melvyn Evans, with Alan Ring 12s behind the Welshman. The order at the top didn’t change through the last three stages, just the time gaps increased. Declan Gallagher finished best 2wd and was 7th, Jonathan Pringle was best Escort and 9th o/a. Craig Breen made an overnight trip back from Ypres and finished 12th o/a, driving James Coleman’s Escort.

Top Ten Finishers:-
1st Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Focus WRC) 55.36.3
2nd Melvyn Evans/Mark Glennerster (Impreza WRC) 56.50.2
3rd Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Impreza WRC) 57.13.0
4th Mick O’Brien/Liam Brennan (Focus WRC) 57.22.2
5th Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 57.22.9
6th Roy White/James O’Brien (MG S2000) 57.31.1
7th Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet) 57.58.4
8th Martin Donnelly/Brian Doherty (Corolla) 58.51.2
9th Eddie Power/Mark Wiley (Corolla) 58.53.2
10th Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne (Escort) 58.59.7
Class Winners:-
CL1 David Healy/Stephen McGinn (Civic): CL2 Richard Tannahill/Bob Kelly (Peugeot 208 R2): CL3 Keith Power/Keith Moriarity (Clio S1600): CL4 Neill Tohill/Gerard Tohill (Lancer) CL5 James Belton/Gwynfor Jones (Fiesta): CL7 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Focus WRC): CL9 Shane Gazely/James Dunphy (Escort): CL10 Victor & Susan Beamish (Nova): Class 11F Jason Ryan/Peter Falvey (Starlet): CL11R Richard Harney/Brian Harney (Escort): CL12 Paul Doyle/Bob Nolan (Escort): CL13 Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet RWD): CL14 Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne (Escort): CL15 Martin Donnelly/Brian Doherty (Corolla): CL16 (Juniors) James Bradley/Maria Kehoe (Civic): CL 18 (Historics) Donal O’Connor/Derry Long (Escort): CL20 Roy White/James O’Brien (MG S2000)

Looking forward to this weekend, the Orchard Motorsport Lurgan Park Rally on Saturday and the ALMC event on Sunday should provide plenty of Motorsport action. At Lurgan Park this Saturday’s (4th July) the annual Lurgan Park Rally has once again got all the ingredients for a superb family day out, starting with the excitement of top seed Garry Jennings in his Subaru Impreza WRC chasing a Lurgan Park victory hat-trick.

Fermanagh man Garry, fresh from a magnificent win on the Donegal Rally, will face some talented top drivers in what is an extremely interesting entry. The organising North Armagh Motor Club has allowed for an increase in the number of competitors, for this event, up to 60 plus reserves.

Seeded behind Garry Jennings is multiple Circuit of Ireland winner Derek McGarrity, also in a Subaru, Derek McGeehan in a Mini WRC, 11 times Lurgan Park winner Kenny McKinstry in his Subaru WRC, Melvyn Evans (Subaru) from Wales, a former Irish National Champion, Kevin Kelleher (Subaru), a former National GpN Rally Champion, Stuart Biggerstaff (Subaru) a former NI Rally Champion and the very talented driver Emma McKinstry (Subaru) at No.8.

That is just the top layer of a very interesting line up. Former Irish Forestry Champion Pat O’Connell in his Lancer for example is at 10. There is a fantastic line up of Mk2 Escorts further down the list – with drivers such as European Championship leader Craig Breen and former five times Scottish Champion David Bogie, as well as such brilliant home drivers as Frank Kelly, Wesley Patterson and Adrian Hetherington. There is variety aplenty in the line up as well with Robert Woodside in the charismatic new Porsche 911 R-GT, Denis Biggerstaff in his MG Metro 6R4, young Callum Devine in the new Opel Adam to name just a few.

A further really interesting entry is that of Navan’s Paddy White who is seeded at 20 to drive Emma McKinstry’s Impreza WRC. Paddy hasn’t rallied since he won the ALMC 8 years ago. He decided to compete in Lurgan Park as a 21st birthday present for his daughter Aisling who is co-driving. Emma McKinstry meanwhile is faced with a race against time to get the engine of the PJ McDermott Subaru rebuilt in time for Saturday so that she can drive it!

There will be 8 special stages through the Park on Saturday, starting at 10.07 am from the ramp in the central paddock/service area. The North Armagh Motor Club team headed by Rally Director William Fullerton and Clerk of the Course BarryTaggart emphasise that throughout the day, safety and security will be the watchwords. The champagne finish, still in the paddock, will be at 17.15 and the prize giving will take place in the bowling pavilion at 17.45.

In recognition of the rally being on American Independence Day, 4th July, there will be an American Theme vehicle display, as well as a display of cars from the “Scooby Club’, the ‘Droop Snoot’ Club, the Ford Classic cars and the ‘Mazda Rotary’ club. In addition to all this, there will be comprehensive entertainment activities for children and various trade shows.

As well as Brian Stinson of Orchard Motorsport sponsoring the rally, the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council are lending their full support, especially with the use of the beautiful Lurgan Park. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Darryn Causby, represented the Council at a reception in the Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre earlier this week and will be present at the event on Saturday.

Top 10 Crews:-
1 Garry Jennings/Michael Moran (Impreza WRC)
2 Derek McGarrity/Alan Beatty (Impreza WRC)
3 Derek McGeehan/Laurie Smyth (Mini WRC)
4 Kenny McKinstry/Michael Gilmore (Impreza WRC)
5 Melvyn Evans/Sean Hayde (Impreza WRC)
6 Kevin Kelleher/ TBA (Impreza WRC)
7 Stuart Biggerstaff/ TBA (Impreza WRC)
8 Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Impreza WRC)
9 Ray Brammer/Mo Downey (Impreza WRC)
10 Pat O’Connell/Mark Wiley (Lancer)

Then on Sunday there is a top line-up for the Trim based ALMC event, a counter in the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. Simon Maugher (Metro 4M4) is No.1 seed and is currently tied with Damian Cole (Focus WRC) at the top of the REIS points list. Damian is seeded at No.3 on the ALMC, with Steve Simpson in his Impreza WRC at 2. The points positions at the top of the REIS Championship is a little bit provisional due to some uncertainty about fuel samples taken from the top cars on the recent Manx National Rally. Other top drivers on the ALMC include Mark Straker in his very rapid Darrian, with Steve Wood (Impreza WRC) and Alex Laffey (Fiesta R5) making up the top half dozen.

Also this weekend is of course the WRC Rally Poland where Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle in the works Citroen take on the might of the world’s best drivers and cars, particularly of course the all conquering Volkswagen team of Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen. It should be another thrilling battle over the ultra fast gravel stages in Poland, and of course there will be much interest in the progress of New Zealander Haydon Paddon in the Hyundai team car, as well as Elfyn Evans in the M-Sport Fiesta. There are a lot more top cars and drivers of course, including Robert Kubica on his home patch, so we can expect lots of fireworks!

Looking further ahead, the next round of the McGrady Insurance NI Championship, the 25th July Tyrone Stages, is well on schedule to be a worthwhile event. Bob McKeown, the CoC, has planned three asphalt stages, to be run twice each, in an area North West of Cookstown. Well known rally engineer Dean Hetherington is sponsoring the event through his fuel company POC NI (Oils) Ltd. The entry fee seems great value at £265 and the event will be televised. McKeown reports a high level of interest already, and of course the rally is also a counter in the R2 Road to Wales initiative backed by David Greer Motorsport.

News of an event coming up fast now, the 14th/15th August Todds Leap Ulster Rally, was released at a press conference earlier this week which took place at the breathtakingly beautiful Castle Coole Estate in Co. Fermanagh. Even Lord Belmore was on hand to supervise the parking on the pristine gravel forecourt of the ‘big house’ of the three display rally cars – the Garry Jennings ‘Go” Impreza WRC, Frank Kelly’s ‘Baby Blue’ Mk2 Escort and the iconic green Mini Cooper of the indomitable Mervyn Johnston. Sadly, tragedy enveloped the rally last year, and it was with renewed vigour and with great courage that the organising Northern Ireland Motor Club team is tackling this year’s rally and outlined their plans. It is worth remembering that the Ulster Rally won the ‘Best Event’ award in the British Championship in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

There is no British Championship this year of course, but there will be next year, and the Ulster will be a round. Interestingly, the British Series now being ‘scaled up’ to allow ‘R5’ cars, while the Tarmac Championship is being ‘scaled down’ so that ‘R5’ cars will be top of the tree – quite a co-incidence! This year’s Ulster will be a round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Tarmac Championship, as well as the McGrady Insurance NI Championship. Gary Milligan has taken over the Clerk of the Course reins for this year and he announced a comprehensive route including 12 special stages through Counties Fermanagh and Tyrone. There will be a re-group and some activity including the start at the beautiful Castle Coole Estate on the Friday leg, and the main service area will be at the St Angelo airfield.

Benny O’Hanlon of Todds Leap has sponsored the rally for 8 years, and once again is behind the event one hundred per cent. Last year he took very ill in the period before the rally, but he still insisted on standing on with his sponsorship, and in deference to the fantastic care he got a year ago has asked that the charity linked to the rally this time should be the Chest, Heart & Stroke Association. O’Hanlon also emphasised that his sponsorship is as much about supporting the hundreds of marshals who are out in all weathers and tolerate some tough conditions to make rallies happen.

It is just a little bit early to be writing about entries for the Ulster, but Garry Jennings for example, said at the conference that as soon as Lurgan Park is over his Subaru will be getting stripped and rebuilt, including the engine, in time for a full on Ulster Rally assault, and indications are that the rally will be well supported. Certainly the stages in Fermanagh/Tyrone are generally very highly thought of.

Also on the immediate rally horizon is the 12th July Sligo Stages Rally, the next round of the Triton Showers MI National Rally Championship. Clerk of the Course Robert Lyttle has laid out some very classical stage mileage, much of it familiar from Rally Ireland. Rally HQ will again be the highly salubrious Sligo Park Hotel, where the rally has been based seemingly since the year dot! Robert assures us that the entries are coming in well, and he is particularly pleased that current National and Tarmac Champion Declan Boyle has been in touch requesting an entry to run his new Fiesta WRC.

Further news for next year is that as well as the Ulster Rally being a round of the new British Championship, the Circuit of Ireland will also be a counter. The Circuit is also reportedly moving out of its traditional Easter date to (provisionally) April 8th/9th. The British Championship will have 7 rounds – Mid Wales (March 5th/6th), The Circuit, the Pirelli (April 29th/30th), Jim Clark (May 27th/28th), Scottish (June 24th/25th), Ulster Rally (Aug 12th/13th) and the Granite City Rally (Sept 9th/10th). Interestingly, it is 25 years since the Circuit was last a counter of the British series (then sponsored by Shell Oils) and Colin McRae won the rally and went on to win the Championship.