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Irish Notes
by Brian & Liz Patterson |
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Irish Notes 25th May 2016
Stunning, brilliantly stunning, was Kris Meeke’s showing on last weekend’s WRC Rally Portugal where, co-driven by Paul Nagle in the Citroen DS3R3 WRC, Kris drove an impeccable and very controlled rally to take a clear win. VW drivers Andreas Mikkelsen and Sebastien Ogier were
2nd and 3rd. World Champion Ogier was hamstrung with his first on the road position over the rocky and gravel strewn roads. His cause was not helped by punctures on the final morning, but even without those deflations it was doubtful if he could have caught Meeke. Kris had the best possible road position and took full advantage, building up a lead of over a minute on the first day and a half, then paced himself to the finish.
Behind the top three Dani Sordo was a close 4th for Hyundai. Eric Camilli was 5th for Ford and his Fiesta WRC teammate Mads Ostberg only managing 7th following gear change difficulties. Latvala rounded off the top half dozen, finishing the rally with blistered hands following power steering difficulties with his Polo R.
Rally Argentina winner Haydon Paddon hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he crashed his Hyundai and set fire to a whack of the Portuguese countryside. Ott Tanak went off on the same corner, both accidents down to a hole on the road with a large rock sticking out of it. Fortunately both drivers and co-drivers were uninjured. Elfyn Evans recovered from an early puncture to lead the WRC2 category but then a damaged wheel on his Fiesta R5 knocked him back. The category was won by Pontus Tiidemand in his Skoda R5. Fermanagh’s Jon Armstrong had a messy first day, losing buckets of time when his Fiesta suffered an errant turbo pipe, a puncture and other problems. However Jon battled back in some style and won the DMack driver of the day for his efforts. Gus Greensmith did lead but his Fiesta suffered a broken driveshaft, but former Ulster Rally winner Osian Pryce from Wales came through to win in a very accomplished manner.
Also last weekend but a bit closer to home, Damian Toner/Denver Rafferty in their Escort took victory again on the Loughgall Country Park Rally. Keith White/Damian McCann had a good run in their Mk1 to finish runner-up and David Armstrong/Paul Mulholland were 3rd in their Mk2.
Looking forward to this Sunday, the Cavan Stages Rally has a scintillating entry. The event is round 4 of the Triton Showers MI National series. The top three in the points, Roy White, Niall Maguire and Peadar Hurson are girding their loins for a resumption of their great battle. Hurson is on course to drive a newer Subaru this weekend, an ex Chris Atkinson/Mads Ostberg/Kris Princen S12b for the 9 stage Hotel Kilmore based event. There are several Championship familiar faces, such as Kevin Barrett, Paddy McVeigh and Daragh O’Riordan who should be in the thick of the action. The ‘Donegal syndrome’ is kicking in as well, resulting in entries from the likes of Josh and Sam Moffett in their Fiesta R5s, as well as Omagh man Seamus Leonard in a McKinstry Subaru WRC. There is an ultra strong line-up of Escorts, including Chris Armstrong on his home patch, with opposition likely to come from the likes of Gary McPhillips, Adrian Hetherington, Vivian Hamill and Frank Kelly. Group N looks interesting as well, as does the Junior category. All in all it has the makings of a brilliant rally, with CoC Stephen Kellett not likely to get bored as he controls what should be an action packed day.
On the weekend after Cavan, the Limerick Club is running the Circuit of Munster Rally, based in Rathkeale. Clerk of the Course Kieran Ambrose has put together a series of three stages, to be repeated three times, consisting of fast smooth enjoyable roads. The rally is on an opt-out year from the Triton Showers National Championship, but is still attracting an interesting entry. Donagh Kelly in his Focus WRC is tipped to be the No.1 seed, with other top entries including Seamus Leonard, also on a warm up for Donegal, Daniel Cronin in an Evo, and 2wd includes Adrian Hetherington, Mark Dolphin, Paul Purtill and Barry Ryan. Also that weekend there is the first recce for the Mourne Rally.
The Newry and District MC event has road closed stages and is a counting round of the McGrady Insurance NI Championship. The event is backed by Modern Tyres and starts from their Newry depot, with the service area in the old Newry customs yard that the Circuit used a few years ago. The club has received over 70 entries, and although Derek McGarrity’s Fiesta WRC is still in M-Sport having the Sperrins air locking problem sorted, he is definite that he is doing the Mourne. Some other names entered include series sponsor Fintan McGrady, Martin Taggart, Kyle White, Calvin Beattie in his Opel Adam, Loughgall winner Damian Toner and GpN front runner Clive Kilpatrick.
On the subject of the “Donegal syndrome”, the latest story to unfold, is that Craig Breen was trying to put a deal together to drive a Citroen WRC, possibly even a C4. However Craig has had to pull the entry and his next event with the Citroen team is WRC Poland. The Donegal entry still stays strong, with Garry Jennings the top seed, and then it is Tarmac Champion Donagh Kelly in his Focus WRC at 2, Declan Boyle at 3 and former winner and multiple Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly hopefully making a return to start at 4. He will drive a McGeehan Motorsport Mini WRC, with Paddy Toner co-driving, the old team together again! The ‘new’ R5 brigade, vying for Tarmac Championship points, Alastair Fisher, Keith Cronin, Sam and Josh Moffett will occupy the 6 to 9 berths. Manus Kelly, such a sensation on his first WRC drive in Carlow, fills out the top ten. The Joule backed Donegal International has a ‘launch night’ on Friday 3rd June (7.30pm) at the Aura Leisure Complex in Letterkenny.
Further stories in brief include Armagh’s Peter Bennett maintaining his lead in the UK Junior 1000 Challenge after the first three rounds. Peter, just 15 years old, has switched to a Skoda Citigo this season from the Citroen C1 which took him to runner-up spot in the NI Junior 1000’s and victory on the Scottish series last year.
The Smartpart ALMC stages (3rd July) will again be based at Trim in Co Meath. The event is a round this year of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, and is also still a counter of the MSA Asphalt series and the Loughran Signs Midland East Rally Championship. John Carroll is again C of C and the club had a launch last weekend at the Castle Arch Hotel in Trim, which will be rally HQ. To mark the fact that the Triton Showers and MSA Asphalt Championships are going ‘head to head’, the club has introduced a special ‘Triton Showers Inter Championship Trophy’. Otherwise the rally follows a familiar 3 x 3 stage pattern which should give 120kms of competitive mileage.
Several members of the London Irish Motor Club are contesting the ORC Canal Rally this weekend in Flanders. Those making the trip unclude Anthony O’Brien, originally from Sligo, and Mick Smith/Sean Moriarity (both originally from Kerry).
Finally, the news has just been released that the Jim Clark (Reivers) Rally has been cancelled.
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