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RALLY NEWS NO.1
Good Friday-L/Derry-18.00
This Easter International Rally, including the National & Historic
sections, has a great driver entry list plus a wide range of stunning
rally machinery. The main International Rally is a counter in the
Global Tarmac Championship, while the National is part of the NI
series.
Eugene Donnelly and his co-driver Paul Kiely are the undisputed
Tarmac Champions, and of course won the Circuit last year in their
Corolla. This time Donnelly runs first on the road in the latest
S12 Subaru World Rally Car, and if he can repeat the speed that
saw him lead two times World Champion Marcus Gronholm on the Galway
Rally in February, he will be very hard to beat. However, a lot
of things can go wrong on a rally. Eugene retired from Galway
on the penultimate stage, so no result and no points on the Tarmac
Championship. Instead it is British Rally Champion Mark Higgins
in the Pirelli backed Subaru who tops the table. Mark admits he
had a miserable Galway Rally, way off the pace, but he still managed
that maximum score. He has done some testing with the car, and reckons
it will be better this time.
Eamonn Boland, running third on the road in his Focus WRC, was 2nd
here last year, and if Eamonn gets a good run again he’ll
not be a mile away. Kris Meeke at 4, driving a Subaru WRC on asphalt
for the first time, is a real wild card. In theory he shouldn’t
be able to match, let alone beat, the regular ‘Tarmac Titans’.
Well, Kris has had a good test in the car, and really, his pace
is more electric than anything the NIE has up its sleeve. Tim McNulty
at 5 in the Pierse backed Subaru has enough courage to attack these
Sperrins stages with all the gusto in the world, and he’ll
be wanting to make up for lost time following his retirement on
the Galway event.
Dungiven’s Kevin Lynch, running at 6, has switched from a
Subaru to a Focus this season and has struggled to get to grips
with the new car. That could be changing. The new ‘slim line’
Kevin, two stone lighter, was testing at Cooley Mountain a couple
of days ago, was delighted this time with the Ford, and commented
to his sister Martina, “She (the Focus) is some donkey!”
(We can only assume that is meant to be complimentary!)
Peadar Hurson (No7) was also testing, and he was well pleased with
his Subaru. Gareth Jones, one of the new Reid Transport team, seems
to be well on the case with his Focus WRC, the car fully refettled
after being on its roof in Galway. Young Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen
(No9) is taking a break from the World Championship to contest this,
his 2nd Irish rally, and he could open a few eyes in his Focus.
Stephen Murphy, well on the pace on the opening round in Galway,
could well have his Focus right up with the front runners on this
tough demanding rally.
There are lots of good drivers just outside the top ten. Behind
that are the best of the GpN entries led by current GpN Champion
Colm Murphy. As ever Colm is on a restricted budget, and plans to
play this one ‘softly softly’. Sometimes of course,
that can bring a result. Seamus Leonard in his Lancer starts behind
Colm. Seamus very much on home territory. Third GpN driver on the
road is Roy White in his FESP Lancer. Roy has had Gordon Birtwhistle
over from Proflex, setting up the suspension in his Lancer, so he
should go well. Just some of the other top GpN drivers include John
McGlaughlin (Lancer), and Willie Fannin, his Impreza engine discovered
to be down on power following last weekend’s Circuit of Kerry.
Next up is Kevin O’Donoghue from Killarney, then Clonakilty’s
Kevin Kelleher and Emma McKinstry all in Lancers.
James Cullen in another of the Reid Motorsport team cars is next
up. James’ engine has had to have a quick overhaul, so he
is hoping it will be OK. GpN drivers who have withdrawn include
Garry Jennings, whose Lancer engine needs rebuilt, James Foley,
who leads the GpN points, has also been forced to withdraw, because
of a damaged hand. James interrupted his recce to take a helicopter
trip to Wexford for Cryotherapy treatment, but to no avail.
Further non-starters include Andrew Stewart, Alan McMahon, Paddy
White and Patrick Elliott. Changes include Global Brand directors
Noel McCarrick and Tom Gormally were late entries. Noel runs with
62 on his Subaru but will start just inside the top 20 and Tom Gormally
starts just inside the top 50 and will have 63 on his Civic. Andrew
Bushe has 49 on his ex McShea Saxo and starts just inside the top
40. Co-driver changes include Paul Nagle to be with Kris Meeke,
David Moynihan with Kevin Lynch, Michael Orr with Peadar Hurson
and Eugene O’Donnell with Martin Doherty and Dessie Wilson
with Willie John Dolan. Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly are No.1 seeds
in the National Rally in their Corolla. Their number is 101. Stephen
Moore, the number 2 National seed in his Focus is 102 and so on.
The National Rally starts immediately behinds the Internationals
and will miss the final Saturday stage as well as the final Sunday
stage. The Fiesta Sporting Trophy contenders, with Tadgh Buckley
the No.1 seed ahead of Conor Harvey with Alastair Fisher 3rd seed
will run on the Sunday stages only between the Internationals and
the Nationals.
More news after stage 1: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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