|
|
|
|
|
Irish
Notes 7th April 03.
Andrew Nesbitt has made a last minute entry for the Circuit of
Ireland and has been slotted into the entry list at No.7.
Current Tarmac Champion and indeed last year's winner of the
Easter event Andrew has stated that although he has the entry in
it is not 100 per cent certain that he will be competing. The
likely car will be a Subaru WRC, but which one has not been
decided. There is still a possibility that he will appear in a
Peugeot 206 WRC later in the season, perhaps for the 20th July
Punchestown event.
Fresh from his West Cork victory Kenny McKinstry has decided to
enter the Monday leg of the Circuit of Ireland, The Easter
Stages. The Banbridge man commented "West Cork has whetted
my appetite. I believe they are new stages and I would love to
have a go. Being a round of the NI Championship, and the
competitors on that take priority, I'm not sure if I will
get an entry on the Easter Stages. I'm definitely doing the Manx
National. For three reasons, firstly because Pirelli has asked me
to, secondly because I like the rally and thirdly because I made
a mess of it last year and should have won. It was my own fault
then when I cut a hairpin and got a puncture".
McKinstry went on to say that as regards points in the Get
Connected Championship and the current discussions regarding
carrying the windscreen banner "Tom Geraghty Tyres
have sponsored my cars for many years, he pays good money for
that spot on the screen. I have offered the Get Connected people
a site on the bonnet or on the front of the roof which at the
moment does not seem to be acceptable to them. If they don't want
to give me the points, so be it".
Hugh Dunne has traded his Impreza WRC through Prodrive for a GpA
example, and intends competing on this weekend's Wicklow Forestry
event, 3rd round of the KBB Doors Forestry Championship. Dunne
states that he never really settled in to the WRC and is looking
for the form that brought him a Birr Forestry outright win in the
year 2000. The Wicklow forestry event is based in Roundwood this
time, and there are 6 stages on the menu including a ten plus
miler in Glenealy.
Last Sunday's splendid Circuit of Kerry Rally was round 2 of the
Ford of Ireland KA Championship. In a torrid, action packed day
points leader starting the event suffered an early accident.
Martin Laverty led the KA's throughout the day but he crashed on
the final stage when under pressure from Ian Chadwick, the latter
going on to take the points. Emily O'Mahony scored her best
result to date with runner up spot.
Ruan man Anthony O'Halloran and co driver Sean Moriarty have
decided to compete on the Manx National in Anthony's venerable
Opel Manta. Anthony has a new Manta under construction but it
won't be ready for the Manx trip. O'Halloran has long been
considered one of the most exciting and talented Irish drivers,
but has never really had the machinery to match his talents.
Armagh's Maurice Gass, current leader of the 023 Tiles Southern 4
Championship, has been having intermittent problems with his
Impreza WRC's dash read-out computer, and is hopeful that a new
unit can be fitted before the Circuit of Ireland. Maurice was one
of the stars of the West Cork Rally and then competed on the
small Kilbroney event but retired at the halfway point after
receiving what he felt was an unjustified penalty when his
Impreza WRC hit a chicane.
Brian Patterson.
|
|
|
ã
2003 www.rallynews.net
(Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised
duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 08/04/03 15:00
|
|
|
|
