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Irish
Notes 12th Feb 03.
Five times
former Tarmac Champion Austin McHale
will drive a series 7 ex Prodrive Impreza WRC this season. The
Dubliner plans to contest both the Pirelli British Championship
and the Tarmac series. Brian Murphy will again be co-driving. The
Subaru is being converted to RHD. Austin commented, "The
Toyota is still a good car, but with all the effort being put
into F1 and no development with the Corolla, it is time to move
on."
Patrick
Elliott,
runner up in last year’s Dunlop National Championship and GpN
winner previously in a Lancer, will compete in the ex Maurice
Gass Impreza WRC this season. Cavan man Patrick intends to
contest the National Championship again, and may try to fit in a
couple of Internationals also. Martin Cahill will co-drive.
Ray Breen,
who has been competing in a GpA Subaru Impreza Turbo in recent
years, has acquired a Metro 6R4 and intends to go rallying more
for fun this season. Waterford man Breen will start with the
opening round of the KBB Doors Forestry Championship, the 23rd
Feb Carrick on Suir MC William Loughmann event.
Mid Antrim’s
GMW Stage
event last Saturday at Tardree forest was won once again by
Trevor Moore in his Escort Cosworth. Brendan O’Hagan was 2nd
in a similar GpA machine and John Donnelly 3rd in a
WRC example.
Carlow’s
Michael Reddy,
winner of the last Irish stage rally in 2002, the Baltinglass
event, also won the first stage event of 2003, at Birr last
Sunday. Reddy finished 28 seconds ahead of Liam Wall, also in an
Escort, with Pat Donegan 3rd. The rally was based in
Templemore and had a full complement of 131 starters, plus a
reserve list. Number 1 seed David Percy crashed out on the 2nd
stage and 102 cars finished.
Our recent story on the late Ronnie McCartney has created some
nice international interest, including this little note from
Stephen Mills in Australia and his experience with Ronnie.
Brian + Liz:
Just caught up
with the Beatty Crawford account of Ronnie... I recall him from
1964 in the Circuit car with the botched up sump, and as lately
as 1974 when he was in Bilbao for the Firestone Rally, as was I
with Billy Coleman. As the cars were presented inside the
bullring at Bilbao in an orderly fashion, Billy and Ronnie
followed the Tricolour and the banner 'Republic of Ireland'
as they were led into position around the 'ring', to line up in
front of their cars, a prelude to today's Superstages !
I look forward
to catching up with those who are left from that 'Golden Era' ..
tragically Ronnie will not be there, but we will remember him as
a true Irish sportsman
Stephen Mills
Sydney
Australia
Brian
Patterson.
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