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Irish
Notes 30.04.03.
Tarmac GpN Champion Trevor Cathers has made a surprise entry on
the Killarney Rally of The Lakes. The Omagh man missed the
Circuit, but will drive Willie John Dolan's 2 door Impreza in
Killarney. Willie John drove the car for only the second time on
the Circuit but was forced out with gearbox problems. The car has
been re-vamped by Prodrive, with the engine management system
also getting attention.
Maurice Gass was forced to delay the start of his reconnaissance
for the Rally of the Lakes when a friend was killed in a tractor
accident. Maurice currently leads the 023 Tiles Southern Four
Championship in his Impreza WRC, Killarney being round 2. Liam
McCarthy (Corolla WRC) is 2nd in the points, Nigel Hicklin
(Subaru) 3rd. Anthony O'Halloran leads the 2WD section in his
Manta, Liam Brady the 1600's in his Proton Satria.
James O'Sullivan, the very rapid driver from West Cork whose 023
Tiles company sponsors the Southern Four series, is moving up
from the 1600 to 2 litre division for the Lakes. O'Sullivan is
also fitting a new six speed sequential box. He will face tough
2wd opposition from the likes of Denis Cronin, who has a whole
new suspension set-up in his BMW M3.
Navan businessman Paddy White was hoping to have his newly
acquired ex Petter Solberg 2001 Impreza WRC converted to RHD for
the Killarney Rally of the Lakes, but the new machine isn't quite
ready so Paddy will drive his current, older specification
Impreza WRC. Paddy, with backing from Grant Thornton and
Goldman Securities intends to compete on all of the Tarmac
Championship rounds.
Stan Harper's preparation team is in yet another race against
time to ready Eugene Donnelly's Impreza WRC for this weekend's
Killarney Rally of the Lakes. Eugene, from Maghera, crashed the
Impreza out of the Circuit of Ireland. Eugene has switched back
to his old Celica in the meantime, and has scored a win on the
Easter Stages and a superb 2nd on last Sunday's Monaghan National
event.
Tom Gahan is another in a race against time, having to rush
Austin McHale's Impreza WRC back to Dublin after the Pirelli
Rally, remove the engine and box, take the units to Prodrive for
re-fettling, and have the car up and running for this weekend's
Killarney Lakes.
The 2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship kicks into action
on this weekend's Lakes event, with a strong line-up of the
attractive clubman specification Ford Focus contenders.
Colm Murphy is the defending champion.
Brian Patterson.
Monaghan Stages Rally, Class Winners:
Cl1 Trevor Graham/Stephen Furey (Swift)
Cl2 Danny McBride/P.J.Kelly (Civic)
Cl3 Thomas Taafe/Susan Doggett (Civic)
Cl4 Michael Shaw/Liam Higgins (Lancer N)
Cl5 Kieran Henry/Aidan Gannon (Swift)
Cl6 Dessie Keenan/Barry McMahon (Peugeot 206)
Cl7 Brian Pat Doherty/Shaun Duffy (Escort FWD)
Cl8 Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru)
Cl9 Donald McGettigan/Gareth Doherty (Nova)
Cl10 Adrian Fox/Philip Tobin (Escort)
Cl11 Robbie Peoples/Keith Stewart (Escort)
Cl12 Brian Armstrong/Ashley McAdoo (Escort)
Cl13 MacMcKenna/John Loughran (Peugeot RWD)
Cl14 Pat McCafferty/Colm McCafferty (Escort)
Cl15 Alan Nesbitt/Enda Sherry (Celica)
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2003 www.rallynews.net
(Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised
duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 02/05/03 12:48
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