{"id":3720,"date":"2017-08-03T07:42:37","date_gmt":"2017-08-03T07:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rallynews.net\/pattersonpacenotes\/wordpress\/?p=3720"},"modified":"2017-08-03T07:42:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-03T07:42:37","slug":"moffett-conquers-cork-jim-walsh-cork-forestry-by-andrew-bushe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rallynews.net\/pattersonpacenotes\/wordpress\/?p=3720","title":{"rendered":"Moffett Conquers Cork – Jim Walsh Cork Forestry – by Andrew Bushe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam\u2019s The Man in Cork! <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship-Round Four<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sam Moffett and Darragh Kelly in their Ford Fiesta WRC took victory on the Cork Motor Club\u2019s Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally, round four of the 2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship. The Monaghan driver, who\u2019s day was largely drama free. \u201cIt\u2019s been a good days rallying, great fast flowing sections here as always. We had a drama on stage three when I hit a large rock and had to drive eleven kilometres with a front wheel puncture, but aside from that we had no problems\u201d said Sam who is now one of the title favourites having already clinched the Irish National tarmac series this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
David Crossen\/Damien Fleming – 3rd Overall – 1st 2WD. Photo by www.barronpix.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moffatt was fastest on stage one, with Adrian Hetherington and Gary Nolan second in their Corolla WRC, but the Tyrone driver was in trouble with a broken gear linkage on the road section to stage two and he was out. As the crews headed for the first Mallow service after two stages, Sam Moffett led from David Crossen and Damien Fleming in their MK2 Escort. The Evo\u2019s of Ger Lucey and Jonny Leonard were starting a day long battle in fourth and fifth overall, with Niall McCullagh and Darren McKelvey joint sixth, despite a crank sensor problem in the McKelvey car. Cathan McCourt led Group N initally, but slid off and burst the intercooler on stage three, whilst class rival Jordan Hone actually took the fastest time in that third test, to move up to fourth overall.<\/p>\n

After the second loop, Sam Moffett\u2019s lead was down to twenty seconds following that puncture, and second place was now held by the MK2 Escort of David Crossen who was loving the stages. \u201cWe had a big push through those two. On the third one, we were just a couple of seconds behind Jordan, and we were second fastest on stage four eight seconds back from Sam, which we are happy with. We need to make sure and get it home now though\u201d expressed the County Down charger. \u00a0Jordan Hone\u2019s Group N lead was now sixteen seconds over seventh placed Niall McCullagh.<\/p>\n

In the two wheel race, David Crossen\u2019s advantage was thirty-eight seconds over John Gordon in his four door MK2. John had Aileen Kelly deputising in the co-drivers seat and was holding an excellent eighth place overall despite a small gearbox leak. Mickey Conlon was fourteen seconds further back, feeling he wasn\u2019t quite on the pace, the car feeling a little loose. At the finish, it was a ninth place and 2nd two wheel drive for John giving him a \u20ac200 entry voucher for next year\u2019s Jim Walsh event, and \u20ac100 for tenth placed Mickey Conlon who was seventeen seconds behind. Owen McMackin was fourth home in his MK2 and Damian McGauran fifth in the unique BMW 320.<\/p>\n

At the front of the field, Sam Moffett extended his winning margin to fifty-one seconds over second placed Jonny Leonard and Arthur Kierans who sorted their problems out in the Evo 6 to leap into that position, a fine result for the Enniskillen driver. In third and less than a minute behind the leader was David Crossen whose remarkable run also earned him a free entry to next year\u2019s event for bringing the first MK2 home, winning the 2017 Mark 2 Master of the Woods Prize. Fourth and first in Group N was a just reward for Jordan Hone with his father Paul as ever in the hot-seat. The ever smiling Ger Lucey was a credible fifth in his Evo 8 and continues to lead the championship \u00a0going into the final 2 rounds. Enda McCormack’s trip over from the US was rewarded with sixth and less than 20 seconds behind him was Niall McCullagh in seventh, debuting the newly aquired Evo 9 and 2nd in Group N, just ahead of Darren McKelvey. The Top 2 Wheel Drive Award went to John Gordon & Aileen Kelly as David Crossen’s top 3 finish means he forfeits class awards.<\/p>\n

The Valvoline Junior Section (Class 16), again provided a nail-biting battle. Just nineteen seconds separated the top three with John O\u2019Sullivan taking victory in his R2 Fiesta. After four tests, John was just 0.3 of a second ahead of Shane Kenneally\u2019s Honda, the Fiesta\u2019s lack of wing mirrors evidence of chicane incidents for O\u2019Sullivan who adjusted his suspension before a final loop charge. Shane Kenneally was happy with second just over three seconds back, after an overshoot on stage three and the loss of the flat-shift gear change during the day. In third was an on form Johnnie Mulholland in another R2 Fiesta, whilst Derek Mackeral was happy to bring the Nova home to finish fourth. Stephen Dickson who led the class in the series ended up fifth and just didn\u2019t have a great day, with steering arm issues amongst the worries.<\/p>\n

The M. O\u2019Brien Plant Hire Junior 1000 class for 16-18-year-olds entered its final round and Jason Murphy took the inaugural championship title with another victory in his Peugeot 107, winning him a prize drive in an R2 car on a 2018 Irish Forest round. \u201cIt\u2019s brilliant to get that,\u201d said Jason. \u201cToday I started off very cautiously on stage one then speeded up. The stages were mighty and what an experience it\u2019s been thanks to my co-driver Matthew and everyone in the team and the championship. \u201dMaking her Junior 1000 debut eighteen-year-old Aoife Gahan in her Chevrolet Spark took second place, her co-driver Liam Brennan complimenting her for some \u201cfearless\u201d driving at times. Another newcomer Jason Gorham took third place with his Peugeot 107 as interest continues to build for 2018.<\/p>\n

Other class winners included: Seamus Heaney (Class 1 – Honda Civic), Cal McCarthy (Class 2 – Citroen C2 R2), Andrew Burke (Class 3 – Citroen DS3 R3), Ruairi Maguire (Class 9 – Vauxhall Corsa), Mike Garahy (Class 10 – MK2 Escort), Stuart McClean (Class 11f – Vauxhall Nova), Ruairi McCaffrey (Class 12 – MK2 Escort), John Reid (Class 15 – Corolla WRC).<\/p>\n

2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship-Round 4 Results <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1st Sam Moffett\/ Darragh Kelly – Ford Fiesta WRC – 36m 47.2s
\n2nd Jonny Leonard\/Arthur Kierans – Mitsubishi Evo 6 – +0:51.4s
\n3rd David Crossen\/Damien Fleming – Ford Escort Mk2 – +0:59.3s
\n4th Jordan Hone \/ Paul Hone – Mitsubishi Evo 9 – +1m23.9s
\n5th Gerard Lucey\/JJ Cremin – Mitsubishi Evo 8 – +1m27.8s
\n6th Enda McCormack\/Colin Fitzgerald – Subaru Impreza WRC – +1m28.0s
\n7th Niall McCullagh\/Ryan McCloskey – Mitsubishi Evo 9 – +1m45.5s
\n8th Darren McKelvey\/Aaron Johnston – Mitsubishi Evo 9 – +1m47.1s
\n9th John Gordon\/Aileen Kelly – Ford Escort Mk2 – +1m59.3s
\n10thMichael Conlon\/Ciaran McPhillips – Ford Escort Mk2 – +2m17.2s<\/p>\n

2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship- Points After Round 4<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1st Ger Lucey 61
\n2nd Sam Moffett 59
\n3rd David Crossen 58
\n4th Jonny Leonard 49
\n5th Enda McCormack 47
\n6th Mickey Conlon 45
\n7th Josh Moffett 42
\n8th Marty McCormack 38
\n9th Desi Henry 36
\n10th Adrian Hetherington 35
\n=Ian Graham 35<\/p>\n

Championship sponsors include \u2013 Valvoline, Andrew Fanning Motor Factors, M. O’Brien Plant Hire, Suirway Group Forklifts & Farm Machinery, Jelf Motorsport Insurance, Exact Signs & Graphics, Pottinger Machinery, Ears Motorsport \/ Kumho Tyres, Colton Pump & Heating Services, Coillte, Concept Fire Services Ltd, Gordon Automotive Services, Barron Pix & SVS Incar Cameras.<\/p>\n

Official Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship press release issued by Andrew Bushe
\nF: Andrew Bushe Promotions t-@andrew_bushe.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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