Finnish driver Juho Hanninen co-driven by Mikko Markkula in his Skoda Fabia S2000 scored a significant victory over the similar Skoda Team UK car of Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene. The 44s margin at the end does not truly reflect the closeness of the superb battle the two crews had throughout most of the 15 special stages. However, the turning point came in the Lisburn Power Stage when Mikkelsen’s car collided with a bale and dropped many seconds. This allowed Hanninen, the 2010 IRC Champion, to cruise through to victory over 2011 IRC Champion Mikkelsen. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler were 3rd in their Skoda. Kopecky drove a more conservative rally than the battling two in front but it was still a fine result for the Czech driver. Top placed Irish driver was Craig Breen co driven by Welshman Gareth Roberts. This was Craig’s first run in a Peugeot and the experience of working with the professional Santeloc team will stand him in good stead in the future.
Garry Jennings/Barry McNulty had a great rally to win Group N in their Lancer with Donagh Kelly making a last minute charge to come into 2nd, getting ahead of Sam Moffett. Moffett’s Lancer was down on power and he couldn’t quite hold on to 2nd place. Marty McCormack finished 11th o/a in his Citroen Ds3R3. Mary and his co driver David Moynihan were best two wheel drive crew.
UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 15 FINAL STAGE
1ST (103) Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 2.01.59.5
2ND (102) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 2.03.27.0
3RD (101) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Mini WRC) 2.06.30.2
4TH (107) Steve Perez/Paul Spooner (Focus WRC) 2.09.12.9
Today’s victory in the National Rally extends Darren Gass’s lead in the Tarmac Championship. Darren and his co driver Enda Sherry had a relatively trouble free run. Previous multiple Circuit winner Eugene Donnelly described his run in the Corolla WRC as “brilliant, like a Play Station on wheels”. However Eugene, co-driven by Paddy Toner, could not match Gass’s speed this time. Another former multiple Circuit winner Derek McGarrity with co driver James McKee, survived all sorts of brake problems in his Mini WRC to finish 3rd.
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