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| Townparks Glens of Antrim |
| RALLY NEWS No.6 - Loughguile - Tuesday @ 12:57:52 |
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UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 – LAST STAGE
1st (3) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 45.38.4
2nd (2) Connor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 45.52.5
3rd (1) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 45.57.0
4th (8) Cathal Rogers/Eoighan Rogers (Lancer N) 49.14.2
5th (14) Wesley Patterson/Martin McGarrity (Escort) 49.14.5
6th (18) Camillus Bradley/Danny O'Neill (Escort) 49.26.3
7th (49) Andrew Bushe/Richard Hyland (Saxo) 49.37.4
8th (19) Rodney White/Sorcha Kelly (Sunbeam) 49.47.8
9th (17) Des Moore/Damien Connolly (Escort) 50.12.6
10th (34) Fintan McGrady/Conal McCartan (Escort) 50.39.8
It was certainly a close run thing through today’s stages and Derek McGarrity eventually won by 14s from Connor McCloskey with Sean Devine 3rd a further 5s back. The champagne for winning the rally goes to Derek McGarrity and the NI Championship bubbly goes to young Connor McCloskey and his co driver Francis Regan. Cathal Rogers and his son Eoighan had a great run today in their Lancer to win group N on the rally and in the NI Championship. Wesley Patterson and his co driver Martin McGarrity pulled out all the stops to put up the best 2 wheel drive performance today in their Escort.
Derek McGarrity commented at the finish. “It was a good day. I’m just glad that both cars, my own and Connor’s finished the rally in one piece. The last stage was very slippy, a bit frosty; it was madness in 6th gear. The bogey times messed me up a bit today but at the same time I had a spin in one stage so maybe they helped me.” Connor McCloskey, just 22 years old and one of the youngest NI Rally Champions, said. “I can hardly take it in. It was a great race today with Sean and indeed all year. The McKinstry team and the Derek McGeehan team earlier in the year all did a great job for me. My dad has been 100 per cent behind me. It was definitely a great rally and a great year”. Sean Devine naturally looked slightly disappointed when he brought his Subaru in to the finish, but he was still upbeat and said. “It was a brilliant, great stages. I battled as hard as I could. He (Connor) put it up to me, fair play to him”.
Cathal Rogers said at the finish as he surveyed a damaged front guard on his Lancer. “It was a 2 left over crest. I clipped a sign. I was lucky to get away with it and not get a puncture. It was a brilliant day. In all my years of rallying I have never won a championship. Every time I started one I never finished a rally!”
Further stories today included: Adrian Hetherington brought his Escort in just inside the top 15 following a further misfire. Declan McNaughton had held 4th o/a retired his Escort following a puncture and suspension damage on Torr Head. Camillus Bradley lost a few seconds towards the end when the oil light started to flash on his Escort. Owen McErlean went out with differential trouble on his Lancer. Des Moore nearly ran out of petrol at the end. Fintan McGrady was disappointed to lose a couple of seconds on Torr Head but still made the top 10. Alastair Cochrane finished just outside the top 10 and said he wanted another 50 horse power in his Escort. Gerard McFall got the drive shaft replaced on his Escort Cosworth and finished down the order slightly. John Walker was 2nd GpN today with Gary Cairns 3rd GpN. Liam McFall was 4th and Alan Carmichael, 50s faster on his 2nd loop than his first, was 5th GjpN. Frank Kelly and co driver Aidan Friel won the BTRDA Silver Star on the Cambrian Rally and are now the 2008 BTRDA Silver Star Champions. Hugh Hunter won the Cambrian overall and is the new BTRDA Gold Star Champion.
Finally for now well done to Raymond Linton and all the team for a great event. Many thanks to all who helped and supported the Rally News service.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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