Irish Notes 17th Sept 2014

“An honest car from honest people” was just one of the phrases, which came from a top driver, to stick in the mind from the Crossle Cars book launch last week. The unveiling of Plum Tyndall’s book about the Holywood based iconic car company that supplied over 1000 cars around the world over the years was held on board the Nomadic, tender ship to the Titanic. It was a breath of fresh air, with many of the top drivers from over the years present to relate some of their adventures in Crossle race-cars.

Top drivers? Well, five times F1 winner John Watson, the lovely Tommy Reid, Martin Donnelly, they were just some of the racers present who owe a debt of gratitude to John Crossle for providing them with winning cars in their early race days. Their tales of the early days, indeed the entire ambience of the occasion, was very special. Just a pity that John Crossle, who passed away last week following illness, wasn’t there to savour the moment. Although, knowing John, he would have been so embarrassed by all the nice things that were said about him and his cars; he would likely have wandered outside to enjoy the view and the engineering of the nearby Goliath cranes. There were several members of the Crossle family there, including his widow Rosemary, daughter Caroline and son Henry. And the occasion was one of celebration rather than grief.

Meanwhile, over in upside down land on Rally Australia, the body language from Kris Meeke when he stepped from his Citroen after finishing 4th, appeared to us to be somewhat downcast. Maybe it was the fact that he can’t figure out how to beat the Volkswagens – Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen finished 1-2-3 and clinched the WRC Manufacturers title for VW, even with a fair slice of the Championship still to go. Ogier must be in with a good chance of retaining his Champion’s title as well. Maybe Meeke’s downcast appearance was maybe because of his 1m penalty for cutting a corner. Perhaps he could have finished one place higher, maybe not. We’ll never know. It is an unanswerable speculation. The main thing was that Kris and co-driver Paul showed great speed – they were the best of the rest – and maybe that is as good as it’s going to get unless they are behind the wheel of a Polo WRC.

It was a different story on the Isle of Man for Monaghan crew Daniel McKenna and his co-driver Arthur Kierans. Smiles all round doesn’t start to describe their joy at winning the British Rally Championship in their Pirelli backed Citroen DS3R3T on Saturday afternoon. The pair admitted that they had made it hard for themselves by crashing out on the Friday afternoon. Their David Greer Motorsport team performed a minor miracle repairing the car so that they could rejoin on the second leg. It still looked like a long shot that Daniel and Arthur could take the title.

However their main rival Osian Pryce then made it easy for them by damaging his car against a kerb on the Friday night and was only able to re-start on the Saturday morning by taking a ‘SuperRally’ penalty, or whatever it is called now. It was very tough on young Osian Pryce, who is a very fine driver. Daniel was able to stroke the car home through the 2nd leg to take the British title. He is only the 3rd Irish driver to win the British Rally Championship. Billy Coleman won it 40 years ago, and Keith Cronin won it three times in recent years. It was the culmination of a three-year plan by Daniel to take the title and a big part of that was winning the Billy Coleman Award. It really was a superb, an outstanding achievement by Daniel and Arthur to overcome all the odds and take the title. The next big question has to be, for Daniel and Arthur as well as the British Championship, where to now? No doubt Pirelli will offer assistance but in reality what Daniel needs now to go any further up the rallying ladder is a lottery win. Also, it seems quite unreal that, after 40 years and at times reckoned by many professionals to be the most important championship in the world outside the WRC, the BRC has withered away to nothing. Reportedly it will be re-launched in 2016. Here’s hoping it can regain some of its old panache.

Other drivers from home to taste glory on the Manx included Dean Raftery/Aileen Kelly in their Fiesta R2, who won enough prizes to fill a truck, and that was despite Dean uncharacteristically crashing out of the first part of the rally and then rejoining under SuperRally rules. Calvin Beattie, who was co-driven by Martin Brady this time, was one of the few BRC contestants to complete the whole course. Ironically it practically worked against him, as he could have pipped Dean for the F2 title but he was seeded quite far down for the 2nd leg and lost a lot of time and some close shaves catching and passing slower cars. The way the points system was designed is complicated and certainly didn’t do Calvin any favours. However 19 year old Calvin does have the consolation of a free entry to Wales Rally GB as well as some silverware to show for his efforts. Martin Brady told us afterwards, “For me it was an enjoyable event, as the Manx always is. Calvin is a great wee driver with good potential. I have good reason to thank Fiesta R2’s. I won the Paul Bunyon regional rally in Minnesota last month an another Fiesta with Will Hudson, a California rally driver and surfer. California to Newry is far apart, but a quick driver is a quick driver and fun regardless!” The remarkable Ian Chadwick took a trip to the Island and won the class in his Fabia. Andy Johnson was another who made a one-off outing in his Chevette HSR and finished 3rd in class. The overall winner was Arron Newby in his Pirelli supported Impreza N12b

In the Historic section Stanley Orr/Phil Sandham finished 3rd in their category behind David Stokes and Jimmy McRae. Stanley might have been in with a good chance of winning the class based Historic British Rally series, but he really needed to beat Stokes on the Island. Stanley may have finished 2nd but for a road penalty. However he has no recriminations about that – these things happen. His main feeling about the Manx was that it was a stunning rally, but very tough, the sort of thing he would have tackled 30 years ago. Of course David Stokes is a hard man to beat, very fast, very committed – and he knows the Isle of Man stages like the back of his hand. He was competing successfully there nearly 40 years ago! Similarly Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride were beaten for class honours on the Island, and this will probably cost them their chance of a BHRC title. Dessie was running different suspension and tyres for the rally, and his Porsche seemed to be suffering from bump understeer, and in fact was jigging about over the bumps, which was a bit disconcerting for him. The next and final round this year is the McRae stages and that will not be a walk a park either. It is a tough rally, a good event, very challenging, and anything could still, and probably will happen.

Also last weekend was the Wexford Rally. Damian Cole, driving his Focus WRC, ran out the winner and extends his lead in the REIS Asphalt Championship. Current REIS MSA Asphalt Champion Cole, who was co-driven by Elliot Edmondson scored a hard-earned but intelligent victory on this lengthy 15 stage event. Alex Laffey, co-driven by Jack Morton, had a good run in his Fiesta R5+ to come from an early 11th o/a to 2nd. Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird had a brilliant rally in their Mk2 Escort to finish 3rd, having been as high as 2nd for some time. Wesley even set a fastest time on the final stage. Both Mark Straker and James Stafford led the rally; their Darrians well suited to the high speed flowing Wexford roads. Both retired, Straker’s example with damaged steering following contact with a chicane and Stafford with a transmission problem. A previous hefty road penalty not helping last year’s winner Stafford’s cause.

As ever, Ireland’s favourite rally commentator Dougie Hughes was doing his stuff on the Wexford rally, having been pictured on the front page of the Liffey Champion earlier in the week celebrating his 56th wedding anniversary with his lovely wife Lily. Congratulations to Dougie and Lily!

This weekend coming is the Ennis based Clare Rally, the penultimate round of the Dunlop National Championship. Once again CoC Dermot Kelleher has laid on what will surely be a cracker of a rally, and he has an entry list to suit. All the top Championship participants are in the line up, with defending Champions Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle in their Subaru surely the men to beat. However Boyle is up against formidable opposition, with Hugh Hunter, Roy White, Steve Wood, Paddy McVeigh and Kevin Barrett making up the top six. Any of the top five seeds can take the title. Former champion Niall Maguire is at 7, forestry champ Mick O’Brien at 8 in his Focus WRC. Josh Moffett, in line for the GpN award is at 9 and Shane Maguire, also in with a shout, is at 10.

Also this weekend is the European Championship Cyprus Rally, where Craig Breen/Scott Martin will again be in action for the Peugeot Academy team. We can only hope that their 208 T16 sticks the pace this time and allows Craig back into the sort of results which we know he is capable of but seems to have been denied of late.

Looking further ahead, Barry Duggan has taken over the reins of command for the re-scheduled Willie Loughman Forest Rally. The 6-stage event is now being run out of Carrick-on-Suir and is a counting round of the Valvoline Forestry series. Barry has planned a compact format, with scrutiny available on the Sunday morning so that any crews who are taking part in the Donegal Harvest, which takes place on the Saturday of the same weekend, can contest both rallies. Headquarters for the rally is the Carraig Hotel and the central service is also in Carrick-on-Suir. Barry reports that the stages are in good condition. Before the Willie Loughman, the next round of the Valvoline Forest series is the Omagh Club’s Bushwhacker Rally, which is also now a round of the McGrady Insurance NI series. The Bushwhacker is on the 27th September, and following a late start after the Ulster, it is all stations go now and CoC Ronnie McAleer reports that he is now well advanced, and interest is once again high.

An announcement this week that the West Cork Rally is to become a full counting round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Tarmac Championship in 2015 hardly came as a total surprise, but still represents a big commitment by the rally, and the Championship. West Cork has been included in the Modified section of the Tarmac series over the last couple of years, and now becoming a full round is a real landmark for the St Patrick`s weekend Clonakilty based event. The Tarmac series will now consist of 7 rounds – Galway, West Cork, Circuit, Killarney Lakes, Donegal, Ulster and Cork ‘20’, with six to count from seven, the series organisers planning a bigger and better 2015 Championship. Current Champion Garry Jennings commented “It’s not a rally I know, but I hear it’s a very good event. However it means that there are 4 rallies close to the next one, so if you have a problem with an accident or whatever, getting the car fixed in time could be a problem. It could favour drivers who just get round the rallies and do no damage. Hope though it works out.” When quizzed about contesting the forthcoming Cork ‘20’, Garry reckoned he may well be at a wedding that weekend, and wasn’t sure in any case of the points situation and if he could still defend his title. Garry reckoned he could well compete on the Harvest instead. One welcome addition to the usual Tarmac contenders will be Peader Hurson. Even though the Newry man is in an Escort Cosworth, he is such an exciting driver that he will add an extra zizz to the rally.