Rallying was thin on the ground last weekend, with one of the few events being the always hotly contested Monaghan Drumlin Navigation Rally. This 2nd round of the MI National Championship saw Mickey and Ciaran Tynan in their Subaru take a clear win, Caolan & Ryan Treanorin (Subaru) took 2nd with defending National Champion Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes, also in an Impreza, a close 3rd.

On the Isle of Man Manx Auto Sport PokerStars Rally, Jamie Jukes/James Morgan (Mitsubishi) took the victory from Andrew Dudgeon/Joe Dooley (Mitsubishi).

The big event this weekend coming is of course Rally Australia, the final round of this year’s World Rally Championship and all to play for as regards the Driver’s World title between current Champion Sebastien Ogier (M-Sport Ford) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). Just three points separate the two drivers so a big battle is on the cards. Because he currently leads the WRC points table, Ogier will run first on the road through Friday, and given the normally very dusty stage tracks, and the amount of loose gravel, this will almost certainly put maximum pressure on the Frenchman. However Ogier, along with his co-driver Julien Ingrassia, has won the rally three times over the years and given his current determined mood he is not likely to be diverted from his 6th title ambition.

Ott Tanak was close to splitting the leaders as regards the driver’s points but the Estonian is now on the back foot and although it is mathematically possible Ott could take the title, but that would be a very long shot indeed. However, Tanak has every chance of spearheading his Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally team to the Manufacturer’s prize. Backing M-Sport Ford driver Ogier is Elfyn Evans in the 2nd Fiesta WRC, the young Welshman desperate for another good result to end his, and M-Sport’s season, with a good result. Thierry Neuville won Australia a year ago, and the Belgian is completely psyched up to do it again. Backing Neuville in the Hyundai team is Andreas Mikkelsen, the Norwegian more than anxious to get back on target after a fairly disastrous season.

The Hyundai team will be boosted as well with the appearance of Kiwi, Hayden Paddon, back behind the wheel of an i20. The Citroen team is represented by Craig Breen and Mads Ostberg. Craig, with Scott Martin on the notes, starts 8th on the road and Mads 11th, so if the cards fall right for them they should have every chance of good start and a decent run.

Loeb’s victory on Rally Spain a few weeks ago was a fairly clear demonstration of what the C3 WRC can do. It is a matter now of Craig and Mads getting their acts together over the whole 3 days. Both have shown great bursts of speed during the season and last year Craig was within touching distance of a Rally Australia podium until a huge downpour on the final morning dampened his chances.

On the subject of Craig Breen, he is tipped to be contesting the Killarney Historic Rally in a Metro 6R4, which should be interesting. It is Paul Nagle’s local rally, and he is mooted to co-drive. Of course Craig has a soft spot for Metro 6R4’s – his father Ray used to enthusiastically rally one when Craig was knee high to a daisy! We mentioned last week that the Killarney Historic was showing early signs of being a cracker rally with a great entry, and nothing we are hearing is dissuading us from that feeling. Breen will almost certainly ‘00’. The entry is bulging. Over 170. Just some of the top Historics include Jonny Greer (Sierra Cosworth), Guy Anderson (Galant) and Andy Johnston (Chevette HSR). The Modified list reads like a ‘who’s who’ of top Escort men, including Rob Duggan, David Bogie and Gary Kiernan.

This weekend we have the Triton Showers National Championship Awards presentation at the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone. Besides Declan Boyle collecting his Champion’s kudos, there will be a huge number of winners at what is undoubtedly one of best social nights of the Irish rallying calendar.

We mentioned last weekend that Garry Jennings & Rory Kennedy are contesting a rally in France this weekend, in Garry’s ‘GO’ Impreza WRC, and it is all stations go on that venture. Another competitor heading out to faraway lands this weekend to compete is NI Historic Rally Champion Drew Wylie. He will be driving his Mk2 Escort, with Stephen McAuley co-driving on the Rallye Casinos Do Algarve, a two day asphalt special stage rally with a Super Special in Lagos. The Wylie Escort is already on its way under the guidance of Phil Cherry in charge of the van & trailer travelling via the Cork to Santander ferry.

Motorsport Ireland has confirmed the eight drivers selected for the Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the year interviews as:- James Wilson, Derek Mackarel, Jason Black, Jordan Hone, Michael Hamilton, Darragh McNern, Marty Gallagher and Colin O’Donoghue. All eight of these young drivers have shown great prowess this year, some in the forests, some on asphalt, a few in both disciplines. We wish them all well in the final selection which is going to take place over the next few days.

The Border Counties Rally has put out a release this week stating that their stage event is definitely on for next year, scheduled for the 16th March. The rally was cancelled earlier this year, because of an entry shortage and then the onset of severe weather. The organisers, the Hawick & Border Car Club, as well as the Whickham & District MC, decided to go ahead with next year on the basis of not being a round of the British Rally Championship. They do thank the BRC for the opportunity of being included in the Championship. The release goes on to state that they are well advanced with the route planning and that the forest roads are in good condition.

Well, we knew that the rally was not in the BRC in 2019, because in fact the series now includes West Cork for next year 16th-19th March. That will be the 2nd round. The Cambrian Rally (16th Feb 2019) is the opener, then after West Cork it is the turn of the Pirelli International Rally, then Ypres, followed by the Ulster and the Galloway Hills. The moral of the story is essentially that it is not all sunshine and roses being a round of the BRC. There are extra costs, demands and restraints involved, along with the ever present danger that the hard core of an event’s participants can feel alienated by the inevitable promotion process of an organisation with much power and funding promoting their competitors, and sometimes ignoring the real winners in a rally. Such a situation materialised for example on the recent Cork 20 rally. This was no fault of the rally organisers, but an associated, but not integral organisation, promoting their own Championship, for which the rally winner was not registered. Hopefully none of that affects the wonderful ambience of the West Cork Rally and also that the Border Counties can get back to its successful Scottish Championship format.

We mentioned last week that Alan ‘Plum’ Tyndall of RPM fame has produced a book, “Keep the Revs Up”, documenting some of the exploits of his eventful and colourful life. The book is being launched this Saturday afternoon (17th November) at the Glasshouse in Lisburn Square, Co Antrim. We still haven’t got the book, but from the few excerpts we have seen, it looks highly entertaining and good value. One of those excerpts, possibly particularly notable this week as Niki Lauda has just had a huge life saving operation and we can only hope and pray that he makes a full recovery. The excerpt which remember, are Plum’s words, reads – “As we waited in the VIP lounge at Dublin Airport in the early hours awaiting Niki’s arrival, Noel Tierney’s (Shell PR person) foreboding of the whole day became evident. ‘I have heard through the grapevine Alan that Mr Lauda’s language can be quite Anglo Saxon at times and we have placed him on the mid-morning Mike Murphy Show where women and children will be listening.’ I agreed that most foreign drivers learnt their English from their mechanics, it could be quite colourful at times, but I assured him that the triple World Champion had been dealing with the world’s media for many years and that he knew exactly how to temper his words to a particular audience. Just then his private jet touched down and within minutes Niki, Noel and I were sitting on the same sofa going over the day’s itinerary with the Austrian. Everything seemed to be in order and as we had a few minutes to kill I asked Niki how his airline was going. ‘Don’t talk to me about the f…ing airline. That f…ing Austrian Minister of Transport has f…ed up our application and it could delay the whole process for another three f…ing months!’ I looked to my right and Noel Tierney’s complexion had merged into the magnolia finish on the wall behind him.

Deja Vu – Plum has of course been deeply involved, along with Dr Beatty Crawford, in the recent Ulster Rally Déjà Vu. They have recently presented a cheque for £10,000 to the MacMillan Cancer Support and Cancer Fund for Children, the proceedings from that Deja Vu. Obviously many people were involved in this great venture and thanks goes to all who contributed one way or another, especially John Mulholland as well as the volunteers, sponsors and entrants. We have to say, this was a magnificent effort, £10,000 is a lot of money.

Irish Notes next week will include news of the Circuit of Ireland bid to run as a WRC round in 2020. Also the MSA’s rebranding to Motorsport UK aligned with a clever initiative to include the 30,000 licence holders in a discount scheme.

Finally for now, it is with great sadness that we note the death, following illness, of Bryan Brophy. The larger than life Bryan was an irrepressible presence in rallying and racing. He was a stalwart of the Galway Motor Club, going right back to the early ground breaking days of The Galway International Rally. Along with great motivators such as Eamonn Cotter, many a hilarious rally adventure we enjoyed in those days and since. Bryan was a member of the legal profession, and as well as competing at all sorts of levels, he also officiated at a great variety of motor sport disciplines. Behind Bryan every inch of the way was his wonderful wife Brigid. To her and all the family we offer our very deepest condolences.

Brian & Liz Patterson and family