1^st (11) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru WRC) 2.03.46.0

2^nd (12) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRc) 2.06.10.2

3^rd (20) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Subaru WRC) 2.08.02.5

4^th (17) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Subaru WRC) 2.10.01.1

5^th (15) Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson (MG ZR) 2.10.38.6

6^th (1) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 2.11.03.4

7^th (22) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 2.11.46.6

8^th (21) David Greer/Stephen McAuley (Corolla WRC) 2.12.28.0

9^th (24) Trevor Cathers/Dessie Wilson (Lancer N) 2.12.39.7

10^th (27) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 2.12.51.9

Leonard 2.13.01.7: Sansom 2.13.52.9: O’Sullivan 2.13.54.1:

For Andrew Nesbitt and co-driver James O’Brien this has been a tremendously successful Ulster Rally. They have led from start to finish and never put a foot wrong through some very difficult conditions. Andrew’s Pirelli shod, 22 Motorsport prepared Subaru never missed a beat. In Tarmac Championship terms Andrew will almost certainly have clinched his 2^nd title. Jonny Milner made a slightly slow start, but then drove a very solid rally to come into 2^nd, and the fact that Gwyndaf Evans has finished ahead of Justin Dale, keeps Yorkshireman Jonny’s Pirelli BRC hopes alive. For Daniel & Michael Doherty 3^rd place on this Ulster is a dream come true – they were right on the pace from the word go. Eamonn Boland struggled at times on his way to 4^th, an excursion into a wall in a Tardree farmyard not helping the Wexford man’s cause. Andrew Nesbitt climbed from his Subaru here at final service and observed "Very pleased to have won, privileged to join the likes of Bertie Fisher on the list of Ulster winners. Tyre choice was difficult with the changeable weather and I had to drive all the time to protect the rubber".

Gwyndaf Evans and co-driver Chris Patterson possibly put up the show of the rally. They were well outside the top 20 after the first handful of stages, their MG struggling to get up the hills as it puttered along on 3 cylinders. Once the Welshman got the car on song he flew through the stages, the spectators hanging on long after the top cars had passed through to see the commitment of the former Ulster Rally winner. Justin Dale did just about everything that Peugeot asked of him as well, bringing the 206 home unscathed, and he is now unbeatable in the Super 1600 category, and has a big chance of clinching the overall British title on the next round in Yorkshire.

Group N had its moments of drama as well. Old hand Trevor Cathers kept his head throughout to take the category. Roy White really got the hammer down through the last couple of stages to stay ahead of Seamus Leonard, following Seamus’ stage 13 problem.

Garry Jennings & Paul Nagle have taken their Fisher Engineering backed Peugeot to the slimmest of victories over Letterkenny man Shaun Gallagher in the 206 Super Cup. Cathal O’Reilly has won the Ford Ireland Focus series by over a minute from Oliver Stanley. Ryan Champion has won the 1400 Ford Puma division. Barry Clark has taken the Ka division from Shaun Woffinden. Clive Wheeler has won the Polo category from Swedish driver Roger Andersson, Donie Keating Jnr. 3^rd. Martin Freestone has won the Post Historics and provisionally Philip Wyllie has won the Historics from Mervyn Johnston. No more space – well done to Philip Murray and his Ulster Rally team for a superb event. Many thanks to all who helped and supported the RallyNews service. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON