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RALLY NEWS NO.1
Friday evening/Galway/Rally HQ
"Fantasticissimo"
– there’s probably no such a word, but it sort of sums up the feeling for
rally fans here this weekend. The Galway International is back in town, complete
with new sponsor in the shape of First Choice Flooring, Ger O’Connel’s’
company. Ger is the brother of Clerk of the Course John O’Connell. The Rally
is the first round of the Tarmac Championship, which also has a new sponsor,
Pirelli Tyres. Best of all, we have the most fabulous line up of cars and
drivers – possibly the healthiest collection of World Rally machines on any
event anywhere.
Finnish star Tapio Laukkanen,
although with the No.13 on the side of his Subaru WRC, leads the cars away from
the Eyre Square ramp for the seventeen special stages. Tapio is a world seeded
driver, hence his first on the road position. He may be a class driver, but he’ll
not get it easy here, in this company. Breathing down his neck will be Austin
MacHale in his new ’03 Ford Focus WRC, then Eugene Donnelly, out for the first
time in his Corolla WRC, then Tarmac Champion and birthday boy Derek McGarrity
in a new red, Impreza WRC S9 - a very special, extremely torquey machine indeed.
Next up is Eamonn Boland in his Cork ‘20’ winning Impreza WRC. Is it any
wonder rally people’s mouths are watering in anticipation of the action ahead?
Maurice Gass has his new
Hyundai repaired after last Sunday’s accident, Bio-Clear man Donie O’Sullivan
has his new Focus WRC out, although Donie swears it will be gently gently to
start. Tim McNulty at No.9 is another in an Impreza WRC. John Joe Fleming at 10
has a brand new S9 Impreza WRC. Galway transport man John Joe reckons he will be
on a learning curve this weekend with the left-hand drive machine. West Euro Cup
Champion Paddy White has upgraded his Impreza WRC to mostly series 8
specification.
Missing from the advertised
top 10 is Michael Barrable (No.5) and Peadar Hurson (No.7). As well as the
anticipated battle of the world rally cars at the front, the Group N category as
well as the Modified section, should be something special. Group N Tarmac
Champion Roy White is the highest seed in the FESP Lancer (No.15), while right
behind him is Aaron MacHale in his Lancer (16). James Foley is at 23 in a Lancer
and should go well. Billy Coleman Award winner Dessie Keenan is at 25, with his
sister Laura co-driving. Then at 26 and 27 are Willie Fannin and Eoin Doyle in
their Group N Subarus. Group N dark horses could be Colm Murphy at 38 or
National Crane Hire’s Paul Dempsey at 65, both in Subarus.
Just some of the modified men
to look out for include Tony Davies in the ex Ray Breen Metro 6R4: James McCann
in his Escort Cosworth: Anthony O’Halloran in his venerable Manta. Fergal
Allen in his beautiful BMW M3: Tom (Doc) Halliday in the first of the Mk2
Escorts: Padraic Price drives the Eugene Donnelly G3 Escort. For variety there
is the all singing and dancing Formula 2 Escorts of English visitor Guy Woodcock
and Armagh’s Glenn Wilson.
It’s sort of strange to see
Austin McHale in a Ford jacket, reminiscent of his wonderful Group 1 Escort
efforts on the British Championship 21 years ago. Yet he looked comfortable in
the Ford blue, the 6 times Galway winner commenting here at the Radisson Hotel
pre-start, "Its great to be back here in Galway, John O’Connell and his
team are doing a fabulous job. As far as our own end of things is concerned, I’m
very proud to have the first 03 Focus WRC to be run by a private team, with some
M-Sport support. It’s a fabulous car." When quizzed about a 7th
Galway victory, Austin laughed, "That’s why we are here. Although it will
take a few stages to settle down" Tapio Laukkanen arrived in from his
reconnaissance and told us -"It looks very difficult rally if it is wet,
very slippy, I suppose a bit like the Jim Clark Rally. It would be nice for
everybody if it is dry. From my point of view it would be challenging to do the
Tarmac Championship, something new, a change from BRC. Here I think it will be
steady, steady to star" Tapio drives the same Phil Morgan run S7 Impreza
with which he won the Trackrod – a slightly older car than the best ones here
– when asked would it make much difference, Tapio just smiled – "We
will see!"
Further changes to entry
include: Martin Cahill co-driving for Patrick Elliott. Brian McKenna, Dan
Mulcahy, John Foley Jnr. and Martin Kirwin amongst the non starters. More news
after stage 1: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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