The Mayo Stages 2004 - RallyNews LIVE

RALLY NEWS NO.1 Castlebar/Sunday 09.00

The Sheeffry and Party Mountains, alongside Croagh Patrick, are the classical setting for today's Mayo Stages Rally, with 131 cars taking part in what should a memorable rally. Former National Champion Niall Maguire, driving a Subaru WRC, leads the field away in the absence of Austin MacHale. Austin who came originally from Louisburgh, really wanted to do the rally, but his Focus WRC engine will not be ready in time. It is left to Aaron MacHale to fly the family flag, and he will compete in the hotly contested GpN category in his Lancer, against the likes of Eoin Doyle (Subaru), Michael Shaw, Gavin Harris, Adrian Quinn, John Cairns & Gary Cairns, all in a variety of Imprezas and Lancers.

The best of the GpN drivers will surely not be far behind the World Rally Cars in terms of speed over the stages, but still it will be Niall Maguire, Patrick Elliott and Kevin Lynch in their Subaru WRC's who should be the out and out pacesetters. David Armstrong is driving an Escort WRC, and he shouldn't be far away, while a real dark horse could be Kieran Shaw, who has recently obtained an Impreza WRC. Kilkenny's Ray Breen (Subaru WRC) and Kildare's Tommy Graham, also in a Subaru, David McNulty, they are some more who shouldn't be a mile away either. Seamus Leonard has opted out of the GpN category, and is running a 34mm restrictor on his Impreza.

Mix in the class battles, with the likes of Pat Donegan in his Escort Mk2 and Mac McKenna in his Peugeot, and we should have a fabulously interesting rally ahead. The stages, tough mountain passes, hold the key to who does well. The battle will not just be about speed, but avoiding punctures also, as there are sharp rocks lurking in the road edges over many of the crests and jumps.

Niall Maguire has moved up to a series 8 Impreza WRC for this season, the car that won last year's Circuit of Ireland. The Monaghan man had a short test in his new machine on Friday, and although that was curtailed when the exhaust manifold broke. Niall says about the car, "It feels grand, very good" Regards the stages, he went on, "Very fast, if you are brave enough over the crests you could make a lot of time. I've never done these stages, and really I think it will depend how brave you are." Kevin Lynch's attitude to the stages is. "Very tricky, I think I will treat them carefully on the first loop, and then see how we are placed" Kevin has only been rallying a short while, and has more experience of the forests than asphalt rallies. In fact he won the Willie Loughman forest event two weeks ago, but still he could spring a surprise here.

Changes to entry include Adrian McElvaney, James Gillen, Sean Gallagher, Joe McHugh, Enda Keenan, Paddy Boyle, Seamus Gallagher, Gareth MacHale and Seamus McCusker amongst the non-starters. This at least allows many of the reserves to get a run. Co-driver changes include Herbie Blackburn sitting with David Armstrong, Damien Garvey with Pat Donegan, Martin McGarrity with Michael Shaw, Alan Moran with Adrian Quinn. Paul Goodman, who was to sit with Adrian McElvaney, is now with Adrian's young brother Eamonn in a Peugeot 106. Reportedly Eamonn, although only on his 2nd rally, is quite a driver. Conor Curley & Nigel Frazer were forced to withdraw after scrutiny when their newly built Escort just wouldn't run properly. James Cullen, with Reba Graham on the notes, is out in an Escort for the first time in 20 years. James is driving one of PJ McDermott's cars. More news after stage 1: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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