RALLY NEWS NO.1             Gleneagle Hotel/Friday evening

 

Colin McRae had an ear to ear grin on when he brought his red Mk2 Escort sliding to a halt at the Killarney racecourse super special stage tonight, the former World Rally Champion, and hero of rallying for many years, saying, “I really enjoyed that. I’m so looking forward to the weekend. I’ve heard my dad Jim talk about the Killarney stages and the atmosphere, and now I know what he means!” Colin joked then, “I hope the stages are bit wider than between these bales here tonight!”

 

There were thousands of people at the racecourse to see Colin fling his Escort round the track. It is a wide, low, very fast  machine, and in truth there is little Escort about it apart from the bodyshell! It has paddle gear changes and all sorts of things, a far cry from when Roger Clark brought the first of the works Escorts here. But that’s not the point. Colin McRae is here in an all sideways Escort. He even took time out after his run to talk about his protégé Kris Meeke who is lying third WRC Junior in Sardinia after a puncture and then knocking the bumper off his Citroen C2 on a particularly nasty jump. This affected the airflow to the engine, which then lost power. Anyway, back here in Killarney, the massive crowds at the racecourse were treated to the spectacle of the ‘Slowly Sideways Club’ – a collection of fabulous ex-works GpB machines. Then there were the Historic cars and the modifieds, some fabulous cars, and drivers.

 

Crux of the weekend is of course the Pirelli Tarmac Championship battle, the World Rally Cars, the GpN and the GpA machinery. Andrew Nesbitt at 1 is in a McKinstry Subaru Impreza WRC, the same car that he used on the Circuit of Ireland. Derek McGarrity, last year’s Lakes winner is in a new Impreza WRC S10 fresh in from Prodrive. Derek had a bit of adjusting to do to get used to the fabulous new car. Derek’s one big regret so far this weekend is that the classic Molls Gap stage has had to be shortened back as far as the Gap, because of road works. This means of course that neither Derek nor anyone else will be able to set a new record. Anyway, behind Derek is his current joint tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly.

 

Eugene is driving the Corolla WRC newly acquired from Sweden and not the car that was damaged on the Circuit of Kerry.  The new car has been checked over by Erik Wevers in Holland.  Eugene’s brother Charlie has set the car up in Northern Ireland and then Eugene spent 3 hours testing this afternoon.  He was well chuffed with the car.  He said there are quite a few differences including a paddle gear change as against a joy stick. He is using the suspension struts and seats out of the other car. This is one of the last Corollas built by the works and seems to be a really good car. 

 

Austin MacHale is at No.4, fresh from his superb win last weekend in the forests of Wales.  Austin’s Focus WRC has had a good check over, suspension changed from gravel to tarmac specification and he is all ready to go.  Subaru Impreza WRCs fill the next 5 places in the hands of Peadar Hurson, Eamonn Boland, Tim McNulty, Denis Cronin and Kevin Lynch.  JJ Fleming makes up the top 10 in his Focus.  Any of the top 10, and indeed a few from outside it, could get a the big  result this weekend.  Similarly in Group N there is a marvellous line up of cars and drivers. Alan Ring, Garry Jennings, Seamus Leonard, Colm Murphy, Willie Fannin, Roy White, Aaron MacHale, James O’Sullivan, Alan Nesbitt. They will all be right on the pace and fighting for every second. 

 

Some changes at the top of the entry list include. Non starters – Liam McCarthy (11). Cathal Arthurs (12). Paddy White (20). James Foley (32) Frank O’Mahony (40).  George Tracey has Killian Duffy co driving in the Peugeot 206 WRC. Aaron MacHale has Craig Parry in his Lancer Evo8. Eddie Garry has switched from a GpN Subaru to an Impreza WRC.

 

Finally for now it is with great sadness that we report the death of Tommy Glynn. Tommy was a great rally enthusiast, former competitor and a tremendous character.  Tommy died earlier this week following illness.  Our condolences to his wife Maura and his children Michael, Vincent and Laura.

 

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

 

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