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RALLY
NEWS NO.1 Rochestown Park/Cork/Friday night late..
Markko Martin heads the list for this Cork ‘20’ International,
the rally honoured indeed to have a World Rally Championship driver
here. Making up a two car team with Markko, backed by FitzSamuel
Insurance, is British Rally Champion Mark Higgins. Both Markko and
Mark are driving McKinstry Motorsport WRC’s. Behind these
two is current Pirelli Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly in his Toyota,
then former multiple Tarmac Champion Andrew Nesbitt in a ‘works’
Mitsubishi Lancer WRC. At 5 is Guy Wilks, taking a sabbatical from
the Junior World Championship, driving another Subaru WRC. It’s
a heady mix, and there’s more, with Eamonn Boland and Norwegian
teenager Andreas Mikkelsen in their respective Focus WRC’s,
as well as young Welshman Gareth Jones in a Subaru WRC, just three
who will be champing at the bit to head the result sheets.
The benchmark will however be 31 year old Markko. The taciturn Estonian
has won World rallies in places as diverse as Greece and Mexico,
not to mention the high speed asphalt roads of Spain. The classical
stages here on this Cork ‘20’, such as Fuhiry, Mullaghanish
or Lough Allua, will hold no terrors for him. It was only a tragic
accident just over a year ago, where his co-driver Michael Park
lost his life, that saw Markko take a back seat. Markko admits to
being a little rusty, but surely he will have lost none of his speed
or flair and should give the rally fans a real treat this weekend.
Guy Wilks is driving a full spec Impreza WRC S11 and he could really
spring a surprise. Markko and Mark Higgins are in Impreza WRC S9s,
slightly older cars. Mark had a minor accident in his on Wednesday
when he was testing, the damage now repaired. Andrew Nesbitt is
driving the same Lancer that he used to win Donegal. He has had
a test session this week out near Killarney and is bursting to get
going.
That’s the scene at the top. The rally is also a round of
the 023 Tiles Championship which will see Melvyn Evans and Denis
Cronin having a real battle for supremacy. Evans has had his rebuilt
since its Epynt outing while Denis Cronin has had his Impreza gearbox
repaired. The battle for Group N should be hot and heavy stuff.
Colm Murphy in his Impreza and Roy White in his FESP Lancer are
battling for Pirelli Tarmac points while drivers such as Willie
Fannin, Alan Ring, Kevin Kelleher, Ian Barrett and a whole lot more
will all be fighting for group N honours.
Young Keith Cronin at No.34 could be a real dark horse as regards
group N. In the rear wheel drive category Phil Collins will surely
be the man to beat. He runs at 26 in his Escort. While Brian O’Mahony
is the highest seeded front wheel drive exponent and he is at 39
in his Puma. The rally also includes an Historic section headed
by Adrian Kermode/Maurice Beckett in their Porsche 911 with Todd
Falvey/Dan Barry in another Porsche at H2. The Historics start at
Saturday lunchtime while the Juniors join in on Sunday.
Main changes to the top end of the entry are that Derek McGarrity,
Stephen Murphy, Garry Jennings, Kevin Barrett and Johnny O’Sullivan
are non-starting. Aaron MacHale is switching from a Lancer to his
Corolla WRC and has Craig Parry co-driving. Alan Ring has Brian
Duggan on the notes and Glyn Jones has Kenny Hull. In the Historics
Don Moynihan (H3) now has Kevin Murphy co-driving. More news after
stage 2 in the morning. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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