RALLY NEWS NO.1 Armagh/Friday 2 pm

“Its absolutely flying” was Eugene Donnelly’s response when quizzed before the start of this Philip White Tyres supported Ulster Rally about his Corolla WRC, continuing, “ even though we won the Manx, the engine was finished at the end. We’ve got a brand new unit in the car. My brother Charlie used it to win the Galway Summer last weekend. I’ve tested this week, and its great.” Eugene, last year’s winner here, went on to say, “I love the Ulster stages, and it was very special to win last year. Here’s hoping for a repeat! But it won’t be easy. There are a lot of other drivers behind who want to do the same.”

Just some of those drivers include Tim McNulty and Peadar Hurson in their Subarus WRC’s. Then there’s Eamonn Boland and Ray Breen, both in Focus WRCs, plus several more in a variety of WRC machines. The rally is very much about scoring Championship points as well as outright winning. Eugene Donnelly is hoping to take a big step forward in retaining his Pirelli Tarmac Champion’s crown, while drivers such as Mark Higgins, Gwyndaf Evans, Jonny Milner, Rory Galligan, Ryan Champion and a whole lot more will be bidding for British Championship kudos.

Mark Higgins, twice a winner here on the Ulster in the last three years, is probably the GpN benchmark. He feels his Impreza N12 will be ideally suited to this year’s tight, twisty and bumpy stages. However it’s a tough route and anything can and probably will happen. Top Pirelli Tarmac GpN runners include Seamus Leonard, Roy White, Michael Curran and Colm Murphy. Leonard’s Lancer had to be rebuilt following the Manx accident, and there has been much midnight oil burning by the Stan Harper team.

A big feature of the GpN battle this season has been the performances by young tigers such as Philip Morrow, Stuart Jones and Michael Curran. Stuart’s car also had to be rebuilt after the Manx, while Lisburn man Morrow commented, “ My car is as good as it has been all season. I feel a lot happier with the Ulster roads, and I feel a lot more comfortable sleeping in my own bed!”

On the subject of ‘young tigers, it is fantastic that Kris Meeke is competing in his Citroen C2 Super 1600, the same car that he uses on the Junior World Championship. His opposition in the Super 1600 category includes Roman Kresta and Darren Gass in their Fiesta Super 1600’s. Knowing Kris though, he’ll probably be trying to win the rally outright, and devil take the hindmost!

There are so many facets and angles to this rally, its impossible to cover them all. Just some include Emma McKinstry driving a World Rally Car for the first time in competition, John Mulholland is entered in a diesel Skoda, Sean McArdle in very rare Seat Cordoba WRC, Maurice Gass in a stunning little Fabia WRC, seven times Circuit of Ireland winner Jimmy McRae in a GpN Impreza.

The youngest competitor is probably 17 year old Toni Kelly from Letterkenny in her Civic Type R. Then there is the National Rally running approx 45 minutes behind the International, and featuring drivers such as John Bogie, Tony Davies and Steve Hendy (Metro 6R4, Subaru WRC and Escort WRC respectively). They will be battling for Prima Motorsport Asphalt points. Throw in to the mix some of the best home Mk2 Escort drivers such as Camillus Bradley and Wesley Patterson, then add in some fabulous historic entries such as Manxman Adrian Kermode and his Moira co-driver Maurice Beckett in their Porsche or John Keatley in his Porsche, not to mention Sean Tracy in his BMW and we have a fascinating rally in it’s own right.

Changes to the International entry list include: Non-starters: Sean Devine, Nigel Hicklin, Paddy White, Guy Wilks, Niall McShea, Shaun Gallagher, Brian Pat Doherty and Ian Hynes. Co-drivers to be added in to the list include John Hunter with Maurice Gass. Paul Goodman with Sean McArdle, Enda Sherry with Garry Jennings, Chris Patterson with Phillip Morrow, Jonathan McGrath with Connor McCloskey, Tony McDaid with Andrew Bushe and Brian Boyle with Letterkenny’s Conor Harvey.

There has been a fair amount of speculation regarding GpN Tarmac Champion Garry Jennings wanting to change his entry from a GpN Lancer to a Subaru WRC, and the position is that he is cleared to go and will run between cars 6 and 7 on the road, keeping number 25 on his Subaru. Gareth Jones (No.13) is running between 4 and 6.

More news after stage 1. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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