| RALLY
NEWS NO.1 Letterkenny/Friday morning 10.45
World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb states that he’s here on the
Shell Donegal Rally principally to get experience, for himself on the
Irish roads, and for the all conquering Citroen team to optimise the settings
on the fabulous C4 WRC in anticipation of coming back to Sligo in November
for the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship. Well, if the
wet weather persists this weekend in Donegal, it could be a whole lot
more like Ireland in the winter than anyone expected! Whatever, it’s
great that Sebastien and his co-driver Daniel Elena are here in Donegal.
Immediately behind the Citroen crew is British Champion Mark Higgins in
the Pirelli/MIS Subaru: five times Donegal winner Andrew Nesbitt in the
McKinstry Subaru and Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly, considered somewhat
of a ‘rainmaster’, in the stunning Reid Transport Subaru WRC
S12. Sebastien isn’t expecting an easy ride here and he’s
not likely to get it! Really though, Higgins and Donnelly will be concentrating
as much on getting as many Tarmac Championship points as possible, while
Sebastien is quickly realising that Irish tarmac roads are like no others,
and questioning whether his C4 WRC has sufficient suspension travel.
Behind Donnelly is the brilliant young Norwegian driver Andreas Mikkelsen
in the Focus WRC which he drove on the Circuit, not the Killarney Lakes
example. Next in the line-up is Tim McNulty in the Pierse Construction
backed Subaru, Tim bursting to get at the Donegal stages, and reckoning
that he’s had such a disastrous Tarmac Championship so far this
season, that’s he’s under no pressure. Kevin Lynch in his
Focus WRC is next up, then the highest seeded Donegal man, Paul Harris,
in a RHD Corolla WRC. Patrick Elliott is at 17 and drives the new Jack
Sleator Impreza WRC S12.
There are a few drivers missing from the original list, including the
two MacHale brothers, Gareth and Aaron. Gareth’s Focus isn’t
ready and Aaron is keeping his powder dry for next weekend’s Ravens
Rock Rally. Seems strange, not having a MacHale in the Donegal line-up
this year, but its just the way the cards have fallen. They will be here
spectating, and, like so many others, agog with anticipation at what has
all the makings of a great rally.
Eamonn Boland was to be part of the equation, but his team pulled out
last night, quoting engine problems on their Focus as the cause. Because
of withdrawals, many of the reserves are now getting a run, including
multiple National Rally Champion Niall Maguire, the Monaghan man in a
newly acquired Subaru WRC S11. Further down the list is a host of top
GpN names, including GpN Tarmac Champion Colm Murphy in his Impreza, as
well as top drivers such as Garry Jennings, who has a new engine in his
Lancer, Seamus Leonard, James Cullen, Connor McCloskey, Gavin Harris in
the Remax Lancer.
Top seed in the modified class is Phil Collins, who is at 47 in his Escort,
and the Hereford man will face big opposition from the locals, not least
Letterkeny’s Damien Gallagher. The fact that Phil is at 47 is certainly
no reflection on his driving, it’s simply because of the numbers
of WRC and GpN machines in the line up. Some local news is that Hugh Martin
Doherty successfully completed a last minute test session in his Focus
WRC, and his co-driver Michael McBride is sufficiently recovered from
his injured back to compete. Young Toni Kelly has just finished her ‘leaving
cert exams’ and will debut the first competition Honda Civic Type
R in the rally. P.J McDermott is down at 61 in his Impreza WRC and is
hoping to be re-seeded to reflect his top ten run on the Jim Clark. Danny
Caddye, co-driven by Hazel Russell, has moved back from organising to
competing on the rally in a drive to raise funds for the Helping Hands
cancer charity. Danny reported that so far the generosity displayed has
been overwhelming and he is hoping that this continues over the rally
weekend.
Adding spice to the weekend will be the Historic cars as well as the Ford
Fiesta Sporting Trophy contenders and the Juniors, all joining in at various
times. In the main rally the works Suzukis add a touch of real flair.
It really is a huge event. All 22 stages are ready to run although stage
3 has been shortened from the original start to junction 3 and reportedly
there is oil on the road up to junction 1.
This evening Modern Tyres are having an autograph session just across
the road from the Mt Errigal Hotel at 6.30 and many of the top competitors
have promised to be in attendance including Mark Higgins, Andrew Nesbitt,
Eugene Donnelly, Tim McNulty and Kevin Lynch. Hopefully there will be
a very special guest also!
More news after stage 1: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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