RALLY NEWS NO.1 Castlebar/Sunday morning early..

This Mayo Stages Rally here in Castlebar marks the start of the new Dunlop National Championship year. Defending Champion Aaron MacHale in his Focus WRC heads a start studded field away for 8 special stages, with a variety of roads on the agenda, ranging from the fast bumpy moorland variety near Croagh Patrick Mountain, to the farmland roads between Westport and Newport.

MacHale faces tough opposition this time, both on this rally and for the Dunlop Championship. Starting behind Aaron’s Focus is Tim McNulty in his new state of the art Subaru Impreza WRC S12b. Tim’s main aim is not the Championship, but to get miles, seat time, in his new Subaru before the Circuit of Ireland. Of course Tim wouldn’t be averse to winning this rally either! Patrick Elliott at 3 has a new Subaru on the way, although for the moment sticks with his S11 model, and he really does have his sights set on Dunlop series glory.

Michael Barrable was to be at 4, but his Focus isn’t ready, so it will be Noel Redmond next up, keeping No.5 on his Subaru. Noel is another making a serious bid for Championship honours. His car has had some last minute gearbox woes, and Stephen Murphy’s Subaru box was slotted into the Redmond Impreza before it left Dublin yesterday. NI Champion Glenn Allen is at 6. Glen was competing on the Bishopscourt Rally in Co. Down yesterday where he finished 3rd behind Derek McGarrity (1st) and Connor McCloskey (2nd). It is all a bit of a rush to get his Corolla WRC turned around and then down here to Mayo for this tough rally.

Former multiple Champion Niall Maguire is at 7 in his Subaru S11 and Kevin Barrett is at 8, also in an Impreza S11. Donegal man P.J. McDermott is at 9, also in an Impreza, and with Rory Kennedy co-driving could be a real dark horse in Championship terms. Seamus Leonard, who has taken to his new Subaru WRC (S8/9) like a duck to water, could also spring a surprise. Further WRC entries include Forestry Champion Stephen Moore, who starts down at 16 in his Focus WRC. Stephen is determined to get more into the way of asphalt stages, particularly in judging his braking distances. Eoin Doyle in his Impreza WRC Is starting to make an impression on the leaderboards recently and Sean Gallagher is another one who shouldn’t be a mile away.

Outside the top ten are a couple of interesting GpN crews, headed by Clonakilty brothers Kevin and Martin Kelleher in their Mitsubishi Lancer, closely followed by Willie Fannin in his Impreza N12. Ian Barrett was to be at 14 in his GpN Impreza, but he is not starting. This leaves the GpN entry with a somewhat threadbare look about it compared to previous seasons, but at the same time there are quite a few GpN entries further back. Of particular note is Eamonn Daly at 29 in his Evo, this time with Anthony O’Conail, who has split with Keith Cronin, co-driving. Danny McBride at 30 in his Evo probably won’t be hanging around either, and Donegal man Danny also has a new co-driver in the shape of Ambrose Convoy.

As ever the battle for supremacy amongst the ‘two wheel drive’ crews, mostly in Escorts, promises to be hot and heavy. Just some of the top names include Rodney Wilton, Camillus Bradley, Damien Gallagher and Eugene Ferry, all in Escorts. Sure to be in the thick of the action as well will be drivers such as Maurice Moffett and Mac McKenna in their respective rear wheel drive Peugeots, plus Mark Alcorn in his Toyota. There are lots more classes to be fought over of course, ranging from big cars to small ones, from the likes of the McHugh brothers in their re-built Escort Cosworth to the diminutive Toyota Yaris of Kenneth MacHale.

There’s a special category as well for ‘Junior’ drivers, who will join for the afternoon stages. Anthony Hand in his Escort is the No.1 seed, while the all ladies crew at ‘J17’ features the irrepressible Grania McDaid driving, with Michelle Doherty co-driving. Grania has just got engaged to Adrian McElhinney, so this could be the making of a real really partnership!

Non-starters and changes to co-driver include John Cairns, Michael Shaw Frank Wray, Gavin Harris, John Kelly, Pat Kirk and Brian Armstrong all non-starting. Further changes to entry include Damien McGettigan sitting with Brian Brogan, and Donhall McAlaney sitting with James Browne. Seeded up behind the top 30 is car no.163 Manus Kelly in his Escort and also car 181 Trevor Mulligan, also in an Escort.

Finally for now we wish to offer our deepest condolences to rally scrutineer Frank Roberts whose wife Bridie sadly died on Friday evening.

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