RALLY NEWS NO.1 Sunday morning…early

“Ready to Rock” was the cry around Carrick-on-Suir as this massive Ravens Rock Rally swung into action. Around 160 crews in the main rally will face 8 classic special stages, while the Juniors and Historics tackle 4 special stages in the afternoon. Clerk of the Course George Clancy and rally secretary Ann Marie Fitzgerald view the rally as all part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Carrick Club, and have deliberately biased the event towards the more traditional stages in the Grangemockler and Ninemilehouse area. For the competitors, especially the ones at the top end of the field, the rally is however all about here and now, with points at stake on several major Championships, including the Dunlop National, the 023 Tiles Southern Four and the Triton Showers South East Stages.

Former multiple National Champion Niall Maguire in his Subaru will lead the cars away from the Carraig Hotel, Niall and No2 seed Patrick Elliott embroiled in a fierce battle this season for supremacy in the Dunlop series. Haulage man Niall has his nose ahead by just two points. Elliott has a new engine and gearbox in his Impreza WRC, is on a crest of a wave this season and has got into the way of making a very fast start which has thrown Maguire onto the back foot, so it will be very interesting to see just what transpires here.

Michael Barrable, who won this rally 8 years ago, was to be at 3 in his Focus WRC, but he can’t make it, so Ray Breen is next up. Ray crashed his Focus WRC on the Wexford forestry a couple of weeks ago, and it has been a real race against time to get the car fixed, but he should make the start line. Liam McCarthy is at 5, Liam having had some suspension work done on his Corolla WRC. John Dalton is at 6, the Welshman’s ‘pocket rocket’ Darrian subject to some aerodynamic revisions lately which should make it even faster!!

Kevin Barrett is at 7 in his Triton Subaru. Kevin, who lies 3rd in the Dunlop Championship tells us that his Impreza has been thoroughly checked over in preparation for the rally, and he is really looking forward to it. Certainly, so tough and challenging are the roads employed for today’s stages, including the daunting Slieveanorra, that reliability, getting everything just right, is going to be paramount for success. Seamus Leonard was to be at 8, but he is non-starting.

PJ McGrath is at 9, the Wexford man having made some small adjustments to the set up of his Subaru, since his last outing on the Killarney Lakes. PJ is only too well aware however that in this sort of company that makes up the top entry on this rally, he is not really getting enough miles in the car to be sharp from the word go. Eoin Doyle makes up the top ten. Kilkenny man Eoin has been setting some real good times this season, as he has settled into Impreza WRC motoring. Quite often however Eoin’s progress has been hampered by small problems.

Just outside the top ten are the leading GpN drivers, Andrew Purcell and Alan Ring in their respective Lancers. Purcell only recently switched to a Lancer, and is still getting it knocked into shape. Ring has had his example thoroughly overhauled and should be in good fettle here. However, the category should be very competitive. Welsh visitor Seb ling could spring a surprise, Sean Flanagan has the differentials sorted on his GpN Impreza and is still in with a chance of doing something on the Dunlop series, but probably the man they all have to watch is Eamonn Daly, seeded back at 26 in his Lancer. Eamonn is 4th overall in the Dunlop series, leading GpN, and has really got his act together this year. Eamonn may start inside the top 15.

In the 023 Tiles Southern Four Championship Alan Ring currently heads the points, and could come under pressure today from James Stafford in his Darrian. James is seeded at 16, with a gaggle of hot Escorts behind him. Drivers such as James Coleman, Shay Power and Liam Wall just some who should provide some very hot action indeed.

There are also lots of class battles as well to look out for. Just one of them being for supremacy in the Super 1600 category. Mark Sheahan in his Clio S1600 may have to keep a weather eye out for Cork’s Daragh O’Riordan. Daragh has hired the Excel Clio S1600 as driven by Kris Meeke. Ian and Paul Roche are in the same class. Donegal man Joe McHugh is down at 30 in his Escort Cosworth, which has been totally re-built and runs in class 15. Joe should go well, although he had a worry over tyre supply before the start.

Some further non-starters include Willie Fannin, Terence O’Shaugnessy, Sean O’Donovan, Gerry Casey, Graham Scallan and Leo Doyle, to name just a few, which opens the door for most of the reserves to get a run.


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

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