UNOFFICIAL NAT/ L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 15 Last Stage
1st (88) Gary Kiernan/Keith Moriarty (Escort) 1.47.21.9
2nd (15) Damien Tourish/Domhnall McAlaney (Escort) 1.47.23.4
3rd (16) Kevin Eves/William Lynch (Corolla) 1.48.53.8
4th (26) Patrick McHugh/Pauric O’Donnell (Escort) 1.49.47.7
5th (12) Eugene Meegan/Sarah Whelan (BMW 1M) 1.50.581
6th (20) Richard Whelan/James Whelan (BMW 1M) 1.51.02.2
Garry Jennings and his co-driver Rory Kennedy in their Subaru Impreza WRC certainly put on a masterful display to win this Corrib Oil backed Galway International Rally. Garry and Rory are no strangers to the top podium step here in Galway of course, but that didn’t diminish their speed and commitment this time. They led from start to finish and Garry set fastest times through all the difficult Saturday stages when it really mattered.
Roy White & James OBrien made a terrific charge towards the end to set fastest times in their Fiesta WRC on the last 2 stages to move ahead of Alastair Fisher. Roy White was hoping to give his re-built Fiesta WRC a good shakedown here in Galway in preparation for the defence of his National Rally title. It certainly seems to have been a successful shakedown!
Alastair Fisher & Gordon Noble achieved their aim also by taking maximum Tarmac Championship points with their 3rd o/a today. The competition was always very close between the top R5 cars and Alastair kept his head as well as showing great speed to take this significant result. Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson have earned 2nd place Tarmac points that gives them a big incentive for the next Championship round in West Cork.
There were no major dramas over the final few stages amongst the top runners. Interestingly through the foreshortened penultimate stage less than 2s covered the top 8 times in the International section, with Roy White fastest from Alastair Fisher by 0.1 of a second. On the final stage Josh Moffett put in a big effort to score 2nd fastest time behind Roy White and this moved him from 8th to 7th ahead of Joe McGonigle. This may not seem of great consequence but before the Tarmac Championship is over in October it could be significant. Just outside the top 10 William Creighton/Liam Regan in their Peugeot took a great R2 victory. Gary Kiernan is provisionally the winner of the National Rally from Damien Tourish, both in Escorts. While Ernie Graham/Tim Sayer won the Historic Rally from Gareth Lloyd/David Byrne, both crews in Escorts.
BRIAN & LIZ & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
