|
|
| |
| Sligo Stages Rally 2009 |
| RALLY NEWS No.1 - Pre Start - Sunday @ 08:33:33 |
| |
|
Rally News No 1 Sligo Park Hotel Sunday 9.00am
The Dunlop National Rally championship returns to Sligo after a year out and looks set to be an enthralling battle for top honours today. Niall Maguire leads the championship by sixteen points from reigning National Champion Patrick Elliott and so far this season the pair have had some titanic battles on previous rounds. Maguire took maximum points on the Ravens Rock rally when Patrick Elliott’s Subaru suffered a cracked engine. Before the start today Elliott was upbeat about his chances telling us “we have just got the car back from Prodrive and we have had no chance to test so I may just take it a bit handier at the start this morning but once we know it is all okay we can go for it”. Kevin Barrett starts at number three in the Triton Impreza WRC and is another driver showing a good turn of speed this season and with the route comprising of three good tests which include some very fast sections but equally some very tight narrow bumpy roads as well, Kevin could spring a surprise.
Melvyn Evans returns to Ireland in pursuit of MSA Tarmacadam points and debuts his recently acquired Impreza WRC S12b. With regular co-driver Sean Mullally committed to Kevin Barratt the highly experienced Patrick Walsh has slotted into the hotseat and this Welsh pairing have to be considered potential victors. Melvyn only has to finish today to secure the MSA Tarmacadam Title though Sean Mullally has to score in another event having missed one earlier on to tie up the Co-Drivers title. Sean Gallagher is next up as he makes his annual visit to the Sligo stages, not quite on home soil, the Carrick-on-Shannon driver has drafted in former National Champion Co-driver Anthony Nestor for the day and this combination should be worth watching.
First of the GpN runners is Garry Jennings in his Evo 9 Lancer heading up an extremely strong field in the showroom category. Jennings has moved to within 4 points of championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice after a maximum point’s score on the Ravens Rock Rally and Gary will now have David Moynihan co-driving. Kevin Kelleher makes the trip up from Co Cork and despite suffering from mechanical set backs this season he and brother Martin have still shown a high turn of speed at every event. Other drivers to watch in GpN include Danny McBride, Anthony O’Halloran, Eamonn Daly and of course Thomas Fitzmaurice. An interesting change to the entry is that local man Paul Kiely has opted to use the JFR Lancer Evo 10. Paul is better known as the multiple Tarmac Championship winning co-driver but he has made an annual affair of driving on his local event. Recent upgrades to the suspension from Australia have transformed the car and with a helping hand from Gulf Oil the latest Evo could be the one to watch.
Highest seeded 2wd car is Russell Woods in his extremely rapid Mk2 but he will be looking over his shoulder right from the start. Dominic McLoughlin starts just behind in his RWD 205 and the local man is always right on the pace while others chasing the highly coveted top 2wd finishers award include Brian Brogan, Ronan Curley and Daniel Conaghan all in escorts.
Changes to the entry include Paddy Robinson co-driving for Eamon Daly, Damien McGettigan with Brian Brogan (Car 16), Seamus O’Connor with Pat Price (Car 33), James McNulty with James Browne (Car 36) and Barry McNulty sits in with Colin Flannagan (Car 43). Across the water in the Isle of Man yesterday Mark Higgins won a record breaking fifth Manx Rally after a massive event long battle with Keith Cronin. Both drivers shared the lead but Keith eventually dropped back after suffering a late puncture leaving the pair tied at the top of the BRC championship. Alistair Fisher scored a career best finish in third. More News Later Michael & Zoe Patterson
|
| |
| |
| |
|
| |
|
