Issue 01-APR 03

Ireland’s Rally Newspaper

your great value guide to rallysport in ireland £2 / 3.50 euro

Kenny’s Corker!

SILLD-OE IN EE FR UT UR FOUR PAGE PU YO

2003 CATALOGUE

Killarney for WRC? • Austin McHale interview • All the top Irish rally action...

• Group Bs and RallyRetro inside

APRIL / MAY

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startline

Pacenotes 03

toshiba irish tarmac championship publishing editor

simon mooney editor@pacenotes.net

t/f: +44 (0) 28 4066 0390 m: +44 (0) 7803 891893 (anytime) advertising sales@pacenotes.net website www.pacenotes.net

Cover Story West Cork... what an entry... what weather... what a weekend....

Whistleblower All the latest news pages 4-5

page38

Austin McHale In the hot seat...

WIN WIN WIN! PAGE 16

Broadside Comment from pete bleakley page 5

Flatcrest!

The Subaru WRX STi

page7

Get yourself a signed Billy Coleman print!

page 6

Pocketfile

A rally crew profile - The Bennett Brothers page 34

Pacenotes is published on the third Wednesday of each month.This newspaper is copyright mooneymedia 2003. No part of it may be repoduced in any form without prior permission of the publisher.

published by mooney media printed by spectator newspapers distributed by WNS NI Easons & Newspread ROI

Aghadowey Stages Paddy’s Day action... page 35

Midland Stages Mini-stage rally action. page 15

Twenty Questions Austin McHale receives the first grilling... page 7

Circuit of Ireland Your guide to the Easter Weekend... pages 18-19

Mayo Stages The national championship gets underway pages 8-11

Kilbroney Stages NI clubman championship opener... page 12

Anti-lag postbag All your views and opinions... page 13

Big Boys The latest from the WRC. pages 14-15

plus new videos from RPM & more. page 37

Rally of the Lakes for WRC? Killarney International Preview

Tipperary Forest Round 2 of the SI Forest Championship

page 20

page 15

Girl Power Woman drivers - Emma McKinstry

206supercup Irish action in the Border Counties...

page 22

page 44

Eurocables The start to the NI Championship...

Classifieds.. page 46

Bishopscourt Round 2 of the NI Championship

Ford Ka & Focus Ford’s Irish ladders of opportunity...

pages 27-28

page 15

Rallyretro Fergus McAnallen - a look back at Irish Rallying history... pages 16-17

SpannerMan Turbos made easy...

pages 26

Pirelli British RC Keeping an eye on the local lads... pages 32-33

Club Sandwich Tasty titbits from around the clubs... page 48

This launch issue is dedicated to the late Bill Mooney.

page18

page27

page47

19 tudor oaks, banbridge, co down, bt32 4lp, northern ireland. t/f:+44 (0) 28 4066 0390 m:+44 (0) 7803 891893 w:mooneymedia.com

04 Pacenotes

whistleblower what’s coming around the corner......

Stage whispers...

time control a word from your publisher... ell hello there... welcome to the W very first edition of Pacenotes Ireland’s Rally Newspaper...

Pacenotes has been ‘in the pipeline’ now for six years, so it is with great excitement and pride that it has finally arrived.

As you all know, rallying in Ireland has exploded in the last five years. Just look at the huge entries at all events.

Record numbers of licenses are being allocated and the spectators come out to play in their thousands. Even the Killarney ‘Rally of the Lakes’ is being mooted for WRC inclusion within the next 5 years.

Ireland needs a dedicated title like Pacenotes. I have been a competitor and know only too well how difficult it is to get proper recognition, which would in turn help to build a sponsorship package. Because we have 48 A3 sized pages, we can afford to give each of the events a proper ‘spread’ and can feature not only the ‘top ten’, who we all want to read about, but also the clubman, who for too long has been the forgotten breed.

Pacenotes is about rallying - the news, the thrills, the controversy - all the things we love about the sport. But this is your golden opportunity to speak out, have your say, even rant a little... In order for us to be successful, we need your ‘penny’s worth’, so I appeal to you all to familiarise yourself with our contact details and get to work!

Our sport has endured a rough few years recently - Foot & Mouth and the tragic loss of competitors and spectators. I hope in 2003 we have turned the corner.

Can we educate the small minority of spectators who cause real safety issues? I think so...

Let’s hope that Mac McKenna’s exclusion from the Mayo Stages helps us realise the seriousness of safety issues - I believe it was the right decision, (Mac probably does too, in his heart of hearts), but without consistency at all events this season, it will have been a pointless exercise.

Will Motorsport Ireland look into the subject of stage ‘bogey times’?

During the Midland and Tipperary Stages rallies, the bogey times were not just beaten, but ‘slaughtered’... this cannot keep happening.The crews are risking all to be first past the post... only to be given a nominal time. Surely consideration must be given to these competitors and their rally cars.

Finally I would like to end with a few words of thanks, to all those people (family, friends, advertisers and staff) who have put so much time, effort and support into this project.

I hope you enjoy your read and we always welcome open comment and opinion. Nobody said we’d get it all right first time - well, almost!

Simon Mooney

• Kris Meeke has a busy shedule in the next few weeks, in between testing and work he’s going to NZ next week to take a look at the WRC rally... then its back to do the Pirelli in the S1600 Corsa, then to the Acropolis, the next round of the JWRC. • Reigning Irish International Rally Champion Andrew Nesbitt will make his motor racing debut on Saturday (5th April) when he competes in the opening round of the exciting Fiat Punto Abarth Cup at Kirkistown. The winner of three back to back Irish Tarmac Rally Championship titles, the Armagh ace will drive the Blaupunkt backed 'Guest' car at the Co. Down circuit.

• Tommy Graham has pulled his entry from the Circuit of Kerry Stages. Tommy has hurt his back....

Lets hope he gets back to the stages soon!

• There are almost 150 competitors registered for the Irish Tarmac Championship this year.

• Calling all BABES! The deadline looms for this year’s entries for the RallyXS Pirelli Girl 2003. Can any of you lovelies out there follow in Juliet Ward’s footsteps and bring the crown back to Ireland.

Details on how to enter at: wrc.com • Regulations and Entry Forms for the 2003 Hotel Kilmore Cavan Stages Rally (25th May) can be obtained from Friday 4th of April.

Send a stamped, addressed envelope to Sean Sharkey, Drumnavanagh, Cavan, Co. Cavan.

• After many requests the Irish Co-Driver register is back online - you can find it at www.stagerally.com - go to the site register, and start using what will be excellent service.

The future of motorsport in N Ireland ars, karts, bikes and their riders, today joined forces to welcome C the launch of the new “2 & 4 Wheel Motor Sport Steering Group”.

The Steering Group brings together the four recognised governing bodies for 2&4 wheel motor sports; the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs, Motorcycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre), Motorcycling Racing Association and Northern Ireland Karting Association.

Collectively they will endeavour to ensure 2 & 4 wheel sport will be exciting, sustainable and safety conscious and open to everyone to enjoy as competitors, officials or spectators, according to their level of interest and ability.

There are just under 100 clubs in Northern Ireland. The majority of the club members are active participants in 2&4 Wheel motor sport as competitors, organisers and administrators. The newly appointed Development Manager, Pippa Murphy(pictured), will be prioritising the actions of the Strategic Plan and driving the process forward. “I will be using the excellent foundations already achieved by

the volunteers involved in 2 and 4 wheel motor sport to progress the four main objectives of the Steering Group; to represent and lobby for the interests of 2 and 4 wheel motor sports; to manage and co-ordinate the delivery of the Strategic Plan; to foster sharing of information and good practice between members and partners; to secure funding to ensure action.”

Ronnie Trouton, MBE, Chairman of the 2 and 4 wheel motor sport steering group said,“We are moving into very exciting times for the development of 2 and 4 wheel motor sport in Northern Ireland. We are very proud that motor sport, in less than 3 years, now has a Development Manager.”

The Irish are best...

The results of the Top Co-Driver poll run by rallycodriver.co.uk were released recently.

Richard Pashley, co-driver to Shaun Gallagher, won with a staggering 511 votes !!!!!!!!! He finished just ahead of Phil Mills.

Irish co-drivers that appeared in the top 20 were Paul Nagle, Martin Brady, Gordon Nobel, James O'Brien and Derek Brannigan. Other co-drivers to appear in the top 20 included Phil Mills, Nicky Grist, Robert Reid, Luis Moya, and Timo Rautiainen. Well done to everyone that was nominated and for the Irish lads that appeared in the top 20 amongst the stiff competition... (still don’t come close to my ‘old’ favourite - Terry Harryman, Ed.)

Celebrating 100 years of motorsport in County Kerry... losed road special stage C rallying and a nineteenth century New York businessman seen an unlikely combination but…

The name James Gordon Bennet may not mean a lot to followers of modern Irish motor sport but we have in fact a lot to be thankful to the man for. James Gordon Bennet was the millionaire proprietor of the New York Herald at the turn of the of the 19th century. In an effort to boost sales of his of his popular newspaper, Bennet used to sponsor and organise outlandish events.

By the turn of the nineteenth century the car was proving to be an ever more popular form of transport and of course, a means

to compete. Motor races were being organised all over Europe and indeed the first event in Ireland took place in 1900 with a motor tour between Dublin and Killaloe Co.Tipperary. With this in mind Gordon Bennet set up a series of International Motor Races.The difference between The Gordon Bennet Cup and other motor races was that the race was between National Automobile Club teams with every part of the car manufactured in the country it represented.The second difference was that the winning club would host the event the following year.

Now an act of Parliament was needed to give the organisers permission to close public roads to facilitate the running of the

motor race.This act was passed in the Houses of Parliament in Westminister in early 1903 and was to be known as the “Light Locomotive Act Of Ireland 1903” and it is indeed a superseded version of this act that now allows us to compete on closed roads in the present day.

The history making race day was Thursday July 12th 1903 and twelve drivers lined up at the start.The race consisted of seven laps of a circuit between Killcullen in Co.Kildare, Carlow town and Monasterevin.The total race distance was 327 miles.The winner was a Mercedes averaging a speed of 49.2 mile per hour.

In the weeks immediately following the Gordon Bennet Trophy races in Ireland, a series of other motorsporting events were

organised by enthusiasts throughout the country.These events included the first motor sport event in Phoenix Park.

One such event was a hillclimb that took place outside Tralee, near the village of Ballyfinnane.

The event took place on July 15th 1903 and was the very first motorsport event in the county.

The Kerry Vintage and Veteran Car Club erected a commemoration plaque on the top of the hill in 1993.

This year Kerry Motor Club, Killarney and District Motor Club and The Kerry Vintage and Veteran car club will join forces to run a hill climb for historic cars to mark this very important milestone in Kerry motorsport.

The even is scheduled to take place on Sunday July 13th 2003.

The hot new FabiaWRC - a cat amongst the pigeons maybe? he new Skoda Fabia WRC rally car World Rally Cars. utilises a four-year period of the T Skoda Motorsport works team’s participation in the World Rally Championship series driving Octavia

The Fabia WRC is based upon the Fabia RS production sports version.

The car is currently undergoing intensive development and demanding tests and it

should be entered for Championship rallies during the second half of 2003.

We reckon it’s the best looking Skoda ever produced. Can’t wait to see it on the stages!

whistleblower

Pacenotes 05

......all the latest news!

Sharper Focus... broadside by pete bleakley Money, Money, Money... s a sport, motor rallying has enjoyed A something of a renaissance over the last five years. his is the Ford Focus RS WRC 03 T the most technically advanced and revolutionary rally car ever....

The new Focus RS is radically different in both looks and mechanics to the car which competed on the opening three rounds of the 2003 championship. Technical director Christian Loriaux and his engineering team at M-Sport have added significant performance improvements to the most dependable and

reliable car in the championship and a stunning new aerodynamic package gives the Focus RS an eye-catching contemporary look.

Highlights of the new Focus RS include: * Radical changes to styling and aerodynamic package to increase performance on faster rallies * New rear suspension system * Improved weight distribution * Weight savings throughout the car

* New body shell and roll cage which exceeds minimum FIA safety requirements * New lightweight engine developed and built

by Cosworth Racing with improved response and more top end power * Revised wiring loom and electronic control system * More efficient engine cooling * Enhanced Digital Messaging System to relay data to the co-driver's dashboard display.

2003 Top Part West Coast Rally Championship celebrates it’s 11th birthday! he Top Part West Coast T Rally Championship enters it’s 11th Year in 2003.

Due to the Foot & Mouth crisis in 2001 the championship was not held , so this will be the 10th running of the event.

The Series is made up of five rounds with the best four to count. The Top Part Group have

been involved as sponsors from the very beginning and are committed to the series for the next two years. Big thanks should go to Top Part Group MD, Donie Dillane and his eight stores which are located in Tralee, Sligo, Cork, Ennis, Galway, Tuam, Kilkenny and Clonmel to cater for all your motoring needs!

The five Championship rounds

are as follows: ROUND 1 - CIRCUIT OF KERRY STAGES RALLY APRIL 6TH 2003 ROUND 2 - CIRCUIT OF MUNSTER STAGES RALLY JUNE 1ST 2003 ROUND 3 - GALWAY SUMMER STAGES RALLY AUGUST 31ST 2003 ROUND 4 - CLARE STAGES RALLY SEPTEMBER 21ST 2003

male - Men and Motors combine to get your message to an audience of millions, at a cost which involves considerably fewer zeros.

here are many ways to T spend your company’s annual marketing budget, but few have the reach and impact of a high profile television programme.

On The Limit Sports produces premium quality motorsport programming for the domestic market, with a focus on rallying - the sport which is currently enjoying unprecedented popularity with viewers of all ages.

Rallying is “the new Formula 1” - with a fanbase which is nurtured from childhood by globally dominant computer games like ‘Colin McRae 3’ and ‘World Rally Championship Extreme.’

Rally fans are fans for life, and whilst the desire to play games recedes with age, the desire to watch high performance cars driven to their limits on country roads does not.

Throughout 2003, On The Limit Sports will be providing hours of rally action to millions of viewers across Ireland and the UK. Programmes that are eagerly awaited by legions of loyal rallysport fans - programmes that could carry your messages to those millions.

ROUND 5 - KERRY SINGLE STAGE RALLY NOVEMBER 16TH2003 The Championship committee would like to wish competitors, organising clubs, sponsors and most of all spectators a safe and enjoyable rally season.

Rest assured that Pacenotes will keep you up-to-date with all the action as it happens...

Don’t commit your budget big or small - before you’ve talked to Michael Bracken at On The Limit Motorsports on 00353 86 2520633 (NI) or 086 2520633 (ROI).

Box Clever...

This year, our premier events are the ten round National Rally Championship and the seven round National Forestry Championship.

Each event will receive six half hours of coverage on national terrestrial television and the Sky Digital Network - with a total of 54 hours of screen time across a variety of channels.

That translates to a potential 54 hours of television exposure for your company, should you choose to take advantage of

one of our highly cost-effective sponsorship packages...

Just picture it - over thirty popular half hour motorsport programmes topped and tailed with your company branding, supported by in-shot branding at camera points, as well as branding on stage diagrams and results boards.

You want impact? You’ve got it.

You want reach? You’ve got it.

TV3, TG4, Network 2, Sky Sports 2 and the “must have” channel for every red blooded

When it comes to marketing, it makes sense to box clever - so why not email onthelimitspor ts@eircom.net for a brochure. What have you got to lose?

On The Limit Sports will be producing over 30 new half hour programme this year, made up of ten rounds of the national Rally Championship, seven rounds of the National Forestry Championships and other selected events.

TV3 - Saturdays @ 12.30pm TG4 - Tuesdays @ 9pm repeated Saturdays 11.30am SKY - men&motors Thursdays @9.30pm repeated Friday @ 4.30pm & Sunday @ 7.30pm FULL TV LISTINGS ON PAGE SEVEN

And this is how it should be, in a country as “car mad” as Ireland.

People tend to forget that this part of the world is still one of the greatest places on earth to be a driver - the roads are good, traffic is relatively light (outside dublin) and policemen are few and far between.

These are the conditions that have allowed Ireland to produce generation after generation of top class rally drivers.

Rallying has always had a small, ‘hard corps’ of supporters - the faceless masses in anoraks and woolly hats who turn out in the middle of nowhere, come rain, hail or shine to support the sport they love.

This support base has been broadened in recent times due to various factors - key among them increased terrestrial TV coverage and the ubiquitous computer game.

Channel Four’s full-on foray to ‘Planet WRC’ has finally made rallying “sexy” - with cool presenters, rock video editing, state-of-the-art computer graphics and on-the-spot interviews with the stars.

With added exposure comes added popularity, which translates to better revenue through sponsorship and so the beast begins to grow...

‘Colin McRae 3’ is one of the most popular computer games on the planet - and not by accident does the opening title sequence of C4’s flagship motorsport programme resemble a virtual world. (Get ‘em young and you’ve got ‘em for life!).

In a sport that is expensive at every level, money is God. Which takes neatly to that other piece of petrolhead paradise - Formula 1.

F1 has become a business which masquerades as a sport. It is (happily) divorced from all other forms of motorsport through cost.The people within the business are insulated from reality by the luxury which surrounds them...

In recent years, this disconnection from it’s audience has seen the F1 circus become tedious and predictable.Viewing figures - and consequently revenues - have dropped.Technology has replaced skill - and viewers are switching off in droves.

Now is the time for rallying to press home it’s advantage.

As a spectactle, it’s ten times more exciting than F1.The cars - externally at least - resemble what Joe Public drives. Joe uses the same roads as his heroes, and wears the same hats...

Rallying is gladiatorial - and still potentially fatal, as was tragically proven in Scotland less than a month ago.This element of danger is critical to the mix. No-one wants to see another human being die in a high speed crash, but everyone wants to watch the men and women who turn hanging perilously close to edge of the abyss into an art form.

Rallying as a spectator sport is becoming more popular and accessible, whilst the opportunity to compete is generally becoming less accessible prohibited by cost. It’s a rich man’s world - witness the number of (£250,000+) WRC cars now rolling up to start lines on Irish rallies.

But what about the sport at it’s most basic club level?

For the sake of the future of rally sport locally, it is imperative that the current burst of popularity is translated directly into increased motor club memberships and funding.Young blood and fresh cash needs to be injected into these ailing organisations, which after all, are the greenhouses which nurture our stars of the future.

Let’s hope the sport we love remembers to feed it’s roots, and doesn’t go the way of Formula 1.

If there are specific issues within local rallying which you would like highlighted in the Broadside column, please don’t hesitate to contact Pace Notes.

06 Pacenotes

flatcrest the latest in performance road cars

by pete bleakley

sub

bring on the ubaru’s restyled Impreza Turbo made it’s Smixed world debut at the Paris Motor Show (to critical reviews) on September 26th, 2002. Available to buy in Ireland now, the new-look “Sub” boasts a totally different front end, combining an aggressive presence with pedestrian-friendly safety features and improved aerodynamic efficiency. (In short, it’s better, but some say it’s even more ‘fugly’ than before).

The alleged “facelift” is shared with the 2003 World Rally Car which will benefit from a similar reduction in drag coefficient and improved highspeed stability. Unlike some WRC competitors, Subaru has always striven to ensure it’s road cars inherit the technical and design DNA of its rally machines…

Key design changes include a new front bumper, spoiler, bonnet, wings and 3 dimensional headlamps. In addition, circular lamps are inlaid in the main headlamp units themselves - which have a striking curved dip to their inner edges.

A strong flowing character-line sweeps from the lower edge of the circular headlamps and runs over the more steeply sloping bonnet to the windscreen. The top edge of the bumper is rounded, giving a sleeker look overall, with better airflow.

The Sub’s front wings now have a muscle-bound appearance and this “pumped-up” presence is complemented by larger air intakes, both above and below the number plate.

At the rear, all models have new bumpers and light units with a curved dip to their inner edges – similar to the headlamps – to enhance design integration.

The dog’s bollocks WRX STi gains a larger highrise rear spoiler, front corner spoilers and new side sill spoilers which all contribute to improved highspeed stability.

A bigger bonnet scoop improves the cooling performance of the 265 bhp STi engine, which also benefits from a change in the shape of the intercooler water spray nozzle and the air baffle plate inside the air scoop. Meanwhile, the throttle response is improved thanks to revisions to the exhaust manifold - aimed at smoothing the flow of exhaust gases.

On the power front, 265 gee-gees in the STi engine bay translates to a maximum velocity of 151mph, with a 0-60 sprint achievable within 5.5 seconds. More power and improved wind tunnel performance edge the WRX STi closer to, but still not equal with, the genre-definitive Mitsubishi Evo VIII. The 2003 STi also has improved front suspension, thanks to strengthened mounts for the transverse linkages and new cross-performance rods. As a result, handling and steering response are better, thanks to a reduction in geometry change during hard cornering.

Both the WRX models and the aspirated 2.0 and 1.6 litre Imprezas crisper handling characteristics, with steering precision – or so it says in release I’m cribbing this from…

naturallyalso have increased the press

Personally, I always found early Subs difficult to “turn in” – they had a real tendency to push the nose.This (slightly scary) habit now seems to have been totally eliminated –

reducing the need to wear brown trousers while on fast cross country runs…

The previously “choppy” ride over patchy Irish tarmac has been effectively ironed out by sophisticated new shock absorbers.The new shox feature multiple-layer valves, so damping forces are optimised in various speed ranges – vorsprung durch technik, you might say, if this was an Audi (Murphy?).

Previous Subs have come in for a deserved slagging due to their bland interiors. New, highquality cloth is used throughout the 2003 range with each model having it’s own pattern and character.

Sporty changes for the WRX include a gun metal finish for the road wheels; a new, smaller, (375 mm) Momo steering wheel and blue carpets to match the seats and door trim.

Both drivers and pedestrians are better protected in the 2003 Sub - thanks to a whole series of safety measures.These include new “antiraindrop” door mirrors, which stay cleaner, enhancing visibility – hopefully you’ll now get to spot that unmarked V6 Omega…before it damages your licence.

Finally…and in case you absolutely insist in pranging it hard, the revamped Sub has active front head restraints, which reduce the risk of whiplash injuries – but it’ll still hurt in the morning…

I’d go for a lowered ‘n’ tweaked oldie meself – all the fun, without the pervasive, all-consuming-fear of “The First Scratch.”

You know it makes sense.

I’d go for a lowered ‘n’ tweaked oldie meself - all the fun, without the pervasive, all-consuming- fear of “The First Scratch.”

PB

twentyquestions

Pacenotes 07

we get the answers you want...

We will endeavour to put one of our drivers in the hot seat each month...

Who do you want to see next?

What do you want us to ask?

Email your suggestions to: editor @pacenotes.net

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET BEHIND A WHEEL? I think I was about 12 or 13 years old at the time.

WHO TAUGHT YOU TO DRIVE? Well, I taught myself.... I’m from a farming backround so I’ve always had machinery around me, like driving duties at silage time.

DID YOU PASS YOUR TEST FIRST TIME? (IF NOT HOW MANY TIMES?) Yes, first time.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST ROAD CAR? The first car I ever owned was a standard, ordinary Opel Kadett 1300.

WHAT WAS / IS YOUR FAVOURITE ROAD CAR? The BMW 540, good going and a very well made machine.

WHO WERE YOUR MOTORSPORT HEROES AS A BOY? I suppose like a lot of people it had to be the one and only Ari Vatanen - he could steer like nobody else.

WHO WOULD YOU RATE AS THE TOP THREE IRISH DRIVERS TODAY? Excluding ourselves!... First would be Andrew (Nesbitt), then Michael (Barrable) and Eugene Donnelly.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST COMPETITIVE DRIVE? Well my first, what I would call

Austin McHale in the hot seat...

Pacenotes gets to talk to Austin and he kindly agreed to answer our ‘Twenty Questions’... competitive drive would have been in my Escort Twin Cam in the mid 70s. It was in the Galway International and I won the class. I’d been rallying for about six months at the time.

WHAT IS YOUR WORST MEMORY IN RALLYING? Without doubt 1984 - I was leading the Circuit and my engine blew just before the finish.

WHAT DRIVE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF TO DATE? Probably the 1998 Circuit of Ireland in my Celica, having dropped so much time early in the event to come through and win on the very last stage.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST FRUSTRATING MEMORY IN RALLYING? The RAC (Network Q) in 2001, having done the recce and everything to find out at the last hour I wasn’t allowed to

start because of regulations over the conversion of the Corolla to RHD. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCIDENT TO DATE? Well I’ve had a few but it was in Wales around 79/80, I can’t remember the rally... but I scrapped my RS2000 after rolling her off the stage.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON? The British Championship, and the Tarmac Championship in a Prodrive built, Subaru UK-backed Impreza WRC. Three of the events overlap so it makes sense, I’ll probably do a few other specials as well.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE EVENT THROUGH THE SEASON? Donegal - it just has to be Donegal.

IF MONEY WAS NO OBJECT WHAT WOULD YOU BE (RALLY) DRIVING?

To be honest I’m very happy with what I have.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN RALLYING? It’s not bad, but it could be a lot better, Ford and Peugeot do a lot but theres room for more manufacturers to get involved. I think age limits should be looked at and perhaps development should steer towards GroupN machinery. Better promotion, especially if you get good results will help the young talent.

Next issue Maurice Gass...

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT CURRENT RALLYING RULES/ADMIN WHAT WOULD IT BE? The whole safety aspect needs to be tightened up. I know that MI (Motorsport Ireland) have tried to address many issues but its up to the competitors, the media and the public to work together to make a difference.

WHAT WAS THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT? The Wolfe Tones WHAT’S YOU FAVOURITE TIPPLE? Isn’t everybody’s a pint of Guinness?

WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING? Two Dispirin - self inflicted, because I was out last night...

Irelands Rally Newspaper

Pacenotes NEXT ISSUE

ON

SALE 14th MAY @ ALL GOOD NEWSAGENTS Irelands Rally Newspaper

Pacenotes

Rallying on the box...

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 2003 CONTENT Buy & Sell Circuit Of Ireland Rally I (19/21 April) Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland Rally II (19/21 April) Gleneagles Killarney Rally of the Lakes I (3/4 May) Gleneagles Killarney Rally of the Lakes II (3/4 May) Shell Donegal Int. Rally I (20/22 June) Shell Donegal Int. Rally II. (20/22 June) Punchestown World Rally Experience (20 July).

Jim Clark Rally (4/5 July).

Dog Leap Rally (9 Aug.) Manx International Rally (31/1,2 Aug.).

Stena Line Ulster Int. Rally (5/6 Sept.).

UTV 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 10 July 17 July 31 July 7 Aug. 14 Aug 21 Aug 18 Sept

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 2003 RTE 5 July 12 July 19 July 26 July 23 Aug 30 Aug 6 Sept 13 Sept 20 Sept 15 Nov

WEEK ONE - Dunlop National Rally Championship from Mayo TV 3 - Saturday morning 19th April 12.30 pm TG 4 -Tuesday 22nd April @ 9pm repeated Saturday 26th April @ 11.30 am MEN and MOTORS - Thursday 1st May @ 9.30 pm, repeated Friday 2nd May @ 4.30 pm WEEK TWO - KBB Doors National Forestry Championship from Carrick on Suir TV3 - 26 April 12.30 pm • TG 4 - 29 April - same times as above Change on MEN and MOTORS - 4th May7.30 pm WEEK 3 - West Cork Rally TV 3 - 3rd May • TG 4 - 6 May MEN and MOTORS - 8th May 9.30pm; Friday 9th May 4.30pm, Sunday 11th May 7.30pm

08 Pacenotes

specialstages dunlop national stage rally championship

ROUND ONE

DOWNHILL HOTEL MAYO STAGES

Dominant Donnelly

09 MARCH PICTURES BY CRSPICS.COM

bumper entry for the opening A round of both the National and Border rally championships showed that little enthusiasm for the sport had been lost over the winter.

The full entry was backed up with quality up front as well, National Champion Niall Maguire was back to defend his crown and the WRC machinery lining up behind was growing.

Now added to the WRC ranks were Eugene Donnelly, Davy Armstrong, Patrick Elliott and Monaghan’s Adrian McElvaney. Away from the main field, Group N had a number of competitors in from the Tarmac series for a test run and as ever the two-wheel drive contingent would hold its own.

The Envirocare Impreza WRC of Eugene Donnelly flew over the opening stage, which had dried greatly but still had some wet and muddy patches. On wet tyres he decided to push hard and ease off in the tricky sections to post a time of 6m39. Just a second behind him was the Pirelli shod Impreza P2000 of Michael Barrable who seemed surprised to be on the pace. Co-driver Dermot O’Gorman had a late journey to Ballina after attending Frank Meagher’s memorial mass the previous night.

Reigning champion Niall Maguire was a trailed by five seconds while Ivan Stewart was a surprise resident in fourth place in his aging Ford Escort Cosworth.

Davy Armstrong was another out in new machinery, in the ex-Melvyn Evans

Tom Taaffe in his great sounding Civic TypeR.

Battle damage! was only 13 seconds behind him. Patrick Elliott’s Impreza showed battled scars as he removed most of the back of it, finding the car a handful in the conditions.

FIRST SERVICE; 1 Eugene Donnelly, 20.14 2 Michael Barrable, 20.33 3 Niall Maguire, 20.33

Adrian McElvaney in his newly aquired WRC. Escort WRC and despite a misting windscreen he was very enthusiastic about the performance gains over his older model. An upgrade of Celica to brother Eugene’s old car was a welcome sight in Charlie Donnelly’s hands and his times progressed as the stages passed. A new addition to the McKinstry hire fleet from Procar in Italy was a P2000 Impreza and James Harrisson was making a welcome return to these shores but was slowed by a spin as he was matched on time by James Gillen’s Escort. A jump from GpN to a WRC Subaru was seeming to cause no problems for Monaghan’s Adrian McElvaney and close on his heels were

Patrick Elliott and Sean Gallagher.

Stage two would see Donnelly extend his lead by seven seconds over Barrable as he was equalled on the stage by Maguire’s Triton Impreza.

Again Donnelly pushed on the next and a further six seconds were added to his lead with the following Impreza’s of Maguire and Barrable now tied for second. With Ivan Stewart now out and Davy Armstrong way down the order due to mechanical woes Charlie Donnelly’s Envirocare Celica was in fourth, but just. McElvaney’s Truck Dismantlers Impreza was steadily improving but ninth placed Gallagher

Niall Maguire who retired with mechanical failure for the first since the start of 2002.

As if setting fastest times on the opening loop was not enough, Eugene Donnelly repeated the same performance on the next loop. Niall Maguire would be one of the casualties of this loop and having emerged from stage five he would go no further as the engine dropped a cylinder. James Harrison was now a man on the move and while Barrable took the steady approach, James attacked. Harrison’s attack also lead to a number of spins and visits to the scenery while McElvaney’s pursuit of Charlie Donnelly was slowed with a misfire through stages 4 and 5.

Donnelly in turn was having some

Mac McKenna who was later excluded for failing to stop at the Stuart Darcy Accident.

specialstages

Pacenotes 09

dunlop national stage rally championship

ROUND ONE

MAYO STAGES 09 MARCH PICTURES BY CRSPICS.COM

Daniel Conaghan from Ballina in his MkII power steering problems and now Seamus Leonard’s GpN Impreza was breathing down his neck and Elliott had again picked up the pace after his earlier indiscretion. The Escort brigade were slowly dropping out with Gillen and Glen Allenn both out with mechanical problems. Philip Shaw was just keeping his Mk2 ahead of Mac McKenna’s Peugeot for 2wd honours.

SECOND SERVICE; 1 Eugene Donnelly, 38.36 2 Michael Barrable, 39.16 3 Charlie Donnelly, 39.59 With stage seven cancelled, Charlie Donnelly became the first person to beat his brother all day and right behind him was Harrison. Indeed on the last stage it was Harrison who topped the times and was now very encouraged with himself after a long lay-off and looking forward to the next round and more miles in the car. Barrable’s run to second was a most comfortable one as he hardly broke sweat all weekend and for once his Impreza never missed a beat and his aim of collecting points was accomplished.

One of the more level headed performances of the event came from Adrian McElvaney as he guided the McKinstry Motorsport WRC home in a fine fifth as he started to get used to the car towards the end. More will be expected of Patrick Elliott as he gets more miles under his belt. Despite not being happy with the conditions he acquitted himself well. A twenty second

overall results 1 (2) Eugene Donnelly/ Paul Kiely (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2 (4) Michael Barrable/ Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 3 (7) Charlie Donnelly/ John Conway (Toyota Celica 4WD) 4 (5) James Harrison/ Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 5 (10) Adrian McElvaney/ Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 6 (6) Patrick Elliott/ Martin Cahill (Subaru Impreza WRC) 7 (12) Sean Gallagher/ Liam Costello (Escort RS Cosworth) 8 (8) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort WRC) 9 (30) James McCann/ Paul McCann (Escort RS Cosworth) 10(15) Seamus Leonard/ Gerry McVeigh (Subaru Impreza Sti)

52:35 53:24 53:55 54:33 54:50 55:13 55:32 56:48 57:02 57:13

Thomas McGovern missed the “don’t cut” pacenote!

off was Sean Gallagher’s only real problem in the Autozone Escort as he backed up last years impressive end to the season. Kieran Shaw on the other hand was less happy with himself as he found it hard to settle in. Having posted fastest times here last year he will be expecting more as the rounds progress.

Another to continue last years finishing streak were the McCann brothers from Oldcastle in the Allied Waste Escort. A newer version from Dominic McNeill did not run well all day but they are still encouraged by their progress.

Mac McKenna’s exclusion took away a fine top ten placing and the rwd award after Philip Shaw had retired, indeed Mac felt that he might not have caught him.

Seamus Leonard completed the top ten and David McNulty rounded out the 4wd runners in a fine twelfth in his Cosworth.

round one

he Ferodo Bonus T Scheme 2003 kicked off at the first round of the The scene of the Darcy accident on stage one...

Picture: S Caufield

Dunlop National Irish Rally Championship, the Mayo Stages rally.This was the first outing for the scheme, which has a prize fund of £5500, and is class based, to give everyone an equal chance of winning some money.

A varied mix of cars appeared on the Ferodo starters list, although, with less than the required number of starters on the day, the field was run as one class. Winner on the day was Ollie O Reilly in his Mk. 3 Escort, Ollie came 2nd overall in class 12, and 24th overall. 2nd place in the Ferodo points was taken by the class two-winning Civic of Aiden Bourke, who was 27th overall, just 20 seconds behind O Reilly.

Taking the last Ferodo podium place was Pat McCafferty. Pat came 3rd in class 14, and 31st overall.

Non-scorers on the day included Sean McArdle in his 205 Celica, and Mac McKenna in the RWD Peugeot 205.

With many more drivers expressing interest in joining the Ferodo Bonus Scheme before the Monaghan stages rally in April, the battle for points is sure to be even tougher.

Full details and updates on www.start.at/dmr Ollie O Reilly Aiden Bourke Pat McCafferty Thomas O Rourke Kenneth Mulvaney Andrew Purcell John Paul Ruth Mac McKenna Sean McArdle Stephen Wishart Ted Johnson Alan Kane

10 8 7 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 Pacenotes

specialstages dunlop national stage rally championship

Leonard tops GpN - just!

ROUND ONE

MAYO STAGES

his was going to be a battle T between some of the leading stars of the Tarmac Championship and the National Championship.

09 MARCH PICTURES BY CRSPICS.COM

Lining up for the Tarmac were seasoned competitor Seamus Leonard, National Group N Champion Aaron McHale and newcomer Andrew Stewart while Michael Shaw, Stewart Darcy, Derrick Jobb, Willie Fannin and Gerry McKiernan led the national runners.

The expected challengers here were Leonard, Stewart and McHale, but on the opening stage Stewart punctured both left hand tyres less than two miles into the stage costing him over two minutes. Worse was to follow for Stuart Darcy as a high speed off 0.57.13 brought the rescue units 0.57.29 in and both he and co0.57.32 driver Diarmuid Falvey 0.58.14 were hospitalised.

0.58.40 Leonard’s Seamless 0.58.44 Aluminium Lancer was 0.58.49 unaffected by all this and 0.59.44 jumped into an early 11 0.59.54 second lead over the IJM 0.59.55 Lancer of Aaron McHale.

group n results 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Seamus Leonard Aaron McHale Andrew Stewart Derrick Jobb Willie Fannin Adrian Quinn Gerry McKiernan Aidan Bourke Eddie Garry Mark Courtney

Impreza EVO 5 EVO 6 EVO 5 EVO 6 EVO 6 EVO 5 Civic Impreza EVO 7

Michael Shaw’s Skoda backed Lancer was next, but his good run would not last much longer. A sensor failure on the next stage and more bothers up till stage five where he went off meant he was well down the order. Leonard opened up his lead a bit more on the second but Stewart’s fight back saw him fastest on the third. A number of spins were keeping McHale away from the leading times as Derrick Jobb began to make third his own.

Class 2 Winner - Aidan Burke

Class 1 Winner - Jonathan McKenna

Class action!

CLASS 1 Jonathan McKenna guided his Swift home 55th overall and ahead of more powerful class machinery. The Swift of Denis and Frank Barrett may have been nine places further back, but only 45 seconds separated them, while Trevor Graham brought his example in a further 13 seconds behind.

CLASS 3 Wexford’s Thomas O’Rourke in the Ferry Bank Motors Astra beat the everconsistent Roger Kennedy’s Peugeot 306 with Tom Taaffe third. Taaffe’s car got much interest as it was one of the first new Civic Type R’s on a stage in Europe and he found the DuPrint machine a bit different to last season’s Integra.

CLASS 2 Having spent last season placing his Swift at all sorts of angles, Aidan Bourke moved up to the ex Martin Kirwan Civic.

The Gary Davy backed machine was certainly put through its paces in Ballina, and despite some overshoots, 27th was the reward and a slender 14 second victory over Donegal’s Danny McBride.

In the Civic-dominated class, Martin Browne’s Doherty Fuels example took third.

CLASS 5 The domain of the Ford KA, and Ken Mulvaney’s Henderson’s of Sligo version had a slender 7-second win over Kieran Henry’s Stiefel Swift while Mayo’s Paul Cleary was 19 seconds further back in the Lhd Micra.

Class 3 Winner Thomas O’Rourke

By first service Leonard was up to sixth overall and well in command of GpN with a 30 second lead over McHale. Further down the order Willie Fannin and Adrian Quinn were keeping close company and mark Courtney was struggling with the conditions in his Ardcourt EVO7. The Subarus of Sean McHugh and Eddie Garry were also keeping Courtney company while Aidan Bourke and Danny McBride were pushing their Civics up the GpN

leaderboard. Leonard hit back on the fourth and McHale also improved but over the next two Stewart would claw back 12 seconds. On the last few stages GpN nearly turned itself on its head as firstly Leonard’s turbo blew and trying to push as hard as he could he went off.

McHale was now in with a chance of winning but he too went off and had a couple of spins. Amazingly, having lost so much time early on, Andrew Stewart’s Shell Lancer was now in with a chance of wining the category, but would finish third only 19 seconds behind. Derrick Jobb drove steadily all day to come home fifth. Only nine seconds covered the next trio of Fannin, Quinn and Gerry McKiernan who were all in Lancers.

Aidan Bourke in the Irish Rally Calendar backed Civic took a few more powerful scalps in only his second outing in the car, while Waterford’s Eddie Garry put in an improved performance in a Subaru to pip Mark Courtney.

Outside the leaders, Danny McBride’s Civic pipped Thomas O’Rourke in his Astra and they were followed by Pat Price, Sean McHugh and Roger Kennedy.

CLASS 6 One man was expected to dominate this class, and dominate he did.

Billy Coleman award winner Shaun

Gallagher, using the event as a shakedown for the 206 challenge in the UK also won F2 in the MET/Pearse Road Tyres Peugeot.

Only slight gearbox problems and the car cutting out on the last stage slowed him as he beat fellow Donegal man Adrian McElhinney GMG version. The older Feelystone 106 model of Shane Feely was only 6 seconds behind showing that this could be a close class this year.

CLASS 7 Having moved up from his class wining Peugeot to the ex Gordon Webster BP Cars F2 Escort Brian Doherty had a comfortable 4-minute win over Ian McDonnell’s Crean 205.

Club stalwart John Duffy took his Lhd Astra to third.

Class 5 Winner Ken Mulvaney

Class 6 Winner Shaun Gallagher

CLASS 9 Daniel Conaghan seems to have started off this year as he finish the one before, and the one before that, by flying.

Consistently quick the Heat Merchants Mk2, he came home ahead of Daniel McGettigan’s D&D Nova, while the newer version of Kerry’s Kenny O’Neill was third.

CLASS 10 James Cassidy’s run to victory was strange, as due to a misfire on the fifth stage he nearly pulled out but struggled on to the end. The O’Hora’s Opel of Eddie and Pat saw off Andrew Heekin’s Quinn Cement Mk2.

CLASS 11 The experienced duo of Peter Rogers and Byron Davidson in the TOP Mk2 ran out winners by 4 minutes over the

specialstages

Pacenotes 11

dunlop national stage rally championship Class 7 Winner - Brian Doherty

ROUND ONE

MAYO STAGES 09 MARCH PICTURES BY CRSPICS.COM

Class 9 Winner - Daniel Conaghan

Corolla of Thomas Muldoon with Willie Kenneally just 14 seconds behind him.

CLASS 12 One of the Armstrong’s of the future, Brian in the Envirocare Mk2 held off the equally spectacular G3 of Ollie O’Reilly by just nine seconds with a rather subdued Raymond Drury back some

distance in third.

CLASS 13 Patrick Boyle in the Harkin transport Mk2 had the privilege of being the first two wheel drive car home, in 14th place with an eleven second winning margin over the following Norman Armstrong, who in turn had Dominic McLoughlin’s Peugeot right behind

Class 10 Winner - James Cassidy

him after some earlier bothers. It shows what time and development has done, as nine years ago Norman was leaving this rally leading the National championship in his old Mk2.

CLASS 14 This was where the big boys were, and also where they floundered in the conditions. Too

much power and not enough grip, “Very slippy, but good when there was grip.” were Enda Keenan’s sentiments in the Squeeling Pig Mk2. PJ Bonner put in one of his best drives to date to finish eight seconds off Keenan while Pat McCafferty was less than half a minute behind.

Class 11 Winner - Peter Rodgers

Class 12 Winner - Brian Armstrong

Class 13 Winner Patrick Boyle

Drive of the rally... number of people could come into this A category. Eugene Donnelly for a textbook drive, brother Charlie for being on the pace after a long absence, Adrian McElvaney for his jump into WRC machinery or Aidan Bourke for placing his Civic well up the order.

All crews deserved something from this rally as changeable conditions made it very tricky, but one person stood out. Andrew Stewart’s drive in the Shell Lancer proves that you should never give up.

After two punctures one mile into the opening stage, he fought back with a string of fast times to haul his way back to 13th overall and third in GpN just 19 seconds off the winner.

Andrew Stewart

Class 14 Winner - Enda Keenan

class results CLASS 1 PosCar Driver/Codriver 1 121 Jonathan McKenna/Pauric McCaughey 2 118 Denis Barnett/Frank Barnett 3 122 Trevor Graham/Stephen Furey 4 149 Paddy Walker/Darren Doherty 5 129 Tadhg Buckley/Shane Buckley

Total 01:03:12 01:03:57 01:04:10 01:04:32 01:06:04

CLASS 2 1 46 Aidan Bourke/Robert Nolan 2 47 Danny MacBride/Karol MacBride 3 146 Martin Browne/John Kilmurray 4 71 John Gallagher/Jonathan Gallagher 5 69 Owen O'Neill/Trevor Payne

00:59:44 00:59:58 01:00:24 01:01:32 01:01:37

CLASS 3 1 73 Thomas O'Rourke/John O'Rourke 2 72 Roger Kennedy/Martin Carey 3 66 Thomas Taaffe/Susan Doggett 4 98 Declan Moore/Ronan Moore

01:00:01 01:00:20 01:03:18 01:04:33

CLASS 4 1 15 Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh 2 17 Aaron MacHale/Damien Connolly 3 16 Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane 4 29 Derrick Jobb/Killian Duffy 5 38 Willie Fannin/Brendan McCabe

00:57:13 00:57:29 00:57:32 00:58:14 00:58:40

CLASS 5 1 91 Kenneth Mulvaney/Damien Henry 2 120 Kieran Henry/Aidan Gannon 3 97 Paul Cleary/Brian Cleary 4 134 Ray Lenehan/Eddie Quinn 5 116 Martin Burke/Pat Taffe

01:03:26 01:03:33 01:03:52 01:09:38 01:09:49

CLASS 6 1 28 Shaun Gallagher/Paul Nagle 2 75 Adrian McElhinney/Rory Thomas 3 76 Shane Feely/Jim McGrath 4 94 Trevor Morrow/Paul Morrow 5 111 Shane Briscoe/Arthur Campbell

00:58:34 01:00:32 01:00:38 01:02:35 01:04:30

CLASS 7 1 137 Brian Doherty/Michael O'Kane 2 99 Ian McDonnell/Tom O'Dwyer 3 95 John Duffy/John Egan

01:00:46 01:04:02 01:04:27

CLASS 9 1 59 Daniel Conaghan/Liam McLaughlin 2 81 Donald McGettigan/Garth Doherty 3 82 Ken O'Neill/Joe O'Leary 4 80 Noel Lappin/Paul Purtill 5 104 Donal Molloy/John Gallagher

00:59:51 01:00:24 01:01:15 01:01:20 01:04:41

CLASS 10 1 147 James Cassidy/Joseph Cassidy 2 125 Eddie O'Hora/Pat O'Hora 3 148 Andrew Heekin/Barry McGill 4 133 Raymond Clarke/Eoin Carey 5 123 Tony Hardy/Martin Hastings

01:07:16 01:08:54 01:09:18 01:10:56 01:11:03

CLASS 11 1 65 Peter Rogers/Byron Davidson 2 93 Tomas Muldoon/Eoghan Cunningham 3 143 William Kenneally/Seamus Hickey 4 90 P.J. Lynch/Micheal Rodgers

00:59:02 01:03:10 01:03:24 01:09:51

CLASS 12 1 57 Brian Armstrong/Ashley McAdoo 2 63 Ollie O'Reilly/Arthur Kierans 3 53 Raymond Drury/Aidan Denby 4 84 Steven Armstrong/Steve Monahan 5 142 Terence McHugh/Tony Boyle

00:59:15 00:59:24 01:00:27 01:01:44 01:01:57

CLASS 13 1 51 Patrick Boyle/Martin Sherlock 2 32 Norman Armstrong/Liam Doherty 3 40 Dominic McLoughlin/Cyril Donnellan 4 42 Thomas McGovern/Kevin McGovern 5 64 Paul Callaghan/Pearse Callaghan

00:57:49 00:58:00 00:58:04 01:00:37 01:03:23

CLASS 14 1 25 Enda Keenan/Sean Moriarty 2 85 P.J. Bonner/Eamonn McGee 3 49 Pat McCafferty/Colm McCafferty 4 48 Seamus McCusker/Danny O'Neill

00:59:30 00:59:38 00:59:57 01:08:59

CLASS 15 1 12 Sean Gallagher/Liam Costello 2 30 James McCann/Paul McCann 3 37 David McNulty/Martin McGarrity

00:55:32 00:57:02 00:57:30

12 Pacenotes

specialstages tracker n.i. clubmans rally championship

ROUND ONE

kilbroney forest 29 MARCH WORDS & IMAGES: COLIN COURTNEY

No picnic for Gary... lorious weather greeted G the crews at the A-One Tyres sponsored Kibroney Stages, held at Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor, and it was an ecstatic Gary White who claimed a well earned victory in his Escort Cosworth, his first rally win in the car he first used on the Toshiba Rally last November.

Since the Toshiba Rally, the Cosworth has been converted to right hand drive, and Gary

that four wheel drive cars had been allowed to compete at the venue, and the number 1 seed on the day was Maurice Gass, fresh from a fantastic run on the West Cork Rally on St. Patrick’s Weekend in Clonakilty. Both drivers had previous experience of the venue from last year, Gary competing in a Talbot Sunbeam, and Maurice performing course car duties in his WRC Impreza.

With experience of the event in a four wheel drive car, the preevent favourite had to be the Subaru driver in his new S7 WRC Impreza.

Kilbroney Forest Park has always been the domain of Mark 2 Escorts, last year’s event being Gilford’s Marty Taggart in one of Ford’s finest, so it would be interesting to see if the tight confines of the park would suit the 4x4 turbo-charged monsters.

has gradually got to grips with its handling, and recently scored a 3rd place on the recent Bishopscourt Stages.

For a while though it looked as if it wasn’t going to be his rally.This year was the first time

overall results 1 Gary White / Damien Crossen 2 Norman Armstrong / Lisa Armstrong 3 Norman Moore / Caroline Donnelly 4 Mark Doyle / Graham McNeill 5 Lionel McNeice / Morrow McLean 6 Glenn Allen / TBC 7 Michael Black / 8 Andy Hawthorne / Martin Duffy 9 Glenn Wilson / Philip Gillespie 10 Brian Armstrong / Ashley McAdoo

Escort Cos Escort MkII Astra 106 GTi Escort MkII Escort G3 Kadett Astra 106 GTi Escort MkII

18.50 19.05 19.25 19.29 19.34 19.35 19.43 19.44 19.48 19.48

For the first four stages, it was textbook stuff from Maurice Gass, with BBC Newsreader Karen Patterson along for the ride.

Fastest on every test Maurice led the event as expected, but he had concerns about the course and its TIGHT chicanes (an Impreza WRC/Cosworth Escort is a lot wider than a MkII Escort!), and his fears were realized as he was judged to have nudged one particular chicane on at least 2 of the 4 stages, the Impreza being a bit wider than most, and was given road penalties as a consequence. He decided at the half way point to put the car on the trailer and head for home, rather than risk everything and go for broke, especially being so close to the Circuit of Ireland, and the start of the Irish Tarmac Championship.

The gap at the halfway point was an 8 second advantage for Maurice, but with 30 seconds of road penalties for the Subaru, and 15 seconds penalties for Gary White, it left the Impreza with a 7 second defecit, and in 3rd place. Gary White admitted that he could go no quicker after initial problems with the car, and due to picking up 15 seconds road penalties due to clipping the same chicane as Gass, he now led the event by

2 seconds.The man he now was in battle with was Norman Armstrong in his rapid Mark 2 Escort.

George Jennings

Lionel McNiece in his Ford Escort was 3rd overall, Mark Doyle in his 106 GTi, well suited to the tight and twisty stages was 4th overall, with Michael Black in his Opel Kadett 400 5th, and Norman Moore in his RWD Astra 6th.

After mechanical woes earlier in the day, Gary White now set about extending his advantage over the Escort of Armstrong.

With the withdrawl of Maurice Gass, it now made his lead more secure, all he had to do was to watch those chicanes, any further penalties could be disastrous.The stage had now reversed, and on stage 5 White extended his lead to 4 seconds, while stage 6 saw the gap increase again to 6 seconds.

Mark Slowey

The gap was still smaller than the penalties incurred for clipping a chicane, so White pressed on regardless, hoping his Escort Cosworth wouldn’t be penalised again. Stage 7 saw the gap increase again to 11 seconds with one stage left to go, this time the chicane would need to be treated with respect.

Both crews set off for their final runs through the stage, and both got clean runs, Gary White though was 4 seconds quicker than Armstrong, and the gap now was 15 seconds.The Belfast man in his Escort Cosworth had won, and he was ecstatic. A very hard fought victory, the result of a few months hard work to get the car working well, and it was richly deserved.

Norman Armstrong just couldn’t live with the pace of the 4x4 machinery in a place where the Mark 2 Escorts usually rule, but 2nd place was a worthwhile place for his efforts.

Norman Moore in the RWD Astra fought hard to overhaul Mark Doyle in the Peugeot 106 to gain 3rd place, while Doyle was relegated to 4th at the finish, still an excellent result.

Lionel McNiece’s Escort was 5th at the finish just 1 second ahead of Glenn Allen in Eugene Donnelly’s old G3 Escort.

George Jennings and Trevor Barlow in their Mini Cooper S were the only finishers in Class 1a, while class 1b was won by Brian Black and Ian Crozier in a Toyota Starlet. John Devlin and Mark Wills in their Sunbeam won class 2, while Mark Doyle and Graham McNeill totally dominated class 3 in their Peugeot. Class 4 was won by 5th place Lionel McNiece and Morrow McLean in their Escort, class 5 victor was the Mark 2 Escort of Norman Armstrong, while class 6 winner was Gary White and Dominic Carson.

Norman Armstrong

Pat Looney

Mark Doyle

anti-lagpostbag

Pacenotes 13

toshiba irish tarmac championship Right Direction This is badly needed, there is nothing around that gives good coverage of rallying in this country of the Joe’s and the John's - the basic clubman who out there doing heroics in modest machinery and won’t get the coverage they deserve because they are not driving a supercar. So from what I am hearing about Pacenotes things are now going to go in the right direction. jmrally2000@yahoo.ie Sligo

Advertising Budget!

I know the best way to promote your newspaper, you could have lots of girlies wearing Pacenotes t-shirts.... or your could sponsor the Ford WRC Teams new Focus!

I done the little graphic for you to give you an idea!

Best of luck for the launch...

Victor Simpson - designed4U Thanks Vic, looks great! No money, so I suppose the girls will have to do! Thanks for a great looking website. Ed.

Pacenotes Team Best of luck to all involved with Pacenotes. I’m sure it will be a great success - well needed and even better received, I for one will certainly be an avid reader.

Kind Regards Martin Brady TEAM YOPLAIT RALLYING 2003

Best of luck Best of luck Simon with the new paper.

John O'Neill

Anticipation!

Let me congratulate you on getting this off the ground and, if the finished product delivers everything it promises, I can't see it being anything other than a success!

I await your first publication with much anticipation!

Regards, Joe Triggs

Starved Really looking forward to seeing this.

Irish rally fans are pretty starved of good reading material, especially something thats devoted to just rallying.

Nice one, and good luck with it.

Jake, Co. down

The Wonderer I wonder why nobody has thought of doing something like PaceNotes before?

Or perhaps they have and I just haven’t seen it on the shelves of my local newsagent - the Candy Cabin on Botanic

New Local Source Great to see a new local source for Irish Rallying info.

Best wishes on your new project.

Yours in Motorsport Anthony Hunter

star letter

More members needed My name is Karen O Sullivan, I'm a member of Killarney & District Motor Club. I was secretary of the club for two years and am now assistant secretary since February of this year. My business is also related to motorsport as are most aspects of my life. In September 2002, I set up a small embroidery business called MBP logos. Thanks to motorsport advertising on my brother Donie O’Sullivan’s rally car, everything has gone from strength to strength.

I was delighted to hear that there would be a new motorsport paper on the market.

The Killarney and District Motor Club had a club meeting recently and we were discussing ways of promoting both motorsport in general and indeed the club itself.

organisers to recruit marshals to help out at events and one way to combat this is to encourage people to join motor clubs.

We want people to realise that you don't need a rally car to join a motor club.There’s a lot more to it and a lot of fun attached. I hope your publication will raise the profile of the sport and especially all the clubs.

Congratulations and best wishes for the future.

Yours in sport Karen O'Sullivan/Conor Hickey MBP logos Karen that’s exactly what we’re about.

But we will be depending on the clubs to supply us with the relevant information - it has to be a two way system. Ed

As I'm sure you are well aware it has become quite a nightmare for

Avenue.

Anyway - I look forward to reading issue one having seen your pre-launch publicity on the www.ral.ly information portal on the internet. 48 pages on Irish rallying? I can’t wait! I wonder if you could

give me a subscription for Pace Notes?

Trevor, Belfast.

Well you’re the type of guy who always roams around - you’re never in one place, you roam from town...so just fill out the form in Pacenotes like anybody else. Ed.

Fed up!

Its great that there’s a new rally paper and I hope you will print this email.

I was at the West Cork rally last week and I have to say my blood was boiling...

I went to watch a stage and when I came back there was a bloody idiot in a Toyota Jeep double parked. I and a lot of others couldn’t get out and had to wait for 20mins until he returned... no sorrys, no nothing!

These people have no idea what they’re doing. I’ve been to a lot of rallies in England and people there know how to park.

Its so simple, park on ONE SIDE of the road only. It helps everyone and its good for safety reasons also, in case an ambulance needs to use it.

Enough said, John H Co Kerry John, I sympathise with you. Our photographers said exactly the same thing. Hopefully we can educate the minority. Ed.

win this

model Letter of the month gets a limited edition 1/43 scale rally car from KMD Models This months model features: G Evans, Seat Cordoba WRC E3 from Lurgan Park 2001 Limited Edition No52 of 60

Looking forward...

My name is Trevor McGrath from Co. Waterford and a friend told me about your new rally newspaper based on Irish rallying and I just wanted to wish you all the best for the launch of the paper.

I look forward to reading it.

Best Regards Trevor trevormcgrath@iol.ie Email or post your letters to:

editor@pacenotes.net or Postbag - Pacenotes, 19 Tudor Oaks, Banbridge, Co Down, bt32 4lp, N Ireland.

Smile and win lots of cash! win win

£20

£20

Marshall of the month wins £20

Spectator of the month wins £20

Every month our photographers will be snapping pictures... so keep your eyes peeled and smile... it could earn you some cash!

Pacenotes is watching YOU! Call or email us to verify it’s you and the cash is yours! £20 or 20euro note

14 Pacenotes

thebigboys world rally championship round-up

ROUND THREE

KC and The Sunshine Band...

rally of turkey

C was a happy and victorious K man at the end of the rally of Turkey, but he was philosophical

29 MARCH

about his win in a blisteringly hot event that turned out to be a real car-breaker, writes Pete Bleakley.

At the sweltering post rally press conference King Carlos told the assembled pack: “Every time I win a rally, people say I have done it so many times that I have a big advantage...”

“Then when I win a new rally, which nobody has done before, they say, ‘but yes, you have so much experience that it still gives you an advantage.’ ” “So I really can’t win, can I - it’s best not to say anything any more! Let’s just say that the key to winning any rally is simply being fast. No more than that.”

The press room echoed to a chorus of “Y Viva Espana” as Sainz strolled away, slightly bored with it all.

Another man who wasn’t particularly bothered by Sainz’s Turkey treat was Colin McRae. He told journalists before the event that it would hardly be a tragedy if he came away from Turkey no longer in the lead of the championship.The key to this is road position, as now Richard Burns has the pleasure of being the first man to sweep away the gravel in New Zealand.

For the first time since 2000, Richard Burns is in the lead of the championship at an early stage. Burnsy soon realised that the key to doing well in Turkey (thus boosting his championship chances) was simply to stay out of trouble. It’s not the most fascinating tactic, but by some way the most effective. Being careful is no guarantee of finishing an event either, according to the new championship leader...

“There’s a school of thought which

says you can try and be careful and drive around every stone,” said Richard, “but then you can come over a crest flat out and find a rock in the middle of the road and there’s nothing you can do about it. In a second it’s all over. So in some cases, you may as well drive on the limit...”

Amongst the drivers in Turkey there was some degree of consternation as to why it and Acropolis and Cyprus were all on the calendar this year.Three rock-strewn demolition derby/rallies, all in a similar geographical area - what did it all mean?

A consensus issued by the rumour mill suggested that Cyprus might be cancelled next year to make way for Mexico; implying that Turkey could continue for a while longer.

Francois Duval was happy with that situation, as he’d always remember Turkey as the event which delivered his

Engineered for success… ungannon’s rising rally star D Kris Meeke needs more luck than he’s currently getting if he’s to enjoy a successful debut in this year’s Junior World Rally Championship, writes Pete Bleakley.

On his first two outings, Monte Carlo and Turkey, Meeke’s Opel S1600 Corsa has seemed a little mild for the job, retiring with mechanical failure in the early stages of both events.

The twenty-one year old son of Irish motorsport icon Sidney Meeke isn’t bothered by these ‘teething’ trials and tribulations, however, and commented: “The car is still in it’s infancy in development terms – and has already shown it’s potential by

leading the Deutschland Rally last year and running second in the Rally of Great Britain.”

“There is an extensive testing and development package included in the programme from Opel, with Team Palmer putting in a tremendous effort on the preparation front. I know it will all come good in the near future.”

Meeke knows the technical side of a rally car better than most - he has a degree in mechanical engineering from Queen’s University, but more importantly, he spent his childhood in the hallowed garages of Sidney Meeke Motorsport, where his father built winning Mantas for the likes of Billy Coleman and Bertie Fisher.

The old boy network has only had a small part to play in Kris’s success to date – it was Meeke’s skill behind the wheel that won the British Junior Championship (in a Puma) in only his second season of rallying.

Mentor Colin McRae has total faith in his protégé, and a time may come in the not too distant future when the two will come head to head in a full on WRC battle…offering a chance for the Meeke to inherit the World title, if not the Earth.

The next step on that long, long ladder sees Meeke in Greece on June 6-8 for the Acropolis Rally.

Pacenotes will follow his solidly constructed rise with interest.

first World Rally podium position - now mean feat at the ripe young age of 22!

The thought of Turkey’s survival made Skoda Octavia pilot Toni Gardemeister pretty happy, too...

“I actually much prefer Turkey to Cyprus.” he said. “Turkey is quite a bit quicker, with roads and corners that are a lot more open. It’s very rocky, but there’s actually quite a hard surface underneath. So although we were expecting many of the second runs through the stages to be terrible, quite often they were better, because the rocks had gone and there was just a smoother surface to drive on.”

Times on the re-used stages compared to the first time they were run, confirm this theory.This confers a unique status on the Rally of Turkey. It becomes the only event where the stages actually improve when they are run for the second time!

thebigboys

Pacenotes 15

world rally championship round-up

Where men are men

ROUND FOUR

rally of new zealand

(and sheep are frightened...)

11 APRIL

previous winners NZ YEAR 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

he Propecia Rally of New T Zealand is a real driver’s event. To highlight that fact you only have to look at past winners: Marcus Gronholm, Richard Burns, Tommi Makinen, Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen,Walter Rohl, Bjorn Waldegard.

Basically if you can win Rally New Zealand, championships often follow...

So why is the NZ rally so special?

The smooth gravel roads which make of much of this beautiful country’s transport network seem to fall away at impossible cambers - requiring an aggressive, committed approach.

Rally NZ does not put undue

mechanical stress on the cars because the stages are smooth and flowing, nor is it particularly specialised - Toni Gardemeister finished third here on his first event behind the wheel of a World Rally Car. New Zealand is an excellent indicator of undiluted talent and bravery. Because of the high speeds involved here, if you do get it wrong, accidents tend to be pretty spectacular. Other natural hazards include rapid and sudden interfaces with sheep. During this event, men are men and sheep have really do have genuine reasons to be worried!

Moving the NZ rally up the list could make the 2003 event wetter than last year’s. When it does rain, it’s monsoon-style, and

Subaru fine-tunes Impreza for NZ has been making its final SRallyubaru preparations for this month's New Zealand by carrying out a two-day gravel test in the north of England.

Drivers Tommi Makinen and Petter Solberg were putting the Impreza WRC2003 through its paces in the Lake District and four-time world champ Makinen gave co-driver Kaj Lindstrom a little time off and gave his new engineer the chance to see what 'The Mak' can do in a Subaru.

"We looked at tyres and set-up for New Zealand as well as ways to generally improve the car. We were actually very lucky as the weather was nice and it is not always easy to find good weather conditions at this time of year," commented Tommi.

Solberg took over testing duties for the final day of the test and like Makinen, he too was surpised by England's unseasonally dry weather.

"It was a good day and we had perfect weather conditions in Cumbria, no rain at all," said the Norwegian.

a road can quickly become a muddy river, placing driver talent and skill at a premium in countryside that is the physical representation of the phrase ‘aweinspiring’.

In terms of distance from home, Rally New Zealand is the furthest event from the WRC teams’ bases. But because New Zealand is sitting on shifting tectonic plates, the islands move 1.2 inches closer to Europe every year!

Because it’s so far from Europe, spectators on Rally New Zealand tend to be Kiwis and Aussies rather than Brummies and Scandinavians. We’re not sure about the sheep, but in the host city Auckland and in the outlying countryside, the locals are very

Auriol got behind the wheel of the Fabia recently on gravel roads near Chateau Lastours in the south of France and was concentrating mainly on durability and reliability rather than out and out speed.

"It is not bad," he said after completing his third day of testing.

"The Fabia reacts quickly and well.

We've had a very good day. I tested for more than 150 kilometres today, including two endurance tests of 60 kilometres where I did not encounter any

CAR Peugeot 206 Subaru Impreza Peugeot 206 Mitsubishi Lancer Toyota Corolla Subaru Impreza Mitsubishi Subaru Impreza Subaru Impreza Subaru Legacy Toyota Celica Toyota Celica Toyota Celica

friendly, welcoming and relaxed.

In a slightly altered 2003 event, the rally skips the stages to the south west of Auckland - including the famous Whangaa Coast stage.

This was probably one of the most scenic stretches of road in the World Championship, so it’s a real pity to see it go, but by keeping the first two days of the rally to the north of Auckland, it gives the drivers and teams some chance to rest up. Lack of sleep was often complained about in the ‘old’ rally.

The drivers refer to Rally NZ as being ‘fast and flowing’ and ‘the best stages in the world.’ These sound like cliches, but if you have ever seen snatches of the rally on TV you will know exactly what the drivers mean.

Didier gets that Fabia feeling idier Auriol has been putting D Skoda's new Fabia World Rally Car through its paces for the first time, and already the Frenchman has a good feeling with the car.

DRIVER / CODRIVER Marcus Gronholm (FIN)/ Timo Rautiainen (FIN) Richard Burns (GB)/ Robert Reid (GB) Marcus Gronholm (FIN)/ Timo Rautiainen (FIN) Tommi Makinen (FIN)/ Risto Mannisenmaki (FIN) Carlos Sainz (E)/ Luis Moya (E) Kenneth Eriksson (S)/ Staffan Parmander (S) Richard Burns (GB)/ Robert Reid (GB) Colin McRae (GB)/ Derek Ringer (GB) Colin McRae (GB)/ Derek Ringer (GB) Colin McRae (GB)/ Derek Ringer (GB) Carlos Sainz (E)/ Luis Moya (E) Carlos Sainz (E)/ Luis Moya (E) Carlos Sainz (E)/ Luis Moya (E)

problems.”

"For the moment we're not working on performance, we are working on the reliability." Which is just as well, because we’ve been hearing reports of at least four gearbox failures, caused by ‘software problems’... Nothing to do with the driving eh, Didier?

Niall in Evo action at Lurgan Park in 1999.

McShea’s Evolution… wenty-nine year old Niall McShea from Enniskillen continues to T develop his international career with a Group N drive in six ‘long haul’ rounds of the 2003 World Rally Championship, writes Pete Bleakley.

McShea will be driving a Lancer Evo VIII prepared by the New Zealand-based Neil Allport Motorsport team, but for a time it was touch and go whether he would be able to compete in the upcoming NZ rally, because “communication problems” meant that his application didn’t reach the FIA in time, In fact McShea had to wait until one of the thirty originally signed up drivers in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship pulled out, before he could take up a place on the entry list.

Production Car WRC is just a small step down from full WRC standard, with competitors using 300bhp 4WD cars and competing on the same rallies as top crews.

“This package is a great opportunity for me to build on what I have learned during the past two years in the Junior World Rally Championship,” said McShea, who came third in 2001 and seventh in 2002.

“Stepping up to the Production World Rally Championship was the logical step after all I have achieved over the past two years…and I’m really looking forward to learning about driving powerful 4WD cars on a world stage.”

McShea enjoys fantastic support from the Jardine Lloyd Thompson group and his 2003 drives in New Zealand, Argentina, Cyprus, Finland, Corsica and Australia should provide an excellent platform for the skills development needed for his entry into full WRC competition.

16 Pacenotes

retrocompetition a look back into rallying history with fergus mcanallen

BILLY COLEMANTARMAC TITAN

WIN this fabulous signed print!

reland’s leading Iproduction motorsports company (Tyndall Productions) has released the second in their series of Tarmac Titans videos, featuring Cork legend and Irish folk hero Billy Coleman.

The video traces the history of the shy farmer from Millstreet, Co.Cork, who became Ireland’s most famous rally star, literally persuading thousands more people to watch this spectacular sport from the hedgerows.

The marathon tape has action and reaction throughout Billy’s long career from his early years in Mark 1 Escorts to the glamour days of the Rothmans Team when he drove the powerful Porsche 911 and Metro 6R4 rally cars.

Billy, his friends and his rivals reflect on a remarkable career that took him to a British Rally Championship win, fifteen Irish Tarmac Championship victories and to competing to the World Rally Championship.

Copies of the tape will be on sale at 39 euro (£25 stg), which includes a donation to the Billy Coleman Award, the scholarship set up by Motorsports Ireland to help our up and coming rally drivers.

This limited edition collector’s video is available from: Tyndall Productions, 58 Edentrillick Road, Hillsborough, Co.Down, N.Ireland, BT26 6PG Tel: 028 92 689444/ 048 92 689444 (From Republic of Ireland)

The runner-up gets this super RPM Video Just answer these two simple questions...

1. Coleman was one of three drivers who drove a Dealer Opel Team Ireland Manta 400 in 1984. Name another one of these drivers?

2. Billy recently did 00 on an event in a car similar to that which he drove in 1973. Name the car (Make & Model)?

Send your entries to: Coleman Competition, Pacenotes, 19 Tudor Oaks, Banbridge, Co Down N. Ireland BT32 4LP or email answers to: editor@pacenotes.net - please also include your name, address and contact telephone number. - Closing date for entries is Friday 2nd May 2003 - GOOD LUCK! 1st Prize: Signed A2 size photo of Billy Coleman competing. Runner up prize: RPM “Tarmac Titan” tribute video to Billy Coleman. No cash alternatives. Correct answers will go into a draw and the winners will be chosen at random.The judges decision is final.

Billy Coleman- an Irish folk hero... profile

illy Coleman, from Millstreet in County Cork, will go B down as one of the greatest Irish rally winners of all time. So

much was his popularity that his folk hero type status all across the land still exists today, more than 15 years after he officially retired from competitive rallying. Here we explain just some of his rallying exploits over his long and distinguished career of more than 20 years.

Billy started off competing in 1967 at the young age of 19 in an almoststandard Ford Anglia, while he studied at Cork University.This first venture was very hush hush among his family as his parents had no notion that he had been rallying, nor indeed making a name for himself because by just a few months, he had won his first event, the Circuit of Munster, in a Cortina.

He stamped his authority in 1969 on the Circuit of Ireland, when, at

one stage of the rally, he was in third place behind works drivers such as Roger Clark and Paddy Hopkirk.

Incidentally, before that event had started, he was excluded from using his now famous Escort,TIU 250, which was ‘too tatty’, but later allowed run having working round the clock to make the car presentable.

He continued this competitive style through the early 70’s, driving various cars including a Renault Alpine and various mk1 Escorts before becoming 1974 RAC Rally Champion. He still holds the record as being the only Irish driver to win the British Championship.

His first Circuit of Ireland win came in 1975 using a works BDA Escort, followed by another win in ’76 in an ‘x-pack’ mk2 Escort. While trying to regain his British

championship crown in ’75, he totted up three wins but lost the title on the last stage of the last rally to team-mate Roger Clark.

The late 70’s, mainly driving a ‘Chequered Flag’ works Lancia Stratos throughout Ireland, Britain and Europe, he finished 3rd overall in the European Rally Championship in 1978. He also tested a Fiat works Arbarth car in1977.

Mostly absent throughout the early 80’s, he made a major comeback in 1984, as part of Dealer Opel Team Ireland’s Manta 400 works team. His comeback was very successful, winning the Circuit of Ireland, Donegal, Cork and Killarney rallies, handing him the Tarmac Championship.

This raised Billys profile once again and was contracted to the Rothmans works rally team for the

following three years. In 1985, he drove a Porsche, finishing 4th overall on the Tour De Corse, a round of the World Rally Championship, as well as winning an epic Donegal Rally by one second from Austin McHale.

Billy opened 1986 by a final Porsche win in Galway, before winning Donegal and his sixth Cork ’20 in a Metro 6R4.

Billy’s final year of competitive rallying in 1987,driving a BMW M3, was not a successful one, and his last ever works outing on the Cork ’20 that year was to be strange one, as he crashed out on the same corner as two other leading contenders, Bertie Fisher and Simon Davison.

Today, Billy’s main interest lies in farming and keeping a close watch on his son Robbie’s progress through the ranks of Circuit racing,

rallyretro

Pacenotes 17

a look back into rallying history with fergus mcanallen did you know can be accessed at entertained and interested in lesser known and light hearted from month to month: retro ello and welcome to www.rallyretro.co.uk Any the stories I produce. My facts and statistics about Irish “Forgotten Heroes”- drivers

H

my monthly rant of Rally Retro- a page dedicated to Irish rallying as it was in yesteryear.

Each month I will include varying topics of interest, and here are a few examples of some articles I will be using

from yesteryear rarely heard of now “Foreign Bodies”- profiles and stories about foreign drivers who have competed in Ireland over the years “Did you know, Retro”- some

rallying through the years “Who, When, Where…What reg”- profiles of some of the most famous cars in Irish rallying history.

By doing these pages, I hope you, the reader, can be kept

personal enthusiasm and love for all things rally retro comes mainly from a large project I am currently doing about the Irish Tarmac Championship, which you can find out more about at my website, which

queries, suggestions, or indeed things that I have got wrong. don’t hesitate to throw me an email at rallyretro@aol.com or rallyretro@pacenotes.net Regards Fergus McAnallen

A rare breed indeed...

of the other Cultras, Hollis’ car put out around 240/250 bhp and weighed 700 kilos. He recalls a memorable moment on the Epynt Rally in 84 when “We were on the 3 mile straight on the New Road stage and I wanted to see what she could do- we hit 10,500 rpm at roughly 140 mph…what a feeling!” As well as doing Welsh events, Hollis also done a few Irish events, including the Lurgan Park rallies in 1984 and 85.

his the the first in a series of T “Rare Breeds” where I will expose some of the lesser known facts about rare cars which were seen on the stages but are now all but history on paper... number one is the odd looking ‘Corry Cultra’...

Adrian Evans (RIP), from London, conceived the Davrian car marque in the mid 1960’s from prototypes based on a crashed Hillman Imp. His project gained interest quickly and in 1967, Davrian Developments Ltd was formed. The following 15 years would see many road and motorsport car builds for his company, developing cars through time, but all based on the original prototypes.

The Davrian Demise The early 80’s dawned and despite government investment in the company, production costs soared, and there were constant demands for change, making it very difficult to make and sell cars at competitive prices and as a result, the company became voluntarily liquidized, early in 1983.

The Corry Connection At this time Will Corry, a classic car restorer from Ballinahinch, Co. Down, was thinking of competing in hill climbs and sprints. He visited a London Motor Show in 1983 to see what was on offer, and after serious discussions with Davrian, who had stands at motor shows, appreciated the state the company were in and bought the whole company’s assets.

Production of the Cultra Will Corry relocated his new operations to Northern Ireland, leaving Tim Duffee, Davrians manufacturing manager, to complete all outstanding

orders made prior to Corrys takeover.

Corry began totally revolutionising the design of his new ventures, and while trying to keep to original Davrian concepts, it gradually moved further away through each development stage.

After some difference of opinion over the new design, Duffee and Corry parted ways, Duffee continuing to build cars based on the Davrian’s original concept, renaming as Darrian, while Corry established proper production of the now called “Corry Cultra” car, early in 1984. After production of 3 cars at Davrians Warwick factory, the car debuted at the London Motor Show in 1984 (all later cars would be built in Lisburn) The Rally Cultras To gain publicity in the Cultras, Corry enlisted assistance of three “test” drivers, Stanley Orr, Graham Hollis and Brian Nelson.

I caught up with Will Corry, as well as these three drivers to get their opinions on the car. All agreed that given time and enough development the car had “real potential” and could possibly have been a “Group B rally winner”, even though it

coleman factfile and indeed his other son Gordon, who has been rallying for a year or two.

But he does still manage to put in celebrity appearances and 00 car runs, such as the West Cork just a few weeks ago when he done 00 in a Renault Alpine, a car similar to the one he drove 30 years ago.

In 2000 Motorsport Ireland (the governing body of motorsport) launched the “Billy Coleman Award” which is for the up and coming driver of the year.The award has a £20,000 prize and gets awarded to the Best Driver under 27 years following his/her best performances throughout the year.

Through his long and distinguished career Billy Coleman had upwards of 20 co-drivers. Here are just a few: Frank O’Donoghue, Paul Phelan, Peter Scott, Jim Porter, Dan O’Sullivan, David Richards, Austin Frazer, John Horton, Brendan Neville, Con Murphy, Ronan Morgan, Martin Holmes and Noel Davin Throughout the years, Billy managed to tot up: 1st on the 1974 RAC British Rally Championship 3rd on the 1978 European Rally Championship Cork ‘20’ Rally wins 4 Donegal Rally wins 4 Rally of the Lakes wins 3 Circuit of Ireland wins 3 Galway Rally wins Over the years, Billy drove many rare and elegant rally cars. Here are just a few: Lancia Stratos • Fiat Abarth Renault Alpine A110 • Ford Cortina GT Ford Escort Mk1 BDA Ford Escort Mk2 x-pack Ford Escort RS 1600 & RS 1800 Ford Escort G3 Opel Manta & Ascona 400 Metro 6R4 • Porsche 911 SCRS • BMW M3

was originally destined as a Clubmans car.

Like the Davrian Dragon, the Cultra used a rear-engined, Rear Wheel Drive Ford CVH engine (with a turbocharger in later versions) and put out circa 130 bhp. However, the Imp-based suspension of the Davrians was replaced by a Fordbased suspension layout with a Corry-fabricated double wishbone assembly using Cortina MkIII uprights at the front and modified Sierra trailing arms at the rear. In essence, the cars mechanical parts were all Ford.

First thoughts Here Nelson comments on his first thoughts of the car “I visited the factory and at first sight I thought it was a great wee car and when I jumped into the car at first it was a bit claustrophobic. It steered very well and it was very easy to create a pendulum effect” Its first ever competitive outing had Orr & Hollis driving at a Quarry Sprint in Randalstown (shortly after the London Motorsport show of 1984) and despite Orr finishing 4th overall, they believed the car was extremely heavy in weight, and that it needed more power to get anywhere competitively. “It had certain weaknesses that needed strengthened”, Hollis said.

After this sprint Martin Birney, one of Corrys designers, went about redesigning a lightened version of the same shell. Orr was out competing in the new version (WIA 3535) in its first tarmac rally and commented that “Along flat, level tar the car was absolutely brilliant”, and he was doing well in that rally too (up to 18th unofficially), until he ran out of petrol, and so retired. But the same praise about the car was not to be repeated about his next competitive outing at the Wyedean Forestry Rally.

“Along straight forest lines the cars’ suspension was very unpredictable. It was just unbearable”.

Similar thoughts were expressed by Brian Nelson who took over official testing at this point. “Great on dry tar but its let down was on wet roads”.

Hollis’ Horse And this is perhaps one of the reasons why Graham Hollis, who had at this stage bought one of the cars for personal use, was on the other hand doing very well, indeed winning four rallies in his first of three years using the car (reg Q139 PDE). Compared to any

Nelsons turn It was now Nelsons turn to do some testing for the car and so he, along with Rodney Cole co-driving, first appeared on the West Cork in 84, in a new refined and redeveloped shell (reg also WIA 3535). This was followed up shortly afterwards by a 00 course car run on the Circuit of Ireland.

Various settings were changed around during this event and as well as the Cultra beginning to perform quite well, much interest was generated. However there was not enough to justify the original production plans, around 300 cars per year. Infact only nine Cultras, and a prototype, would only ever be produced, over the two years that production and development went on.

Turbo Charged The Cultra appeared with a turbocharger for the first time in Donegal, again in the hands of Nelson, but the turbo caught fire and they retired.

The Lurgan Park rally was another outing for the team of Nelson and Hollis, Hollis’ Cultra retiring due to the turbo catching fire.

But being driven on the Manx later in the summer, the Cultra was actually beating some of the Group B supercars on some stages.

And so onto its last official ‘Corry Car Co’ team outing, on the Cork ‘20’ International. The years previous developments were notable at this point, as Nelson, driving it for the last time, had won his class, was the top Northern Irish finisher, and finished 7th overall, despite a broken gearbox.

Since then, the odd Corry Cultra has appeared on stages over the years since the mid 80’s, some used as restoration projects and some as an easily developed clubmans car.

Then three years ago at the Millennium Motorsport Festival, there were two Cultras being driven up Stormonts famous hill, one by Stanley Orr and the other by Will Corry himself.

So, twenty years down the line since the first Cultra was produced,Will Corry still has two of the cars, one an excompetition car, and the other, the very first original prototype car. He has many fond memories of the car and also believes it set a milestone for sports car design “It was really ahead of its time”.

Special thanks to the following people Will Corry, Brian Nelson, Stanley Orr, Graham Hollis, Mark Lowe,Tim Duffee and Martyn Jones.

CIRCUIT OF IRELAND QUOTES... (taken from 1971 program) Paddy Hopkirk: “I think any European club could learn from the UAC’s wonderful organisation”.

Geraint Phillips: “A social atmosphere peculiar to Ireland.”

Stuart Turner: “The Gallagher Circuit of Ireland Rally now rates as one of the modern classics.”

Richard Hudson-Evans: “It’s a helluva party.”

Jack Kemsley: “The name ‘Gallaher Circuit of Ireland’ conjures up the magic of the event.”

Roger Clark: “Fantastic tarmac special stages which cannot be bettered in Europe.”

Will Sparrow: “Excellent social organisation.”

And finally, a quote from one of the worlds greatest drivers of all time, Marrku Alen, who made his one and only Circuit of Ireland appearance in 1978 in a works Fiat 131 Abarth: “This rally is too tough for me,” groaned the Finn.

“This rally should be a round of the World Championship, not just the European.”…as it was then

VARIOUS CIRCUIT RELATED FACTS...

The BBC reported 20 radio reports for the 1978 Circuit while Downtown radio, who would later be the main sponsors for Irish international winner John Lyons, produced 10 reports per day for 5 days.

The Circuit of Ireland, even up until the mid 90’s, was the longest Tarmac Rally in the world, even longer than World Championship Tarmac Rounds, such as Portugal, etc.

The man with the most wins on the Circuit it Scot Jimmy McRae who won it a mammoth seven times.

The years were: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 Of all the overseas crews that have competed on the Circuit, only one overseas crew have ever won the circuit,. This was Pentti Airikkala, originally from Finland, in 1979, in the Vauxhall Chevette HSR 2.0 ,YEB 624T. The car that Jimmy McRae won the 1980 event in, a Vauxhall Chevette HSR, CVA 751V is still alive and well today, and in original DTV livery, in the hands of Andrew Bushe of Lisburn.

18 Pacenotes

specialstages toshiba irish tarmac rally championship

ROUND ONE

Circuit of Ireland 14-16 APRIL

The £4million club...

Circuit rundown... he Festival Week starts on T Thursday 17th April with loads of activities all over Enniskillen, focused at St Angelos. Below is some useful info for real rally fans!

Friday 18th April 03 The action moves to St Angelo Airport on the Kesh Road in Enniskillen.

Scrutineering is planned to last throughout the day. Situated in ‘the hanger’ this will be your first opportunity to view the cars up close as they are checked over by competition officials.

Saturday 19th April 03 The competitors cars for the Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland Rally will be lining up in the paddock area from 9:30am at St Angelo – your chance to see your rally hero’s and their cars up close.

See the Rally start at 11am, with three spectator special stages throughout the day at St Angelo as well as stages in Fermanagh & Tyrone.

Sunday 20th April 03 The Rally travels through Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo & Roscommon. Large screen coverage will be shown to keep the enthusiasts entertained, while everyone enjoys the Easter Sunday family fun at St Angelo.

Monday 21 April 03 The Circuit is joined by the Easter Stages Rally, at St Angelo, for an early start to the day’s action in Tyrone and Fermanagh.The action will reach fever pitch at 5pm with the Champagne podium. Prize giving will be at Rally HQ - The Killyhevlin Hotel at 9pm.

KMD Models Model Suppliers to the public & manufactures of high quality motorsport models

world, and it’s coming to a stage near you. It’s the Toshiba Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

With around twenty of the £150,000 plus Subaru Impreza WRCs, in various guises now present in Ireland, add to this all the other cars, and this years Championship is shaping up to the best and most expensive ever!

The Circuit of Ireland at Easter is the first round of this championship, and it looks like the entire top ten could be made up of these Japanese rally monsters.

It’s enough to make even the most hardened rally fan weak at the knees.

Austin McHale has moved his allegiance to Subaru, having purchased an S7, 2001 specification machine. Austin was the first person to bring a Toyota Celica GT4 to Ireland, when Bertie Fisher and Kenny McKinstry were competing in Subaru Legacys, and he was the major exponent of the Toyota brand, competing in ST165, ST185, and Corolla WRC models throughout his career, and his switch now to Subaru just shows the dominance and stranglehold that the Impreza has on Irish rallying.

Andrew Nesbitt has dominated the Irish Tarmac Championship for the past two years in his WRC Imprezas, claiming back to back Championships, but this year he

doesn’t even know what he will be competing in, if anything at all.

His major sponsor, Cuisine de France, has called time on their association with the Armagh driver, but he always expected this as the original deal was a three year one, and they actually stayed loyal to him for four. It has been said that he is considering either a Focus WRC or a Peugeot 206 WRC, as 22 Motorsport, the team that took him to the title last year, cannot supply the car he wants this year.

Eamon Boland has gone from strength to strength in recent years since his switch to the WRC Impreza, and this year will be no different. Eamon returns to the stages this year in an S8. His last rally in the old faithful S7 gave him 12th overall on the Monte Carlo rally, and he is also likely to move up to a 2003 S9 WRC Impreza before the end of the year, as there is talk that he has bought one of the works cars that was used on the Monte.

Maurice Gass is fresh from a fantastic drive on the West Cork rally over the Saint Patrick’s weekend, where finished the event 4th overall. He struggled on the first day with a faulty digital readout on the transmission, so he didn’t know what gear his S7 Impreza was in. Once that was sorted he soon got on the pace, setting a fastest stage time on his way to a fantastic result.

Eugene Donnelly is another driver who has excelled since his switch to a Subaru, and he has been using the ex-McRae WRC

Impreza that Owen Lamont used on the Northern Ireland championship recently. His victory on last years West 2002 Galway International, his first Tarmac Championship win, and also victory on the CarSport Time Trial, Eurocables, Mayo Stages, and 2nd on the recent Bishopscourt Stages have given him the confidence to go into the Circuit this Easter on a high, and with the speed he has shown on recent events, he certainly can’t be discounted.

Winner in the recent Bishopscourt Stages, Derek McGarrity, is another Impreza WRC mounted driver, his own example being an S7 version, and this is a man who has been knocking on the door of his first Tarmac victory for the past year.

He led both the Jim Clark Memorial Rally and the Killarney Rally of the Lakes last year, only to have mechanical trouble in Scotland, and loss of time due to punctures in Killarney to spoil any chance he had of victory. Perhaps this year will see an upturn in his fortunes, and maybe we’ll see him on the top spot of the podium yet. His is another S7 Impreza.

Daniel and Michael Doherty is another team that are expected to take the start of the Circuit at Easter.Their Impreza is a P2000 version, now looked on almost as out of date, compared to some of the other models about, but it is still a car capable of winning the Championship, and the Dohertys have already sown their mettle at National level, taking several victories in the past few years in the Irish National Tarmac

Championship.They led the Circuit of Ireland after stage 1 last year, and their best finish was 4th in Killarney.

Irish National Champion Niall Maguire was seen on the Circuit of Ireland last year in his exNesbitt Impreza WRC, the car with which Andrew won his first Tarmac Championship, and it is still capable of good results as Niall’s National Championship campaign last year showed, but the Circuit was the last time the talented Monaghan man was seen on the Tarmac trail. Perhaps this year we will see a bit more of him.

Another driver driven away from the Toyota marque, is Peadur Hurson.The car he used last year was the big ST205 Celica, and he achieved some fantastic stage times in the car, having being second on the Circuit and Killarney rallies last year, as well as leading the West 2002 before an accident dropped him behind Eugene Donnelly. But now the Toyota is gone, and he has moved up to a P2000 WRC Impreza.

Add to these names, other competitors from around Ireland all Impreza mounted, and you can see how the Subaru name dominates the Championship.

Such drivers as Kenny McKinstry, Michael Barrable, Patrick Elliott, Adrian McElvaney, Barry Coleman, Tim McNulty, John Joe Fleming, Tommy Graham and Kevin Barrett, added to the cars available in the country for hire graphically show the impact of the Subaru Impreza WRC in Ireland.

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specialstages

Pacenotes 19

toshiba irish tarmac rally championship

Ever wondered what pace notes mean?

New to the sport? we’ll try to make it easier...

'00' and '0' Cars Cars driven along every Special Stage by rally officials to ensure that the course is clear.

Active Differential Computer-controlled differential that distributes the engine's power to those tyres with the best grip, thus maximising performance.

Ditch-hooking When drivers drive a trail with their inside front wheel over a road-side ditch.

Flying Finish A flying finish marks the end of a stage - so called because the cars 'fly' across it at full speed.

Gravel Cars Special cars are sent through the stages before the start to report news of weather and surface conditions to the drivers.

Gravel Settings The suspension adjustments made to optimise the handling of a car for rough surfaced Special Stages.

Intercom The radio system that allows the navigator to read out the pace notes to his driver above the engine noise.

OTL Literally 'over time limit' crews have to stick to a strict timetable during the event. If they arrive at a stage or service too late (15 minutes at any one control, or 30 minutes in total during

a rally) they are OTL and therefore out of the rally.

Pace Notes The navigator's hand-written notes made during a course 'recce' and used during the Special Stages to alert the driver about the terrain, corners and the likely speeds he can drive at during the rally.

Parc Fermé French for 'closed park'.

Where the rally cars are securely locked up after a day's rallying under close supervision. No service is allowed in the Park Fermé.

Recce Car A normal road car (with extra safety equipment installed) driven by the driver and accompanied by the navigator to 'recce' the stages pre-event.

Reconnaissance or Recce The driver and navigator complete a thorough 'recce' of the course at low speeds in the three days before the event in their Recce Car to prepare the pace notes for the event.

Road Book A specially prepared book of instruction, timings, directions and maps issued to each crew by the rally organiser.

Road Section The public roads used by competitors to drive from stage to stage, service points and parc fermé. Here all traffic laws must be obeyed.

Safety Car The car sent through the stage fifteen minutes before the rally begins to warn spectators of the arrival of the the first competitive cars they also check the behaviour of spectators.

Scrutineers Team of officials who check the eligibility and legality of rally cars before, during and after the event.

Seeding The order in which the rally cars will start, determined by past rallies and times after each leg.

Sequential Gearbox Rally gearbox which allows quick, clutchless gear changes by placing the gears 'in line' as opposed to the more conventional 'H-pattern'.

Service Parks Designated team areas where running repairs to a rally car may take place subject to rigid time limits.

Stage Also known as a 'Special Stage', these are the competitive sections of the rally - where the drivers and navigators drive as fast as possible to achieve the quickest time.

Stage Time The officially recorded time taken by a rally car to complete a Special Stage, from standing start to flying finish.

ROUND ONE

Circuit of Ireland

Stop Finish The line where a rally car must stop to have its 'stage time' recorded on the time card, usually 200 - 500 metres after the flying finish.

Sump Guard A reinforced panel under the car's engine bay to protect the engine's sump (the oil reservoir) and transmission.

14-16 APRIL

Aaron McHale Column

Target Time The official time allocated by rally officials for a competing cars to complete a road section. Early or late arrival may result in time penalties being awarded.

Time Card A card the driver and his navigator must present at the start and the finish of every stage or time control.

Arriving at a control before or after the time prescribed on the time card will result in a time penalty.

Time Control A location where cars must stop to get their official passing time recorded by rally officials.

Time Penalty Once the allotted time has elapsed, a crew receives a penalty of 10 seconds for every minute their car is late.

Time penalties are also awarded if teams take longer repairing their car than allowed. Finally, the crew receives a time penalty if they arrive at a control too early!

Alan Spiers Car Body Repairs

Toshiba tarmac assault aving won group N last year myself and my co-driver H Damien Connolly decided to head to the Toshiba Tarmac championship this year.

Having rebuilt last seasons car, complete with new engine, drive and diffs I am confident that the car will be up to it this year. We decided to go to Ballina as I had not sat in the car for five months.The competition will be so fierce this year, I will need all the time I can get in the car before the Circuit of Ireland.

With that in mind we, decided to not get involved in any battles in Mayo and pace ourselves for a finish. This made all the more sense with the conditions that were involved.

The stages were great, but, the conditions were atrocious. That said, we still managed to have a number of spins and when Seamus Leonard had problems near the end we could have won - only to slide off the road on the last stage. I was disappointed with that but we still finished second and got valuable miles in the car. The team ran like clockwork and Damien never missed a beat beside me. I was a bit different for him, as his last rally was in the Middle East - but he coped very well with the rain!

My next event is the Circuit of Kerry, my father is also doing it so it will be a bit of a family effort. For Kerry, I hope to have a new dog box installed, and that should help the times a bit more.

I may do some forest events this year as well, but for that, I would hire a Lancer as my car is a tarmac spec one, but I think I would enjoy the challenge.

The Tarmac championship will be a huge step up for me as the pace showed in Mayo that the competition will be very strong, not just in GpN, but it seems that every class will be strong. Hopefully in my next column I will be able to report back on good results from both the Circuits Kerry and Ireland.

Aaron

Fast, efficient, professional service... and all at competitive rates.

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JBarvis rooks

20 Pacenotes

specialstages toshiba irish tarmac rally championship

ROUND TWO

KILLARNEY RALLY OF THE LAKES 3 - 4 MAY

‘Lakes’ future mapped out? o the delight of the officers T and members of Killarney & District MotorClub, Ordnance

the Gleneagle Hotel, will be a round of the Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the West Euro Cup, the International Netherlands Rally Championship, the 023 Tiles Southern Four Rally Championship, the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship and the Toshiba Computers Historic Tarmac Championship.

Tommy Randles

Survey Ireland has chosen to sponsor the 2003 International Rally of the Lakes, which will take place on the 3rd & 4th May. The Gleneagle Hotel will be an associate sponsor, and will provide the venue for the rally headquarters.The 2003 Rally of the Lakes, arguably the most famous motorsport event in Ireland, is expected to attract competitors from throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the home country.

While Ordnance Survey Ireland has been associated with the Rally of the Lakes at various levels since the mid1990s, the agency's involvement in Irish motorsport stretches back much further, one hundred years in fact.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Richard Kirwan, CEO of Ordnance Survey Ireland, said: ''Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) is delighted to continue its association with the Rally of the Lakes.

Our association with this event started in the 1990's and so could, tongue in cheek, be arguably suggested as spanning two centuries. In that time we have seen this event develop at a pace not dissimilar to that of Ordnance Survey Ireland.”

“Over the years, the Rally of the Lakes has proved immensely popular with competitors and always attracts full entries. Killarney has long been

regarded as one of Ireland's premier tourist destinations. It is renowned worldwide as a setting of breathtaking beauty and for its unrivalled ability to extend the warmest of Irish welcomes to those who are privileged to visit it. I am delighted that the International Rally of the Lakes will take place against such a striking backdrop.”

“Motorsport fans are amongst the most dedicated followers in the world and I know that having experienced these qualities for themselves they have been persuaded, not only to return each year, but also to become goodwill ambassadors for Kerry and for Ireland as a whole. In acting in such capacities they make a substantial contribution not only to the continued success of

this important annual event, but also to the development of Irish tourism.”

Killarney's Gleneagle Hotel has been synonymous with the Rally of the Lakes since 1980, when the Gleneagle was first utilised as the event Headquarters.

That arrangement that has remained constant ever since, and the link between the hotel and motorsport is set to further expand this year, when Ireland's National Events Centre (adjacent to the Gleneagle) provides the venue for the “Killarney Rally Show,” which will take place on the Friday night of the weekend of the Rally of the Lakes.

The Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2003, in association with

Since the announcement of the inclusion of the Rally of the Lakes in the 2003 West Euro Cup and International Netherlands Rally Championship, a huge number of enquiries have been received from competitors based on the continent.

"The interest has been phenomenal " says Mike Marshall, Clerk of the Course. "I expect that thirty or so European crews will take part in the event, and it will be very interesting to see how they measure up against the locals and other regular contenders.”

The year 2003 will mark a number of firsts for the Rally of the Lakes:The event will have its own website for the first time, at www.rallyofthelakes.com This site contains news and information regarding the rally, and it will be updated regularly over the coming weeks and throughout the rally weekend. Also this year's Rally of the Lakes will be the first to be timed to one tenth of a second, which should all but eliminate the possibility of two crews setting equal times on any one special stage. www.rallyofthelakes.com

specialstages

Pacenotes 21

toshiba irish tarmac rally championship where to... lay your head Remember that the Rally of the Lakes takes place on a Bank Holiday weekend, so expect to pay more... and hurry, vacancies won’t last long!

This is only a small sample of available accomodation, check the the Killarney Tourist Office on 064 31633 for more.

HOTELS THE GLENEAGLE HOTEL - RALLY HQ Muckross Road, Killarney, County Kerry Tel: 064 36000 • Fax: 064 32646 Email: info@gleneaglehotel.com Web: www.gleneaglehotel.com

David Raynor

Dromhall Hotel Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 39300 • Fax: (064) 39301 Email: info@dromhall.com Web: www.dromhall.com Riverside Hotel Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 39200 • Fax: (064) 39202 Email: stay@riversidehotelkillarney.com Web: www.riversidehotelkillarney.com

Seamus Herron

Killarney Plaza Kenmare Place, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 21100 • Fax: (064) 31755 Email: kplaza@odonoghue-ringhotels.com Web: www.odonoghue-ring-hotels.com

Peter Raven

Power and the Glory... he 2002 Killarney Rally of the Lakes saw the Slowly Sideways Groups first visit to Irish shores, and their visit was looked on very favourably, so much so that they have been invited back this year to demonstrate some of their fantastic machinery.

words & images: courtney-msport.com

The Slowly Sideways Group was founded by world renowned rally photographer Reinhard Klein, and it gives the owners of exotic Group B rally cars the opportunity to demonstrate these awesome machines where they were designed to entertain on the stages.

Last year saw 6 of these cars do demonstration runs over all of the stages prior to the Course Cars and competitors. Demonstration is the word to remember here - they are not competing in the event, but

On last year’s rally, the entry included two ex-works Ford RS200s, an ex-Rothman’s Porsche 911, in the hands of Stephen Davies, an Audi Coupe Quattro driven by David Preece, a Lancia 037 with Peter Raven at the wheel, an Opel

T

even so, the sights and sounds of the group B monsters is enough to send a shiver up the spine of even the most hardened rally fan, and is enough to regress the mind to the mid 1980’s, the era where this sort of car was the norm.

Manta 400 driven by Omagh’s Seamus Herron, and an awesome Audi A2 Quattro driven by John Hanlon. The A2 Quattro was the first “proper” Group B car of its time, and the sound of this particular car coming down through Tim Healy pass was awe inspiring.

The entry this year has swelled to 20 examples of these cars boosted by the attendance of John Hanlon’s other Quattro - an awesome S1 the winged monster which appeared in 1985 in a blaze of glory and was probably the most powerful car of it’s kind. Also making the trip to Killarney this year

NEXT MONTH - Pacenotes starts a great new series called 300 PLUS -it will look at GroupB cars in more detail. Ed.

is a Peugeot 205 T16, the car which claimed several World Titles, and was driven by some of the most famous rally drivers ever seen.

Names like Ari Vatanen, Juha Kankkunen and Timo Salonen.

Added to this are various Metro 6R4s and RS200s, and the rest, May Bank Holiday weekend should be one of great nostalgia for a lot of rally fanatics.

The cars will be seen on all stages of the rally over the May Bank Holiday, and will no doubt be a fantastic sight over the likes of Moll’s Gap, Caragh Lake and Tim Healy Pass, interested spectators will be able to see these cars at close quarters the night before the rally, at the National Exhibition Centre in Rally HQ, where they will form part of a Charity Night and will be there for all to see.

‘Lakes’ for WRC in five? he Rally of the Lakes T format is ideally suited for inclusion in the World Rally Championship according to John Brown, one of the world's best known professional rally organisers.

Brown, twice winner of the Circuit of Ireland Rally with Russell Brookes and winner of dozens of International rallies in a career that spanned almost 30 years of competing at the top level, was speaking at the launch of the 2003 Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes in the Conrad Hotel Dublin this week.

"The whole concept of how a rally qualifies for inclusion in the world championship has undergone a radical change in

recent years. Gone are the days when an event had to progress through the European Championship, starting at the lowest co-efficient and ultimately reaching co-efficient 20 before applying for inclusion in the World series. Nowadays what the World Rally Championship organisers are looking for is a well established event, based in an area which has a good hotel and access infrastructure, with good stages within a reasonable radius of the base town.The Killarney Rally of the Lakes meets and exceeds all these criteria and its format was established long before the present trend in the World Championship became the norm.

In fact, what the Rally of the Lakes

has been for several years, is exactly what all World Championship rounds would like to be." said Brown Addressing his remarks directly to Arts,Tourism and Sports Minister, Mr. John O’Donoghue, who had spoken at the launch, Brown pointed out that while promoting a round of the World Championship would require government support, this did not automatically mean that large cash grants would be required. Political goodwill and political influence in the areas where vital decisions are made are far more valuable in achieving World Championship status, since there are several other sources from which funding can be secured.

It was John who, during the 1978 Circuit of Ireland in Killarney, suggested to the then newly formed Killarney & District Motor Club, that it was in an ideal position to organise an event which could one day be a World Championship Rally. From that initial meeting the Rally of the Lakes was born and has since grown to be one of the most successful and popular events in Europe.

John Brown firmly believes that if the opportunity is grasped and if the political goodwill is there, the Rally of the Lakes could join the World Championship within the next five years.

The Killarney Ryan Cork Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 3155 Email: info@killarneyryan.com Web: www.ryan-hotels.com Lake Hotel Killarney On Lake Shore, Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 31035 • Fax: (064) 31902 Email: lakehotel@eircom.net Web: www.lakehotel.com

Guest Houses (All with Parking) Lime Court Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 34547 • Fax: (064) 34121 Email: limecrt@iol.ie Web: www.lime-court.com Kingfisher Lodge Lewis Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 37131 • Fax: (064) 39871 Email: kingfisherguesthouse@eircom.net Web: www.kingfisherkillarney.com Glena House Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 32705 • Fax: (064) 35611 Email: glena@iol.ie Web: www.glenahouse.com Aisling House Countess Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 31112 • Fax: (064) 30079 Email: aislinghouse@tinet.ie Ashville Guesthouse Rock Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 36405 • Fax: (064) 36778 Email: ashvillehouse@eircom.net Web: www.ashvillekillarney.com

SELF CATERING Killarney Haven Suites 50 High Street, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 33570 • Fax: (064) 32584 Email: info@killarney-selfcatering.com Web: www.killarney-selfcatering.com Rookery Mews Apartments Rookery Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 33570 • Fax: (064) 32584 Email: info@killarney-selfcatering.com Web: www.killarney-selfcatering.com Parkland Holiday Home Port Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: (064) 35366 • Fax: (064) 35358 Email: parklandholiday@eircom.net Web: www.irish-holidayrentals.com/parklandhh

22 Pacenotes

girlpower a monthly look at women in rallying

Some fathers do ‘ave ‘em!

anbridge is famous for three B things - Fred Elliott’s pork ‘n’ leek, the Coach Inn and Kenny McKinstry’s dealership...

EMMA MCKINSTRY

lawnmower

Join the dots of those three landmarks on a County Down map and the tip of the triangle will pinpoint the source of Banbridge’s next big thing...yes...it’s...Kenny McKinstry’s lawnmower dealership!

For it is here, in a small office off a large yard, that chip off the old (engine) block Emma McKinstry (20) sits masterminding her plan to be the first ever Irish female WRC driver.

She’s not big, but despite being blonde, she could well be clever. She’s definitely cute.

ATTENTION ALL LADIES From next month Ciara Conlon will be our new women’s page editor... and she wants to hear from all women involved with rallysport, not just competitors, but backroom staff, club secretarys etc.

If you would like to be profiled, have any interesting views that need aired or you just want some recognition for all the hard work you do, then contact Ciara Conlon on 085 8224700 or email her at: ciara@totalrallying.com Remember, it’s YOUR page so use it!

Tasked with running the paper side of local legend Kenny’s plant and tool hire, rally prep and hire, (and of course, lawnmower) businesses, Emma shuffles invoices for a living, but she’d rather be watching her co-driver shuffling pace notes, any day of the week.

“I’ve been behind the wheel since I was twelve, “ she announces proudly, “driving round the yard in whatever happened to be here at the time...”

(It’s a Far Side moment. “Suddenly, McKinstry’s insurance premiums looked entirely reasonable.” Think elfin 12 year old peering over steering wheels of assorted highly tuned rally cars, tiny feet twitching on faraway drilled pedals, vrooom, vrooom - yikes!).

“I passed my test first time - over at Portadown,” reveals Emma, as if reading my thoughts. “People make a big thing out of it, but really it’s just a case of giving the instructor what he wants...”

Surely not?

“Car control of course, and a decent three point turn - plenty of which I practised here in the yard.”

Handbrake turns, more likely...

I ask Emma (with all the inevitability of somebody blond with a funny accent winning the Swedish Rally) if motorsport is in her blood.

“Yes, it must be, I reckon. I’ve grown up here surrounded by revving engines and clouds of exhaust smoke - and obviously I’ve followed my dad around the rally scene for years - I suppose it was inevitable that I buckled up eventually...”

She may well love the smell of lawnmowers in the morning (that gasoline smell), but will the smell of

“victory” be enough to bring it to Number One, White Row in reality?

“I’ve had two competitive drives so far - in a Peugeot 206 (1600), borrowed from James Halligan of Maynooth. James used the car in the Peugeot Cup last year, and kindly lent it to me for rounds one and two of this year’s NI Championship.”

“In the first round at Bishopscourt, myself and co-driver Rory McPolin (son of Gerry) came 59th overall, fifth in our class. At the second round, we managed 47th overall - seventh in our class...”

“I was well chuffed with those results, given the high quality of the fields. My main aim was to finish and look after the car, do no damage - in other words incur no additional expenses!”

Wise words from one so young, but then Emma gets to invoice people who bend her daddy’s rally hire cars...and probably has a better grasp than most young drivers of exactly what the sport costs.

“I’m trying to gather up about ten grand to buy a Peugeot 106 at the moment. It’s not easy, but the sacrifices will be worth it. Driving a rally car gives me the biggest buzz on earth - there’s nothing to compare with the adrenalin rush. If I get a chance to compete on a regular basis, I’ll give it 100%...and we’ll see if I’ve got what it takes to be a winner.”

If she turns out to be half as quick as the Lawnmower Man, Irish rallying better watch out...there’s an all new McKinstry about!

Pete Bleakley

She who must be obeyed... profile “Ya-da-ya-da-ya-da-ya-da-yada-ya-da…” he sound of the female of T the species wittering away in full flow can generally be tuned out – during an important free kick in a football match for example, or a critical moment in The Sopranos, writes Pete Bleakley.

This convenient form of temporary male deafness rarely manifests itself in the cockpit of a rally car at speed however, for usually, the lady in question is imparting a stream of information which, if ignored in the time honoured way, may have a drastic impact on one’s kidneys and groin – and worse, one’s bank balance.

Yes folks, the female co-driver – like the female disc jockey - is here to stay.

So what, or indeed who, is a typical female co-driver?

28 year old mechanical engineer Pam Norris, who works on aircraft fuselages for Short Brothers during

the week, sits with Evo V pilot Mark Leathem.

A self-confessed motorsport nut her entire life, Pam (who recklessly confessed to me on tape that as a teenager she owned a customised Vauxhall Nova), got into rallying almost by accident.

A friend told her that Leathem was looking for a co-driver, and out of curiosity, she called him.

Their first coupling was at Bishopscourt last year in Leathem’s Sub – Pam had little to do apart from hang on - but the seed

(metaphorically speaking) was sown.

A steep learning curve presented itself. Pam’s pal Johnny Morrow took her for ‘tuition’ to a local country park with well known rally stages.

Using old notes they repeatedly drove a given stage again and again until Pam began to equate the paper notations to specific types of bend etc, etc…

“Mark (Leathem) has been fantastically patient with me since the outset,” explains Pam. “It’s a case of practice makes

perfect – the more events we complete together, the better we perform as a team.”

“Trust is critical between driver and co-driver, and that only comes with time in the car.”

This year Pam and Mark will be competing in the tarmac rounds of the NI Championship – in an Evo V (having changed from last season’s Impreza), and she’s relishing the prospect of some fast road action at the Easter Stages in Enniskillen…

“Mark’s brilliant on tarmac, and he

doesn’t want to risk the new car on gravel ‘til he’s totally comfortable with it.”

Would she like to be in the driving seat herself?

“I’d love to be a driver – but it’s way out of reach financially for me at the moment. I think many codrivers are frustrated, wannabee drivers.”

“Everyone you meet in the sport is so supportive – it’s like one big, happy family. I’m pleased just being a part of it – and the social side…well, the craic and banter at event presentation parties in unreal.

I’d recommend co-driving to anyone – it’s totally addictive.”

“Drivers are always looking for navigators – anyone interested should get in touch with their local car club, or ask around the service areas of events.”

So there you have have it ladies: travel, excitement – and you get to spend entire weekends telling fellas where to go…what could be better?

28 Parnell Place, Cork.

Tel: 021 427 9778 Fax: 021 427 9796 email: info@pitlane.ie

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Hella Pagid Brembo Silkolene Graytronics AWS

MA Horne E-Z Up Speedline Pirelli Quaife

Sub-hw Heavyweight Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249.95 Sub-lw Lightweight Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139.95 Sub-mdj Replica Drivers Jacket Makinen . . . . . . . . . .249.95 Sub-sdj Replica Drivers Jacket Solberg . . . . . . . . . . .249.95 Sub-f Fleece Jacket 1/2 Zip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99.95 Sub-revf Reversible Fleece Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129.95 Sub-rts Replica Team Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Sub-ps Poloshirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95 Sub-lt Ladies Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.95 Sub-lts Team T-shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Sub-cts Car T-shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Sub-emts Embroidered T-shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Sub-dbc Drivers Baseball Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.95 Sub-tbc Team Baseball Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Sub-cscarf Team Scarf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Sub-sh Team Ski Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Sub-sunh Sun Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Sub-gs Team Gift Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31.95 Sub-sw Team Sports Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89.95 Sub-cw Extreme Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39.95 Sub-clsg Team Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.95 Sub-fasg Sport Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.95

Sub-dbc Team Drinks Bottle & Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.95 Sub-tb Teddy Bear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.95 Sub-adg Replica Divers Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69.95 Sub-u Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49.95 Sub-rs Rucksack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95 Sub-h Holdall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51.95 Sub-ob Overnight Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114.95 Sub-foldrs Folding Rucksack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.95 Sub-fg Team Flag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.95 Sub-k Team Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.95 Sub-ck Car Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.95 Sub-spark Sparkplug Torch & Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13.95 Sub-spen Suspension Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.95 Sub-m Team Mug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.95 Sub-cdcase Cd Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.95 Sub-wallet Team Wallet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.95 Sub-cg Childrens Cap & Car T-shirt Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29.95 Sub-cshs Children's Ski Hat & Scarf Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Sub-cj Children's Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61.95 Sub-ck Children's Kagoule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Sub-co Children's Drivers Overalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95

Frs01 Men's Poloshirt Short Sleeve Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95 Frs02 Men's Long Sleeve Crew Neck T-shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33.95 Frs03 Ladies Long Sleeve V-neck T-shirt Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33.95 Frs04 Men's Short Sleeve V-neck T-shirt Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28.95 Frs05 Ladies Short Sleeve V-neck T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28.95 Frs06A Men's Short Sleeve Crew Neck T-shirt Cut Panel White . . . . . . . .28.95 Frs06B Men's Short Sleeve V-neck T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28.95 Frs08 Full Zip Fleece Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99.95 Frs09 Half Zip Fleece Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84.95 Frs10 Lightweight Jacket Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124.95 Frs11 Heavyweight Jacket Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239.95 Frs12 Team Cap Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Frs13B Two Tone Ski Hat Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Frs13C Knitted Ski Hat Reversible Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.95 Frs15 Rugby Shirt Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Frs18 Padded Jacket Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169.95

Frs30 Gloves Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Frs31 Scarf Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Frs34 Holdall Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54.95 Frs35 Rucksack Navy/Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95 Ew01 Energy Printed T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.95 Pw01 Passion Printed T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.95 Cw01 Control Printed T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.95 U01 Umbrella Royal White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95

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Ps001 Paddock Jacket 3/4 Length Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149.95 Ps002 Reversible Fleece Jacket Royal Blue 94.95 Ps003 Fleece 1/2 Or Full Zip Royal Blue . .59.95 Ps004 Rugby Shirt Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . .49.95 Ps005 Poloshirt Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43.95 Ps006 T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.95 Ps007 Ladies Skinny White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.95 Ps008 Oxford Shirt Long Sleeve Light Blue,White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.95 Ps009 Oxford Shirt Short Sleeve Light Blue,White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46.95 Ps010 Children's Padded Jacket Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Ps011 Children's Fleece Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35.95

Cs001 Parka Winter Jacket 3 Way Greeny Grey . . . . . . . . .199.95 Cs002 Fleece Ski Jacket Dark Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89.95 Cs003 V-neck Fleece Sweatshirt Dark Grey . . . . . . . . .59.95 Cs004 Poloshirt Grey/Red Collar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.95 Cs005 Rugby Shirt Grey/Red Collar . . . . . . . . . . . .69.95 Cs006 T-shirt Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.95 Cs007 Baseball Cap Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Cs008 Ski Hat Fleece Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Cs009 Fleece Scarf Grey/Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.95

Sm001 T-shirt Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.95 Sm002 Sweatshirt Green/Red Collar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.95 Sm003 Jacket 3 Way Green 3/4 Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149.95 Sm004 Baseball Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Sm005 Ski Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Sm006 Rucksack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29.95

Hms001 Baseball Cap Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Hms002 Ski Hat Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Hms003 Poloshirt Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.95

Ra002 Ra003 Ra004 Ra005 Ra006

Heavyweight T Shirt Red/Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39.95 Poloshirt Red/Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.95 1/2 Zip Fleece Red/Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.95 Full Zip Fleece Red/Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.95 Lightweight Jacket Red/Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152.95

Alp001 Astar T-shirt Red, Blue, Black,White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.95 Alp002 Astar Classic Baseball Cap Red, Blue, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.95 Alp003 Astar Kids Baseball Cap Red, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.95 Alp004 Astar Poloshirt Red, Blue, Black,White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39.95 Alp005 Astar Ladies Poloshirt Red, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.95 Alp006 Star Fleece 1/2 Zip Blue, Black With Red Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79.95 Alp007 Fuel Ladies Sweatshirt Light Blue, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69.95 Alp008 Player Lightweight Jacket Blue, Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124.95 Alp009 Pit Jacket Water Proof Red, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69.95 Alp010 Cargo Pants Karki, Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Alp011 Matrix Sports Shoes Blue, Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82.95 Alp012 Trucker Leather Ankle Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89.95

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Ps012 Ps013 Ps014 Ps015 Ps016 Ps017 Ps018 Ps019 Ps020 Ps021 Ps022 Ps023

Children's Poloshirt Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Children's T-shirt White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.95 Travel Bag Large Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Travel Bag Medium Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.95 Back Pack Triangle Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.95 Co-driver/Computer Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Baseball Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Ski Hat Fleece Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Scarf Fleece Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Gloves Fleece Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.95 Golf Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.95 Shooting Stick Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51.95

Cs010 Cs011 Cs012 Cs013 Cs014 Cs015 Cs016 Cs017 Cs018

Fleece Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.95 Umbrella Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.95 Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.95 Stopwatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.95 Pen With String . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.95 Metal Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.95 Bic Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.95 Mousemat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.95 Team Sponsor Jacket Red Coming Soon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tba

Sm007 Sm008 Sm009 Sm010 Sm011

Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.95 Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.50 Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.95 Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.95 Pin Badge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.95

Hms004 Poloshirt Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.95 Hms005 Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.95 Hms006 Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.95

Ra007 Ra008 Ra009 Ra010 Ra011

Alp013 Alp014 Alp015 Alp016 Alp017 Alp018

Heavyweight Jacket Red/Black ( Med Lrg Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309.95 Ski Hat Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Ski Hat Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Baseball Cap Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95 Baseball Cap Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.95

Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.95 Sticker Set Incl 26 Stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.95 Day Pack Small Rucksack Red, Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.95 Back Pack Black With Red/Blue Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79.95 Large Kit Bag Black, Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109.95 Astar Rubber Keyring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.95

We Also Carry A Full Range Of Videos and Models Please contact us for more details

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Sf006 Sf017 Sf118 Sf214 Sf301 Sf608 Sf501 Sf533 Sf601 Sf728 Sf733 Sf820 Sf847 Sf860 Sf823

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All Prices + Vat @ 21%

Racing Suits Iao1901 Omp StarNon Fia Iao1801 Omp Pilota 3 Layer Fia Iao1802 Omp Trend 2 3 Layer Fia Aws001 Aws 3 Layer Suit FIA one colour Aws002 Aws 3 Layer Suit FIA two colour Aws003 Aws Custom Made Suit Prices From

130.87 265.00 318.00 318.00 330.00 430.00

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55.00 70.25 80.67 86.10 110.25 128.06 131.36 106.57

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Helmets / Intercoms 455.00 500.00 570.00 125.00 795.00 165.00 119.00 109.00 50.00 230.48 251.48 332.85 219.00 254.00 376.00 269.00 281.00 327.00 430.00 82.64 106.61 39.67 430.00 471.00 165.29 140.50 86.78 57.85 41.32 41.32 781.00 31.40 37.19 39.66 187.5 86.00 180.00

78.00 58.00 58.00 205.00

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163.51 29.64 192.28 204.75 284.55

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Racing Seats Ha634 Omp Extra Steel Frame FIA 222.08 Ha705 Omp Wrc Fia Ha633 Omp Rs Fia Ha689 Omp Ars Fia Hc/666/Le Side Mount Aluminium Brackets Hc/666 Aluminium Lower Mounts Hc664 Aluminium Brackets For Base Mounting (Set 4) 851Fc Sparco Rev Fia 853Fc Sparco Evo Fia 853L2 Sparco Evo 2 (Wide Fit) Fia 862Fc Sparco Pro 2000 Fia 886Fc Sparco Corsa Fia Sparco Side Mounts

132.30 132.30 33.62

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Racing Accessories Iaa703 Omp Nomex Underwear Vest/Pants Fia Iaa720 Omp Balaclava Cream Fia Id787 Omp Neck Brace Fia Na1858 Omp Helmet Box Net Na1856 Omp Tank Tape Na1862 Omp Pacenote Books Nb1865 Omp Mechanics Gloves Oda1993 Omp Aluminium Gearknob Oa1030 Omp Aluminium Pedals Oa1866 Omp Co-drivers Aluminium Footrest Oa2091A Omp Drivers Footrest Ea462 Omp Master Switch 6 Pole Ka1033 Omp Co-drivers Map Light Ora1566 Omp Co-drivers Bag Ora2940 Omp Helmet Bag (Mahio) Na1871 Omp Helmet Hook Na1864 Omp Helmet Box Eb492 Omp Bonnet Pins Eb491 Omp Steel Spring Kit Ast01 Ast Fastime 1 Stopwatch Ast02 Ast Fastime 11 Stopwatch Ast03 Ast Fastime 12 Dual Display Ast04 Co-pilot Co-drivers Watch

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134.70 124.85 126.07 126.07

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Graphic design: Kieran O’Connor www.kieranoconnor.com

Pe01 Peltor Pro Rally Pe02 Peltor Pro Carbon Pe03 Peltor Pro Race Pe04 Peltor Fmt100 Amp Pe05 Peltor Fmt200 Amp Pe09 Peltor Practice Headset White Pe10 Peltor Mt632 Open Face Helmet Kit Pe11 Peltor Mt63 Full Face Helmet Kit Pe12 Peltor Helmet Bag Blue 335B Sparco Projet White 333B Sparco Top Race 331 Sparco Formula St001 Stilo Trophy Jet St002 Stilo Trophy Rally St003 Stilo Trophy Plus (Wrc Amp) St004 Stilo Integral Turismo (Sp2) St005 Stilo Integral Formula (Sp2) St006 Stilo Integral Trophy (Sp2) St007 Stilo Integral Trophy Plus (Wrc Amp)(Sr3) St008 Stilo Trophy Amplifier St009 Stilo Trophy Practice Headsets St010 Stilo 12V Adapter St011 Stilo Wrc Open Face St012 Stilo Wrc Carbon St013 Stilo Wrc Amplifier St014 Stilo Wrc Practice Headsets St015 Stilo Helmet Bag St016 Stilo Wrc Emergency Kit St017 Stilo Peltor To Wrc Converter St018 Stilo To Peltor Converter St019 St20 Amplifier Wrc St020 St20 Telephone Connection St021 St 20 Radio Connection St022 Push To Talk Switch Gr001 Graytronics Pro Kit Gr002 Graytronics Pro Amplifier Gr003 Graytronics Clubman Kit

Gr004 Graytronics Clubman Amplifier Gr005 Graytronics Open Face Headset Gr006 Graytronics Full Face Headset Gr007 Graytronics Practice Headset (Pair)

specialstages

Pacenotes 27

me crowe northern ireland stages rally championship Maurice Gass

ROUND ONE

eurocables rally kirkistown 22 FEBRUARY WORDS & IMAGES: COLIN COURTNEY

Donnelly’s delight... lorious sunshine heralded the G start of the ME Crowe Northern Ireland Rally Championship for 2003, and it shone brightest for Eugene Donnelly who won his 3rd straight event in as many outings. After victory on the West 2002 Galway International last November, followed by a storming drive in the CarSport Rally Time Trial at the Kings Hall in February, the Eurocables was added to his tally of wins, and he now leads the Championship.

Donnelly and co-driver Paddy Toner were on blistering form right from the start, setting fastest time on stage 1 in their Stan Harper hired, ex-Colin McRae, Subaru Impreza WRC, and got a lead they would hold to the finish. They left the chasing pack in their wake to fight a battle all of their own.

Closest to Donnelly on that fateful first stage were Kieran Shaw and Crawford Henderson in their Ford Escort WRC, the black beauty well on song and pushing hard to keep up, and had it not been for a few mistakes in the Metro 6R4, the ever popular crew of Denis Biggerstaff and Damien McCann could have been in the lead. Trevor Moore and Phillip McCrea were also trying hard to keep up in their Ford Escort Cosworth, the yellow peril never sounding better, and they were ideally placed should anything go wrong ahead of them. Another fancied crew that were finding the going hard were Maurice Gass and his navigator for the day, BBC newsreader, Karen Patterson.

Maurice made a mistake at a hairpin and stalled the car for a few seconds, but he was soon on his way, and could still pose a threat.

Jaye Jordan and Graeme Stewart were forced to retire after stage 1 due to mechanical difficulties, but the dubious honour of being the first retirement

went to Brian McCloskey and Fergal Shaw, whose Escort WRC refused to get off the start line and was pushed back towards the paddock.

Two drivers took time out of Donnelly on stage 2 as they vied for what was now second place. Donnelly was 3rd quickest on the stage, a repeat of stage 1, and only 0.1 of a secondsquicker than Denis Biggerstaff, the Metro now complete with a new engine, and it seemed to be working well, the Dromara driver now only a short distance behind Kieran Shaw in second place. But the two drivers setting the pace on the stage were Trevor Moore and Maurice Gass. Moore set second fastest time on the stage, while Gass was quickest, and the pair were now scrapping for third place overall.

Stage 3 saw Donnelly putting the pressure on again, setting quickest time on stages 3 and 4, with the Metro of Biggerstaff only two seconds down over the two tests, and now in 2nd place overall. Kieran Shaw was now relegated to 4th place as the race for 3rd was now well and truly on. Maurice Gass was 3rd quickest over the two stages, and claimed 3rd place overall just ahead of Shaw, who in turn managed to take a few seconds out of Moore, but it was still a very close battle.

Trevor Moore

With two stages left, and such a leading margin at the front, no-one could afford to relax, not even Donnelly, and he had a real heart-stopping moment when he sent the rear of the Impreza towards the clouds after hitting a rut, and was lucky not to damage anything on the Impreza, but it gave Biggerstaff the opportunity to pull back just over a second and narrow the margin between the two.

The pair went into the final stage separated by only 4 seconds, and both men were determined to get their year off to a winning start. Both drivers blitzed the stage in spectacular style, but at the end they set identical times and were joint quickest on the stage, so the win went to Donnelly, and he took the lead of the ME Crowe Northern Ireland Championship.

All that was left, was to settle 3rd place, and Maurice Gass, Kieran Shaw and Trevor Moore were ready to do battle, but disaster was to strike for two of them. Maurice Gass had started to get the hang of his new Impreza, and he decided to start trying out the launch control on his new car.

Unfortunately for him, the car broke the timing beam early and he was given a one minute penalty for a jump start, and at the end of the day instead of

being 3rd, he was relegated to 9th.

Trevor Moore stormed through the stage looking very committed and obviously really trying, but in the end it was all in vain when his Escort Cosworth ground to halt on the second lap of the last stage, almost within sight of the finish, and retired with a broken front differential. This left Kieran Shaw, who had driveshaft problems of his own to contend with, and was somewhat surprised to see Moore parked up in the stage, realising that he now occupied the last spot on the podium.

George Robinson and Tommy Speers (Escort Cosworth) took 4th, Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna (Lancer Evo 6)5th, Gary White and Barry Taggart (Escort Cosworth) 6th, Martin Elliott and Brian Crawford (4x4 Corsa) 7th, Paul Crossen and Stewart McLean (Impreza) 8th, Maurice Gass and Karen Patterson 9th and rounding off the top 10 was Kevin Lynch and Martin McNicholl debuting his new Impreza WRC P2000.

But as the sun set over Kirkistown, on what was a highly successful day for the North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club, it was E u g e n e Donnelly whose v i c t o r y celebrations were richly deserved and have put the D r a p e r s t ow n man on a high for the season ahead.

overall results PL NO 1 1 2 4 3 12 4 7 5 19 6 5 7 28 8 21 9 3 10 17 11 22 12 26 13 18 14 8 15 29 16 51 17 14 18 25 19 68 20 45

DRIVER/CO-DRIVER TOTAL Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner 23:37.5 Denis Biggerstaff/Damian McCann 23:41.4 Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson 24:11.1 George Robinson/Tommy Speers 24:19.3 Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna 24:37.5 Gary White/Barry Taggart 24:42.9 Martin Elliott/Brian Crawford 24:46.1 Paul Crossen/Stewart McClean 24:50.0 Maurice Gass/Karen Patterson 24:57.0 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl 25:00.4 Michael Curran/Liam 25:00.8 Rodney Gilliland/Richard Bell 25:02.3 Raymond Mason/Peter Martin 25:02.8 Paddy White/Aidan Moran 25:12.3 Derrick Jobb/John Henderson 25:15.4 Neill McCance/Chris Hamilton 25:20.4 Fintan McGrady/Tim Hopkins 25:21.9 Alan Connolly/Rodney Wallace 25:29.9 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy 25:32.3 Stephen Nevin/Walter Nevin 25:33.1

28 Pacenotes

specialstages me crowe northern ireland stages rally championship Richard Hogg

Dick Curran

ROUND ONE

eurocables rally kirkistown 22 FEBRUARY WORDS: COLIN COURTNEY

roup N was always going to be G a big battle between Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna, returning to the Northern Ireland championship after a brief sabbatical, and Dick Curran, a guy who has found his feet recently in his group N Lancer and always goes well. Richard Hogg was having his second competitive outing in his newly purchased Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6, while Dick Curran, with navigator Bryan Haddock was also having his second run in a new motor, a Lancer Evo 7.

class results CLASS ONE 1 73 Marshall Kennedy/C Kennedy 2 88 Andrew Gamble/Stuart Temple 3 89 Adrian Pollock/John O’Hagan 4 109 Stephen Kelly/Ann Taggart 5 108 Andrew Frizell/Colin Clark

25:54.4 26:25.9 26:52.2 27:33.3 29:19.0

Boss Hogg!

Curran set the early pace on stage 1 and 2 opening up a gap of nearly 10 seconds over Hogg, but a mistake on stage 3 by Curran allowed the two crews to almost draw level. Curran was 0.1 of a second quicker on ss4, and status quo was well and truly implemented on ss5 when he beat Hogg

by a further 4 seconds.

But disaster struck on ss6 when the new Evo 7 ground to a halt within sight of the finish, and the Evo 6 of Richard Hogg disappeared into the distance to claim a hard earned victory in Group N with a margin of 12.5 seconds.

Michael Curran, Dick’s son, was initially

3rd in his father’s old Evo 6 Lancer, and not far off the pace, but Paul Crossen in a Subaru mounted a charge which saw Michael and navigator Liam Curran relegated to 4th.

With the demise of Dick Curran, Crossen and co-driver Stewart McClean claimed 2nd place in group N, and that raised Michael Curran to 3rd in class, a further 10 seconds down.

Raymond Mason and Peter Martin also mounted a late charge in their Subaru Impreza to almost catch Curran Jr, and finish 4th in group N, while Derek Jobb and John Henderson in an Evo 5 Mitsubishi rounded off the top 5.

Logan wins by just 0.8s s well as the Class 8 overall, and A Group N Class 2, there were 6 other classes to compete for on the Eurocables.

CLASS TWO 1 19 Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna 2 21 Paul Crossen/Stewart McClean 3 22 Michael Curran/Liam Curran 4 18 Raymond Mason/Peter Martin 5 29 Derrick Jobb/John Henderson

24:37.5 24:50.0 25:00.8 25:02.8 25:15.4

CLASS THREE 1 46 Brian Black/Ian Crozier 2 96 Aidan Minford/C Minford 3 81 Colin Britton/Kenny Hull 4 80 Jim Aicken/Tom Warren 5 82 Lucy F-Hutchinson/K. Millington

26:08.3 26:39.0 26:59.1 27:36.0 27:51.8

CLASS FOUR 1 77 Harold McAllister/Alex Ewart 2 83 Steve McNeilly/W McConkey 3 76 Michael Carlin/Denis Durnin 4 75 John Devlin/Bill McClelland 5 87 Allan Mackay/Gordon Mackay

26:54.3 27:05.8 27:35.3 27:37.4 28:06.1

CLASS FIVE 1 31 Dessie Keenan/Cain Curley 2 62 Andrew Mulholland/G. Moore 3 63 Andrew Bushe/M. Thompson 4 72 Graham Patterson/Keith Hall 5 101 Emma McKinstry/Rory McPolin

26:12.3 26:40.5 27:06.8 27:33.1 27:39.1

CLASS SIX 1 68 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy 2 45 Stephen Nevin/Walter Nevin 3 38 Samuel Wilson/Andrew Wilson 4 67 Mervyn Williamson/G. Hamilton 5 69 Philip McConnell/M. McConnell

25:32.3 25:33.1 25:44.6 25:49.7 26:06.5

CLASS SEVEN 1 28 Martin Elliott/Brian Crawford 2 26 Rodney Gilliland/Richard Bell 3 25 Alan Connolly/Rodney Wallace 4 58 Rob Riddles/Rodger Laird Ford 5 40 Denis Patterson/M. Patterson

24:46.1 25:02.3 25:29.9 25:43.4 26:18.6

CLASS EIGHT 1 1 Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner 2 4 Denis Biggerstaff/D. McCann 3 12 Kieran Shaw/C. Henderson 4 7 George Robinson/T. Speers 5 5 Gary White/Barry Taggart

23:37.5 23:41.4 24:11.1 24:19.3 24:42.9

Class 1 saw Marshall Kennedy romp to his customary victory in his Peugeot 306 GTi6, this time with girlfriend Carolyn Kennedy in the navigator’s seat. Setting fastest time on every stage but the last, he finished 12.5 seconds ahead of Andrew Gamble and Stuart Temple in a Vauxhall Astra, with Adrian Pollock and John O’Hagan 3rd in class.

Class 4 was a closer affair, and is always the most competitive of classes. On this occasion Harold McAllister and Alex Ewart took the honours by a margin of 11.5 seconds. They were followed home by a brace of Ford Escorts, with Stephen McNeilly and Wilson McConkey in 2nd place in class and Michael Carlin and Denis Durnin in 3rd, a further 30 seconds back.

Class 6 was the closest fought class with a winning margin of 0.8 seconds in the favour of Gareth Logan and Alan Purdy, although it was the 2nd placed crew of Stephen and Walter Nevin who were initially fastest and set the most top times throughout the day. But a real push on the final stage by Logan and Purdy sealed the fate of the Nevins and took class honours in their Ford Escort. Sammy and Andrew Wilson in their Renault Clio Maxi finished 3rd in class, a further 11.5 seconds down.

The Toyota Starlet of Brian Black and Ian Crozier was victorious in class 3 setting fastest time on every stage throughout the day to win the class by 30.7 seconds. Aiden and Cameron

Minford finished 2nd in class in their Nissan Micra, and third, in another Micra, were Colin Briton and Kenny Hull.

Dessie Keenan and Cain Curley were the victors in class 5, and it wasn’t surprising that they won the class comfortably by almost 30 seconds in the little Peugeot 106. Right from the start they were on the pace and were fastest on all but the final stage. Quickest on the last test were Andrew Mulholland and George Moore in a Ford Escort and they claimed 2nd in class by the finish, nearly 27 seconds ahead of Andrew Bushe and Malcolm Thompson in another 106.

The Sydney Meeke built Vauxhall Corsa 4x4 of Martin Elliott and Brian Crawford took the win in class 7 by 16.2 seconds from a hard charging Rodney Gilliland and Richard Bell in their Mk 2 Ford Escort, but the four wheel drive traction of the little 2 litre Corsa gave Elliott the edge in the earlier, slippery, morning stages. Gilliland took a fastest stage time on the final test, but it was a case of too little, too late.

The Corsa’s old owner Alan Connelly and his navigator Rodney Wallace finished 3rd in class a further 27 seconds back in their Mark 2 Ford Escort.

specialstages

Pacenotes 29

me crowe northern ireland stages rally championship

ROUND TWO

bishopscourt stages 15 MARCH IMAGES: COURTNEYMSPORT.COM

Derek & the Dominos... rom the moment the entry list FIreland for Round 2 of the Northern Rally Championship, the Patrick Haughey Partnership Bishopscourt Stages, was announced, it was clear there was really only going to be one winner.

That man was Derek McGarrity, and the car was a 2001 specification WRC Subaru Impreza.

In a display of precision driving the Glengormley man set fastest time on 3 of the 6 stages held at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, and won the event by 16 seconds.

Right from the off, the Impreza WRC sounded as sharp as a razor, and it suited the “point and squirt” sections of the stages perfectly, and the commitment of the determined McGarrity saw the Impreza blast through the faster sections at an awesome pace.

McGarrity and co-driver James McKee were quickest on stage 1 by 3 seconds from Denis Biggerstaff and Damien McCann in the Metro 6r4.

Gary White, getting to grips with his new Escort Cosworth, with Barry Taggart on the maps, were in third, only 2 seconds down on the Metro, and 4 seconds up on the current championship leading crew of Eugene Donnelly and Paddy Toner, in joint 4th place with the Escort Cosworth of

George Robinson and Tommy Speers.

Stage 2 was Denis Biggerstaff ’s turn to take a fastest time and in the process he cut the gap to McGarrity to 2 seconds.

Eugene Donnelly set 3rd quickest time on the stage and now moved closer to 3rd placed Gary White, still enjoying a committed drive, while George Robinson dropped time, but stayed in 5th place. At the end of the first loop of stages Martin Elliot and Brian Crawford lay in 6th place in their 4 wheel drive Vauxhall Corsa. Appearing high on the stage times on stage 2 after a slow start was Kieran Shaw, who for Bishopscourt had ditched his regular Escort WRC, and appeared in a Subaru Impreza WRC which was being looked after by the rally leader.

The Subaru of McGarrity set fastest time again on stage 3 by 5 seconds, the lead now up to 7 seconds from the Metro of Biggerstaff. Gary White, after losing time to Donnelly on stage 2, pulled out another second on the Draperstown driver, now heading the WRC Impreza by 5 seconds. George Robinson was now a distant 5th place in his Escort Cosworth, still ahead of Martin Elliot in the giant killing Corsa.

Current Championship leader Eugene Donnelly put in a fantastic time on stage 4, to beat everyone by 3 seconds and

close the gap to the leading 3 crews, but McGarrity still held the lead with a second fastest time, his advantage now 7 seconds. Denis Biggerstaff in 2nd and Gary White in 3rd set equal times to keep the gap between them to 9 seconds, while George Robinson held a firm 5th place. Martin Elliot still held 6th place, but was now only 3 seconds ahead of Keith White in his Escort G5 after a stunning time on the stage.

Stage 4 also saw the demise of Jaye Jordan and Graeme Stewart from their second successive event with mechanical problems. They were to continue the rest of the day though, performing course car duties.

Derek McGarrity set a cracking pace again on stage 5 with Eugene Donnelly only 2 seconds down. The pace was so hot that after the stage Denis Biggerstaff and Gary White admitted that they could not drive any quicker, and had almost admitted defeat barring a mechanical problem. Biggerstaff still held 2nd place, but Donnelly’s extra pace over the stages 4 and 5 had moved him into 3rd place ahead of Gary White.

George Robinson still lay in 5th, but Martin Elliot’s rally was now over, and Gary White had moved into 6th.

Stage 6 was now academic, as all McGarrity had to do was cruise home to

victory, and that he did to win by a margin of 16 seconds, but the big surprise was the fact that it was now Eugene Donnelly who held 2nd place at the finish. Denis Biggerstaff had been 16 seconds down on Derek going into the final stage, but on the first lap of the circuit, the engine lapsed onto 3 cylinders, and it was all the former Champion could do, but drive round, make the finish, and salvage some useful points, finishing 5th overall. Donnelly set the quickest time on the final stage, beating McGarrity by 2 seconds, a fantastic pace, strengthening his position at the head of the Championship. Gary White inherited 3rd place after the demise of the Metro, and he proclaimed himself happy with a superb result in only his third event in his new car.

George Robinson moved up to finish 4th overall ahead of Biggerstaff, and Keith White in his G5 rounded off the top 6.

Kevin Lynch and Martin McNicholl in their P2000 WRC Impreza finished 7th, group N winners Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna were 8th, Dickie Curran and Bryan Haddock 9th and Paddy White and Keefe Kilcoyne were 10th. Kieran Shaw’s first event in a WRC Impreza ended in retirement as he was forced to park the car up on the final stage after setting some impressive top 6 times.

overall results

Gary White

George Robinson

PL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

NO 1 2 5 6 3 15 12 7 8 22 17 26 14 27 21 23 59 29 25 24

DRIVER/CO-DRIVER Derek McGarrity/James McKee Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner Gary White/Barry Taggart George Robinson/Tommy Speers Denis Biggerstaff/Damian McCann Keith White/David Lyness Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna Dick Curran/Bryan Haddock Paddy White/Keefe Kilcoyne Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell Michael Curran/Liam Curran Raymond Mason/Peter Martin Mark Leathem /Pam Norris David Greer/Stephen McAuley Alan Connolly/Rodney Wallace Neil McCance/Richard Huniford Craig Bennett/Rodger Bennett Derrick Jobb/Kevin O’Brien Paul Barrett/Dermot Colgan

TOTAL 31.19 31.35 31.46 32.19 32.33 32.50 32.58 32.58 33.03 33.09 33.27 33.41 33.44 33.45 33.48 34.11 34.13 34.14 34.17 34.18

30 Pacenotes

specialstages me crowe northern ireland stages rally championship

ROUND TWO

Hogg still the Boss...

bishopscourt stages

ichard Hogg and Mark Hanna seemed to get things easy at R Kirkistown in the first round of the

15 MARCH WORDS: COLIN COURTNEY

Championship, especially after Dickie Curran’s retirement from the event, so revenge would be sought at Bishopscourt and it was shaping up to be a titanic battle between the two. In the end though Hogg got his class victory, but there was not a lot in it in the end.

It was always going to be the battle of the Lancers, and in fact 9 cars in the top 10 on class 2, group N, were Mitsubishi Lancers of one variation or another. But two stood head and shoulders above the rest, those of Richard Hogg and Dickie Curran. The pair set equal fastest time on stage 1, and the scene was set.

This was going to be an epic.

Stage 2, and Hogg took the advantage by 3 seconds from Curran and his codriver Bryan Haddock. Another equal fastest stage time on stage 3 kept the gap at 3 seconds, and Curran narrowed the gap on stage 4, by winning the stage by 2 seconds.

On stage 5, when the stage was reversed, Richard Hogg upset the apple cart by taking a further 5 seconds out of Curran, and this left the gap at 6 seconds with one final stage to go. Hogg was first into the stage, and he set a time of 5 minutes 29 seconds. Everyone waited until Curran finished the stage to see what sort of a time he could set. He was quicker, but not quite quick enough,

setting a time of 5 minutes and 28 seconds Hogg had won. The 5 seconds Richard had gained on stage 5 turned out to be crucial, and was in fact the turning point of the rally.

Third in group N were Raymond Johnston and Richard Bell. They finished 24 seconds down on Dickie, not far off the pace, and 4th in class was Dickie’s

son Michael Curran. 5th were Raymond Mason and Peter Martin in the only Subaru Impreza in the top 10, and rounding off the top 6 was Mark Leathem and Pam Norris. David Greer also made an appearance in his DGM Lancer Evo 7, but the best he could manage was 7th in class which gives a huge insight into the competition in Group N.

class results CLASS ONE 1 60 Marshall Kennedy/Sam Paul 2 61 Gordon Simpson/Adrian Kerr 3 62 Jim Wilson/David Neill 4 84 Sean McBrien/Paul Lunney 5 99 Ronnie Bustard/Richard Loughlin

35.28 36.40 36.55 36.57 37.36

CLASS TWO 1 7 Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna 2 8 Dick Curran/Bryan Haddock 3 17 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell 4 26 Michael Curran/Liam Curran 5 14 Raymond Mason/Peter Martin

32.58 33.03 33.27 33.41 33.44

CLASS THREE 1 58 Ian Duff/Ian Hull 2 86 Brian Black/Ian Crozier 3 97 Stephen Dickson/David Dickson 4 87 Alden Minford/Neil Finlay 5 88 Colin Britton/Kenny Hull

35.30 35.32 35.53 36.36 36.39

CLASS FOUR 1 81 Walter Nevin/Stephen Nevin 35.13 2 70 Stephen McNeilly/Andrew Beatty 35.56 3 69 Harold McAllister/Alex Ewart 36.01 4 79 William Smith/Stephen Smith 36.10 5 20 Allan Mackay/Gordon Mackay 36.13 CLASS FIVE 1 75 Mark Doyle/Rory Doyle 2 55 Jonny Morrow/Margo Christy 3 54 Andrew Mulholland/Gary Price 4 56 Dermot O’Hagan/M. McGarrity 5 57 Phillip Morrow/Simon Morrow

34.26 34.36 35.11 35.41 35.45

CLASS SIX 1 64 Geoffrey Nevin/Paul Nevin 2 46 Mervyn Williamson/George Hamilton 3 34 Sammy Wilson/Andrew Wilson 4 47 Ian Baxter/Colin Anderson 5 66 Malachy Donnelly/Wendy Blackledge

34.26 34.34 34.43 34.50 35.09

CLASS SEVEN 1 23 Alan Connolly/Rodney Wallace 2 24 Paul Barrett/Dermot Colgan 3 43 Denis Patterson/Marshall Patterson 4 73 James Kennedy/James Bell 5 51 Paul Ward/Barry McKenna

34.11 34.18 35.27 35.34 36.37

CLASS EIGHT 1 1 Derek McGarrity/James McKee 2 2 Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner 3 5 Gary White/Barry Taggart 4 6 George Robinson/Tommy Speers 5 3 Denis Biggerstaff/Damian McCann

31.19 31.35 31.46 32.19 32.33

Ian Duff

Brian Black gets ‘Duff-ed’ up... lass 1 in the Northern C Ireland Rally Championship is becoming a

crews, taking the position 15 seconds down on Simpson.

bit predictable these days, as Marshall Kennedy has made this his domain and Bishopscourt was no exception. Scoring fastest time on every stage he, and co-driver Sam Paul, won the class by 1 minute and 12 seconds from Gordon Simpson and Adrian Kerr in their similar Peugeot 306. Jim Wilson and David Neill put in a great drive battling for 3rd all day with several

Ian Duff and Ian Hull, in their Vauxhall Nova, got the better of Brian Black and Ian Crozier, winners of class 3 at Kirkistown, to take the class victory by a mere 2 seconds.The pair traded times all day, and actually set equal times on 2 stages, and both took 2 stage wins each, but a slow start from Black on the first stage was enough to have him playing catch up all day. Stephen and David Dickson in another Nova were third in class and

actually set an equal fastest time on ss5 with Duff and Black, but he couldn’t match the electric pace ahead of him.

Walter and Stephen Nevin in their immaculate Mark 2 Escort won class 4 by a considerable margin and dominated their class, winning with a margin of 43 seconds from the similar car of Stephen McNeilly and Andrew Beatty.This was another class won by a clean sweep of fastest stage times, the Nevins setting a pace that McNeilly just couldn’t keep up with. Five seconds back in 3rd

place were Harold McAllister and Alex Ewart in their Talbot Sunbeam.

The Doyle brothers, Mark and Rory, took the honours in class 5 in their Peugeot 106 winning by 10 seconds from Jonny Morrow and Margo Christy in their rear wheel drive Peugeot 205. Both crews set a blistering pace and were only ever separated by a handful of seconds and Morrow finished 25 seconds ahead of the 3rd placed crew of Andrew Mulholland and Gary Price in their Escort.

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Pacenotes 31

me crowe northern ireland stages rally championship Marshall Kennedy

ROUND TWO

bishopscourt stages 15 MARCH IMAGES: COURTNEYMSPORT.COM Paul Nevin

Mark and Rory Doyle Class 6 went the way of Geoffrey and Paul Nevin in their Mark 1 Ford Fiesta, winning the class by 8 seconds from Mervyn Williamson and George Hamilton in their Mark 2 Escort.

Williamson was initially quickest over the first 2 stages, but the Nevins pulled out all the stops to take fastest time on the final 4 stages and take the victory.

Sammy and Andrew Wilson finished a further 9 seconds down, but actually set joint quickest time on the final three

stages, a slow start spoiling any chances they had of winning their class.

Following the demise of Martin Elliot in his 4x4 Vauxhall Nova, Alan Connelly and Rodney Wallace took over the mantle of class leaders, and duly went on to take victory by 7 seconds from Paul Barrett and Dermot Colgan. Denis and Marshall Patterson took 3rd place in their G3 Escort over 1 minute further back.

Last stage heartache...

....the 6r4 lost three cylinders on the very last stage dropping Denis from second to fifth place!

Alan Connolly

Points of interest at this year’s Easter Stages... using both his opportunity for dropped scores, it would cast a doubt over a defence of his title this year.

ound 3 of the ME Crowe R Northern Ireland Championship is, as always, the Easter Stages which tags along at the end of the main Circuit of Ireland field on Easter Monday.

This round will see the absence of the 2 event victors to date, Eugene Donnelly and Derek McGarrity. The two drivers will be using their respective Impreza World Rally Cars in the main field of the event, and this makes them ineligible to score points for the ME Crowe series.

Last year any registered competitor in the Northern Ireland series could score points even if they were entered in the main Circuit field, and when Eugene Donnelly won the event last year, it was McGarrity who took maximum points on his way to winning the series. Donnelly finished the year as Championship runner up to the Glengormley man, but many feel that

the Championship could have ended up differently had maximum points went the way of the Draperstown driver.

Appeals were lodged, but in the end organisers upheld their decision and Derek got the points, but this

was obviously one of the reasons behind the change of heart. Besides with the best of 7 scores from 9 rounds counting towards the championship, Donnelly is still in the best position so far this year. But with McGarrity missing both the Eurocables and the Easter Stages

This leaves three crews to get back onto terms with Eugene Donnelly over Easter. Denis Biggerstaff currently lies 2nd in the Championship, and a good result on the Easter Stages would lift him ahead of the Impreza in the title chase. Likewise, the same applies to George Robinson and Gary White, currently in 3rd and 4th respectively.

Gary White could prove to be the dark horse of the three, as he is rapidly coming to terms with his Escort Cosworth, which was recently converted to right hand drive, and his 3rd place at Bishopscourt could see the Belfast driver on the crest of a wave come Easter Monday.

Another driver coming to terms with new equipment is Kevin Lynch who debuted his newly acquired

P2000 Impreza WRC at the start of the year, and his speed in his new mount has been impressive of late, as he comes to terms with the car. Also the Group N battle has all the makings of being a classic. Richard Hogg, currently in 5th in the championship, has two victories in the class to date, but with Dickie Curran non-scoring at Kirkistown, things could be much tighter when dropped scores come into play.

Yet another driver who could feature in the title fight is Trevor Moore. Trevor retired from the Eurocables Stages, and was away on holiday when Bishopscourt took place, so when dropped scores come into play, he would need to score well in every remaining round of the Championship this year.

All in all, this years championship has the makings of being a classic, and the Easter Stages will tell a tale or two by the time it finishes on Easter Monday in Enniskillen.

32 Pacenotes

specialstages pirelli british rally championship

SHAKEDOWN

PBRC LIVE 2 MARCH WORDS: COLIN COURTNEY IMAGES: COURTNEYMSPORT.COM

Bermuda shorts... fter the shock cancellation of A the Rally of Wales, Colin Courtney takes a look back at last months PBRC Live.

Nuneaton was probably a surprise venue for “PBRC Live”, a replacement for last year’s Shakedown event at Sweet Lamb, but by all accounts it was judged largely to be a success.

The idea was simple, to bring rallying to the people, inject a new enthusiasm for the sport, and attract new spectators to what is the UK’s premier rally Championship. It seemed to work as well, as it was not only the hardened rally

rally sport ireland

fans, but also the curious armchair enthusiast who turned up to see the cream of this years talent put on a show at the Bermuda Industrial Park.

A 2.5 mile stage was laid out, and an entry of registered competitors for the 2003 Pirelli British Rally Championship turned up to show what the sport was all about.

from Finland, in a works Ford Focus WRC. Justin Dale also made a guest appearance in a Hyundai Accent World Rally Car, and he will undertake some testing duties for the team this year as well.

Those that were present from the Super 1600 category of the championship included Steve Hill in his newly built Alfa Romeo 147, Ryan Champion in a Ford Puma (run by Rallysport Ireland), Simon Hughes in the beautiful Renault Clio Maxi, and young Ulsterman Garry Jennings in his first official outing in the Peugeot 206 run by Vic Lee Motorsport. This is the car he will drive as part of his prize of winning the Peugeot Super 206 cup last year.

The competitors that took up the chance to test their cars in readiness for the championship proper, included a wide spectrum of classes and these included no fewer than 5 from the “sharper” end of the entry. Reigning British Champion Jonny Milner was present to show off his Championship winning Toyota Corolla WRC, the car it that he will use this year to defend his title, and the crowd were well entertained with some sideways action from the Yorkshireman.

After various rumors suggesting that MG are pulling out of their rally program this year, it was a great sight to see the works MG X-power team present with their driver Gwyndaf Evans, but rather ominously it was a Group N version of their ZR S1600 car that he was driving on the day. It still didn’t stop the Welshman driving the ZR like his life depended on it.Time will tell though, on what is in store for the popular team and

Also in their Group A and World Rally “Supercars” were Julian Reynolds in a 555 Subaru Impreza, 2002 BTCC Champion James Thompson in an exworks Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6, and an undoubted World Champion in the making. 17 year old Jari Matti Latvala

driver this year.

The group N category was represented by Paul Alexander in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7, while Ellya Gold arrived with his Peugeot 206 GT, Kate Heath demonstrated her Seat Ibiza Cupra Sport, Sophie Robinson showed off her Castrol VW Polo Championship car, and Neil Burgess gave the venerable Mini a run.

The Peugeot Super 206 Cup was also represented by Paul Swift, son of professional stunt driver Russ, and he nearly ended his day on the first run up the hill when he clipped a kerb damaging his suspension, but the Peugeot Sport mechanics soon had him mobile again.

Paul also showed what he can do at considerably slower speeds, when he took Channel 4 Rally presenter Mike Brewer for a two wheeled run during the interval.

With the action going on for most of the day, and the added bonus of some superb weather, the event gave a taster of what will be in store when the Championship starts in earnest in Gateshead with the Pirelli International.

160-162 castlereagh road, belfast, co antrim, northern ireland, bt5 5fd

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Pacenotes 33

pirelli british rally championship Party capital

Yorkshire terrier... he 2002 British Rally T Champion, Jonny Milner has strengthened his reputation as a

fast, consistent and reliable driver.

Never finishing outside off the podium all season, Milner recorded an impressive 7 wins from 11 starts in 2003.

Starting out in Rally Cross, Milner’s natural driving talent was evident in abundance - becoming British Rally Cross Champion. Des O’Dell spotted Milner’s speed and car control, the “father” of young Peugeot rally talent at that time.

O’Dell persuaded the raw Yorkshire talent to go into rallying. A new and highly eventful rallying career was born.

Winning the Shell Rally Scholarship and a year’s prize drive climbed the highly popular Yorkshireman yet further up the rallying ladder.

Jonny Milner has driven a wide variety of rally cars since the early nineties. As Peugeot official test driver, Milner was responsible for testing and shaking down BOTH the rally and Touring cars at the time.

Post-Shell Scholarship, Jonny began to work with Nissan, where he developed and drove both the 4wd Nissan Sunny GTi-R and the Formula 2 Sunny GTI. Jonny’s first ever outing in the 4wd Nissan was at the Autosport Show Arena. Against Colin McRae and Richard Burns, Milner romped home to win.

On the Pirelli Rally, Milner led from Finnish legend Ari Vatanen in the Sunny GTI-R until a brake problem forced him

out of the event. In 2002, Jonny worked with current World Rally Team Hyundai, shaking down their customer cars. Jonny’s first appearance in a Hyundai Accent WRC was a fruitful one. He won the Swansea Bay National Rally by 4 minutes.

After Nissan, Milner then began his long association with Toyota. Driving a number of relatively uncompetitive Celica’s, it was only through Jonny’s sheer grit and determination that the cars were able to be on the pace against advanced machinery.

of Europe

Words: Jamie Edwards - JemSport PR Images: www.courtney-msport.com Milner’s most impressive showing in a Toyota was the 1999 Network Q Rally, where he guided a Corolla WRC to a stunning 11th overall against the toughest of opposition.

Last season Jonny contest the Pirelli British Rally Championship in a ’98 spec Toyota Corolla WRC. Up against some strong opposition, Jonny’s luck finally changed and he dominated the championship with his sensible and consistent approach to the events.

Milner’s own mechanical knowledge shone through on the Manx Rally, as he dragged the ailing Corolla home with only 3rd gear for the final day of the event. A podium finish was just reward for the typically heroic never say die effort.

Convincing back-to-back wins on the Rally of Wales and Scottish Rally were followed up with some sterling performances on tarmac. The final round, Milner’s home event in Yorkshire was the title showdown and Milner rose to the challenge magnificently.

A near two-minute win meant that Milner had finally reached his goal of being a most worthy and popular British Rally Champion. Jonny returns to Wrexham and Wales confident of challenging for the crown again, and will be equally keen to add the Rally of Wales to his list of rallies won for the second year in a row.

T

Having already planned a more compact format, and with the introduction of several exciting new features, the organisers are confident of attracting a record number of competitors and spectators.

“For some time we’ve realised that more compact events, concentrated into two and a half days including the reconnaissance run, are the way forward for British rallying,” explains Brian Kinghorn, chairman of the Pirelli’s organising committee.

“Over the last six months, we’ve put together an event

that understands the fact that, these days, competitors find it difficult to justify more time away from their businesses than absolutely necessary.

“Our prime aim has therefore been to come up with an extremely challenging event worthy of the Pirelli British Rally Championship, with a reasonable amount of stage mileage, but at the same time cutting out any unnecessary non-competitive time.

rally sport ireland

After the reconnaissance run on Thursday afternoon (24 April) and Friday morning, and with scrutineering at the Gateshead International Stadium also taking place during Friday, the rally will start from the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, close to Gateshead’s famous Millennium Bridge, at 5.30pm on Friday afternoon.

From there the crews will complete two runs of a special spectator stage right in the City centre before tackling 35 miles of challenging stages in Kielder Forest in the dark.

The next day there will be approximately 80 more daylight stage miles in Kielder before the finish in Baltic Square late on Saturday afternoon.

Martin Pallot, the

competitors on next month’s Pirelli International Rally with all the amenities of the famous Gateshead/ Newcastle Quayside quarter, recently voted the best party venue in Europe and the perfect place to wind down after the rigours of competing in the tough Kielder Forest stages.

At nightime the place really comes alive as hordes of revellers pile in to enjoy the many attractions.

Located only 100 yards from the rallies Start/ Finish podium is the Tuxedo Princess,a former ocean going liner, it is Europes largest floating nightclub.

All too often, rallies are tucked away in some Godforsaken, out of the way place but the Pirelli International Rally brings a new angle to the sport offering the opportunity to combine top class International rally with some great “apre rally” social life, something which has been missing from the rallying scene for far too long.

Age: 32 years.

Lives: Huggate, North Yorkshire.

Status: Married to Tracey, 3 daughters.

Pirelli won’t tire you out... he Pirelli International Rally, which takes place in and around Gateshead on 25-26 April, will be the first qualifying round of the 2003 Pirelli British Rally Championship.

uropes party capital E is ready and waiting to welcome

international motor sport PR and events manager for Pirelli Tyres Limited, is equally enthusiastic about the revised format: “Although we’re all disappointed about the unexpected cancellation of the Rally of Wales,” he said, “we can now look forward to an exciting start to the 2003 Pirelli British Rally Championship.”

Last year the spectator stage and rally show at Watergate Park attracted over 9,000 people, so the potential this year is huge. Competitors and spectators can look forward to:* A compact day-and-a-half event necessitating only two nights accommodation for drivers, and one for service crews. * Scrutineering and parc

fermé at the Gateshead International Stadium. * Competing cars flagged away outside the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Baltic Square on Friday afternoon. * Two runs for each crew over a special spectator stage within 300 metres of the start, with plenty of viewing areas adjacent to the central service area, and with rally show, trade stands, family entertainment and other attractions. * 35 miles of challenging night-time stages in Kielder Forest. * A further 80 miles (approximately) of stages in Kielder on Saturday. *City-centre finish in Baltic Square on Saturday afternoon, with awards presented on the ramp.

Higgins to tackle BRC ark Higgins has M secured a deal to drive a Renault Clio S1600 in the Pirelli British Rally Championship. He will drive a car built and run

by RED and the team is still looking for another driver with finance in place to partner Higgins in a second Clio.

Higgins a past winner of the British Championship back in the F2 days, driving a Nissan Sunny F2 Kit car is now better known for his exploits in World Rally Cars, last year winning the opening round of the PBRC, the Pirelli International and his home event, the Manx International. He will have Bryan Thomas alongside co-driving for the entire year and will still be test driver for the Ford World Rally Team.

160-162 castlereagh road, belfast, co antrim, northern ireland, bt5 5fd

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34 Pacenotes

pocketfile mini profile - the bennett brothers

The need for Speed...

Craig

Rodger

ATTENTION ALL RALLY CREWS THIS is a first in a series of profiles highlighting the smaller teams in Irish rallying... It’s a great opportunity to give your family, friends, service crew and most importantly your sponsors some much deserved recognition!

It doesn’t matter where you are in the country we can cover it and it’s a free service.

If you want us to profile your team call us now on 048 40 660 390 or email us: editor@pacenotes.com Remember, it’s YOUR page so use it!

raig and Rodger Bennett C process film the same way they drive –fast!

said Rodger Bennett, “and competition doesn’t get any closer than in Group N.”

The success of the Bennett One Hour Photo/pharmacy chain in Northern Ireland enabled the brothers to go rallying – in a tasty little ’73 MG Midget, which they campaigned on the historic circuit back in 2000/2001.

“Paul McMahon Motorsport built the car completely from a road going version for us, and we’re very happy with it’s performance to date.”

With just a couple of seasons in rallying behind them, the lads find themselves up against a lot of virtually identical machinery – Group N being probably the most ‘level playing field’ in the sport today.

More speed was needed, so they bored the 1275cc motor out to 1320cc, switched from twin SUs to a single 45 twin choke Weber and fitted a Quaife five-speed box and diff. Craig Bennett reckons the car (prepared and run by ace spannerman Paul McMahon), was putting out nearly 100bhp at the rear wheels - not bad for a motor pushing 30 years of age!

The brothers had a lot of fun with the Midget, entering mainly single stage events, but in 2002 they decided to get a bit more serious about their sport and bought a Group N Lancer Evo VI. “We decided we wanted to compete in a more competitive class,”

“Our times are improving with every event,” says Rodger, “bearing in mind that we’re up against crews which have been driving this type of car for ten years or more.”

“We have the speed, what we need to work on now is consistency.”

“With that in mind we’ll be sticking to the tarmac rounds of the NI Championship this year – and avoiding the forests – which are extremely hard on the car.”

great,” says Rodger. “The deal came about because we shift large quantities of their pay-asyou-go mobiles through our photo/pharmacy chain. Let’s hope we can give them, and all our other sponsors value for money through the season.”

The Vodafone name is one which Pacenotes readers may recognise – from the Man Utd footie strip, the England cricket team strip…and of course Ferrari Formula 1 racing cars…it’s a big name to have on the car.

Making the huge leap from classic rallying up to state-of-the-art machinery obviously had big financial implications for the County Tyronebased brothers, so adding Vodafone to their sponsor list for 2003 must have come as quite a relief!

“Getting Vodafone on board was

The Bennett brothers will now have to find space for it on their Evo alongside regular sponsors AGFA, Supaverm, Matador, AG101 Racing Fuels, Bennetts 1 Hour Photo stores, PM Motorsport and McElhone Body Repairs.

Can one car carry that much vinyl?

Find out when the Bennetts feed their need for speed at one of their favourite events - the Easter Stages in Enniskillen on Monday 21st April.

The 1320cc motor & Twin Choke 45 Weber

Craig & Rodger with their MG at the 2001 Eurocables Rally.

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Pacenotes 35

aghadowey stages rally - st patricks day

AGHADOWEY STAGES class results Class 1 Pos No. Driver/Navigator 1 56 F Wray J Mcnulty 2 49 Gregory Shaw E Duggan 3 35 Andrew Gamble Stuart Temple 4 37 C Mcmonagle D Coyle 5 64 M O Donnell Tba Class 2 1 25

Raymond Spence

Aghadowey master class... eorge Robinson and Tommy Speers took a convincing victory on Maiden City Motor Club’s Aghadowey Stage Rally last month.

G

The Escort Cosworth pilot was back in action at the Aghadowey circuit just two days after he finished in a well earned fourth position at the Bishopscourt Stages Rally, a round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

Seeded first on the road, Robinson immediately took command of the St. Patrick’s Day event on the opening stage. The Ballymena based building contractor, who won two separate events at Aghadowey last year, was determined to add another to his list of victories. He stopped the clocks 3.4 seconds faster than the Subaru Impreza WRC of his nearest rivals, Kevin Lynch and Martina McNicholl.

This was a trend that would follow on stage two when Robinson once again set fastest time, ahead of Lynch, to increase his lead to five seconds. The Ballymena man was on form.

By the midway point of the rally, Robinson and Speers had edged out a

13.4 second lead, while Lynch was battling for second position with the Mitsubishi Lancer of Martin Doherty.

The World Rally Car pilot had lost his advantage to Doherty on the fourth stage and was trailing the Ballybofey man by 0.2 seconds.

A tit-for-tat battle ensued with Doherty extending his advantage to 0.5 seconds on stage five, but Lynch refused to give up without a fight. He moved back into second position on stage six and after another quick time on stage seven, Lynch was 4.3 seconds ahead of Doherty with one stage remaining.

Meanwhile, at the head of the leaderboard, George Robinson and Tommy Speers continued to set fastest times on every stage.

Nothing changed on the final test and eight fastest times out of eight stages resulted in the Escort Cosworth driver finishing on top of the podium with a 29 second cushion.

Robinson said: “No problems really apart from myself! I had a bit of a tummy bug on Sunday night but once we got in the car everything went well.

We had a good clean run. We were

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

No. Driver/Navigator 1 George Robinson Tommy Speers 6 M Doherty Tba 4 Kevin Lynch Martina McNicholl 2 Sean Cassidy Martina Cassidy 25 T McGonagle S Boyle 10 Barry McKenna Margo 30 Rodney McKnight Colin McCann 31 Norman Moore Caroline Donnelly 9 Paul Britton Tba 14 Stephen Nevin W Nevin

The battle for second position was decided on the final stage. Kevin Lynch entered the test confident that he could hold on to the runner-up spot, but unfortunately for the plant hire expert, disaster struck and he lost a massive 13 seconds to Martin Doherty after a spin. The time loss resulted in Doherty moving ahead of Lynch to snatch second position.

Lynch’s co-driver, Martina McNicholl, said: “We had a bit of a problem on stages two and three when she just wasn’t taking the gears properly. That was sorted out for stage four but on the final stage we spun just before the finish which lost us second position and first in the class but that’s the way it goes.”

Further down the leaderboard, Sean and Martina Cassidy had a solid run to finish in fourth, ahead of class two winners, Terence McGonagle and S. Boyle, who completed the top five.

9

3

24

4

7

5

8

Class 3 1 46 2

40

3

58

4

76

5

66

Class 4 1 27 2

39

3

43

4

41

5

67

Class 5 1 30 2

19

3

18

4

51

5

21

Class 6 1 14 2

16

3

48

4

29

5

34

Class 7 1 31

overall Pos 1

up on the grass a couple of times on one stage but we managed to hold on.

Our next event is the Easter Stages and we’re hoping to go to Monaghan the weekend after that.”

2

Total 14:31.4

2

11

15:00.4

3

13

15:09.0

4

69

15:14.5

5

15

15:22.9

Class 8 1 1

15:26.3 15:26.8

2

6

15:27.7

3

4

4

2

5

10

15:33.0 15:34.1

Derek & Claire Lipsett

Total 15:34.6 16:01.0 16:01.7 16:15.7 16:25.6

T McGonagle S Boyle Paul Britton Tba Derek Lipsett Claire Lipsett Derek Jobb Tba B Connor Sean Devine

15:22.9

R McAuley S McCallen Jimmy Gillespie David Jarvis M McConnell C Sharkey L F Hutchinson S Witford R Wilson R Sharkey

16:13.6

Jonathan Nevin Gareth Nevin G Blair R Millar Alan Roddy Trisha Wilson Hugh McMullan H McMullan S Smith W Smith Rodney McKnight Colin McCann David Graham Tony McDaid John McLaughlin Hugh McGoldrick G McMonagle K McMonagle Paul Reid Keith Reid Stephen Nevin W Nevin Geoffrey Nevin Lisa Nevin G Callaghan J Whyte Patrick McLaughlin John Turner E McMullan C McMullan Norman Moore Caroline Donnelly B O Neill Tba Mick McQuaid Victor Fields Mat Mitchell A Bradley R Spence P Hall George Robinson Tommy Speers M Doherty Tba Kevin Lynch Martina McNicholl Sean Cassidy Martina Cassidy Barry McKenna Margo

15:33.0 15:36.1 15:38.8 15:38.9

16:25.0 16:30.4 16:46.4 16:50.3

16:30.1 16:46.2 16:55.2 17:03.8 19:53.3

15:26.8 15:36.0 15:47.3 16:11.8 16:32.5

15:34.1 15:44.5 15:50.0 15:56.9 16:25.1

15:27.7 16:00.2 16:21.3 16:43.5 17:06.8

14:31.4 15:00.4 15:09.0 15:14.5 15:26.3

17 MARCH WORDS: JONATHAN MACDONALD PICTURES: GRAHAM CURRY

36 Pacenotes

specialstages midland mini stage rally

WORDS: JONATHAN MACDONALD IMAGES: JOHN BAYLY

final results Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

No 2 17 145 6 3 16 29 5 25 64 31 18 9 116 34 42 1 71 54 59

Crew S Gallagher / L Costello A Nesbitt / E Sherry P Donegan / P Wilson S McArdle / G Mc Monagle G Cullen / D Branigan D McNulty / M Mc Garritty M McQuaid / V Fields T Holton / T Payne J Sleator / D Nooney C Mavitty / B Milne M McGee / M Lynch J Kelly / R Shaw M Wedlock / P Smith M Robinson / J G P McEnroe / B Rooney A Caddy / P Robinson T McGovern / K McGovern S McGann / P Browne J.P. Logue / E Walls J Ward / G McNern

Class 15 15 13 8 8 15 11 8 4 4 12 6 13 11 4 6 13 11 2 11

Total 0:32:18 0:32:19 0:32:27 0:32:29 0:32:31 0:32:33 0:32:39 0:32:41 0:33:04 0:33:09 0:33:16 0:33:20 0:33:31 0:33:40 0:33:46 0:33:50 0:33:55 0:34:00 0:34:00 0:34:04

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

22 40 46 104 11 84 8 135 49 111 118 43 32 70 94 39 67 91 79 113 66 119 148 106 23 53 87 103 151 105 58 75 69 41 101 50 117 138 60 47 65 38 126 132 52 123 140 136 120 76 149 130 124 128 107 125 82 102 142 68 127 141 131 115 96 24 112 133 48 51

M Howley / K Bustard J O’Carter / M G P Kiely / M Blanc M Jackson / R Cameron P McCann / J McCann L Doherty / K Mc Cafferty P Higgins / L Higgins M McCauley / A G D Nixon / B Lynch I McDonnell / R J McDaid / P McDaid R Crawley / D Caldwell C Waters / M Boyle C Heena / D Gallagher D Cannon / M O’Donnell M Murray / K Flanagan R Gilleece / M Boyle D Leonard / C Curley P Hennessy / E Conlon B Hanlon / R Duignan P Walker / D Doherty C McGrath / T Geelan D Molloy / J Gallagher W White / B Dunne O O’Reilly / A Kierans F Farry / D Moran F Tuomey / R Maguire B Turner / G Turner M McMahon / J O’Reilly S Echlin / R Finnegan J Burke / R Murphy M Quinn / C Kelly M Monaghan / N Monaghan W Burke / J McGeehan P Murphy / S McCaffrey J Brennan / G Kenny S Kehoe / J Ryan S O’Connor / G Kelly O McEvoy / C McE N McGrath / T Doyle A Prior / K Prior S O’Connor / P C G Scallan / J Sinnott S O’Rourke / F Holmes P Duffy / S Johnston S O’Toole / D O’Toole G Quinn / A Quinn D Reilly / T England J Power / D O’Neill K McFadden / P McSharry C Bell / G Soden P O’Connor / W Boxwell B Dennis / J Loonam D Enright / J Sh G Devereaux / P J Lynch E Greene / I Hefernan M Taylor / P Gallagher P Herity / P Mullen J Quinn / G McClintoch W Dunne / M McKenna P Woods / P Woods P Andrews / M Br G McNally / N Donnelly C Flanagan / D Duignan J Casey / M Casey D Tansey / D Lawlor F Lavelle / R Wilson A Simon / N Nicholson G Corey / K Treanor A Knox / R Thomas

4 13 6 6 15 11 14 11 6 7 5 4 12 11 2 2 7 10 11 2 1 2 9 1 12 12 1 11 6 11 6 10 2 12 11 9 1 11 11 2 10 14 12 5 3 10 9 5 11 9 10 10 10 10 1 10 11 11 10 2 10 10 10 11 2 12 10 9 13 11

0:34:12 0:34:20 0:34:33 0:34:48 0:34:58 0:35:00 0:35:06 0:35:14 0:35:21 0:35:21 0:35:27 0:35:31 0:35:34 0:35:35 0:35:43 0:35:51 0:35:52 0:36:11 0:36:14 0:36:23 0:36:26 0:36:34 0:36:36 0:37:03 0:37:10 0:37:10 0:37:13 0:37:16 0:37:18 0:37:21 0:37:24 0:37:25 0:37:37 0:37:43 0:37:50 0:38:03 0:38:32 0:38:36 0:38:43 0:39:01 0:39:09 0:39:11 0:39:13 0:39:31 0:39:42 0:39:46 0:39:47 0:40:00 0:40:03 0:40:04 0:40:07 0:40:33 0:40:34 0:40:39 0:40:45 0:40:47 0:40:59 0:40:59 0:41:17 0:41:18 0:41:30 0:41:41 0:42:19 0:43:16 0:44:58 0:45:06 0:45:21 0:45:53 0:52:55 0:53:40

Midland stages are no bogey for Gallagher lazing sunshine and dry, B dusty conditions greeted competitors for Midland Motor Club's 2003 Mini-Stage Rally.

Thomas McGovern, who won last year's event in his Mark II Escort, was seeded first on the road in a new Group 4 Escort with Kevin McGovern on the notes. The brothers were going to find it difficult to repeat the victory amid an array of quick competitors in four-wheel-drive cars, headed by the Escort Cosworth of Sean Gallagher and Liam Costello.

Gallagher was one of the pace setters on the 2002 event until gearbox problems resulted in retirement, but the local man had set his sights on victory for 2003.

Indeed it was Gallagher and Costello who set fastest time on the opening stage...along with at least fourteen other competitors!

Despite four man-made chicanes being set-up on the stage, they had all slaughtered the stage bogey time which resulted in each of the crews being allocated exactly the same time. The dry conditions and flat out sections of road had dramatically decreased the stage times and some competitors reckoned they were hitting 130mph in places. It was not an ideal situation and a few brows were furrowed in the rally fraternity but little could be done about it.

Sean Gallagher and Liam Costello beat the bogey time once again on the second stage of the event together with the Escort of Pat Donegan and Peter Wilson.

Donegan had lost two seconds to Gallagher on the opening test leaving Gallagher at the head of the leaderboard with Donegan in third.

Second position was held by Alan Nesbitt, brother of the current Irish Tarmac Champion, Andrew Nesbitt.

Nesbitt and co-driver, Enda Sherry, set second fastest time on stage two in their Toyota Celica. The Armagh man was one second slower than the bogey leaving him in second overall.

from Alan Nesbitt and Enda Sherry with one stage remaining.

The 1994 Group N Irish Tarmac Champion, James Cullen, was putting his Honda Civic through its paces. Having completed the Mayo Stages Rally acting as sweeper, Cullen had settled into the car and was hoping for a good result at the Mini-Stage Rally event. However, it wasn't to be as the Civic's engine cried enough on the second stage.

Other retirements included Paul and James McCann who were forced to retire on the second stage with mechanical problems while Adrian Quinn retired when his

Mitsubishi Lancer suffered a blown turbo.Tom Holton also lost time on the second test with engine problems but after a quick service his Celica was back on song for the remainder of the event.

Stage three was a repeat of the first test and the continuing sunny conditions resulted in very high speeds once again. Incredibly, more than 20 crews beat the bogey time resulting in each of them being allocated the same time! This left Sean Gallagher and Liam Costello leading the event by one second

It was the same story at the top of the leaderboard for the final stage. Sean Gallagher beat the bogey time for the fourth time in four stages to take the event win by one second from Nesbitt and Sherry, who also beat the bogey on the final test. Unofficial times suggest Gallagher would have won the event by almost one minute had the bogey time system not been in place. Obviously, this is something that needs to be looked at for future events. Competitors were very adamant that it wasn't the club's fault and some are looking to Motorsport Ireland for help in resolving the problem.

Pat Donegan and Peter Wilson finished in an excellent third position in their Ford Escort with two seconds to spare over the Toyota Celica of Sean McArdle and Gerard McMonagle.

George Cullen, brother of James, arrived at the finish with his Escort Cosworth in fifth position while David McNulty and Martin McGarrity completed the top six.

spannerman

Pacenotes 37

rallycar techno stuff... plus all the latest new products f.i.a. wrc technical regulations

Turbos made easy...

on a thin layer of oil that is constantly pumped around the • No variable geometry shaft. This serves two purposes: • Maximum compressor wheel It cools the shaft and some of diameter 69.5mm the other turbocharger parts; and it allows the shaft to spin • Maximum turbine wheel without much friction. diameter 60.00mm But in Rally Cars they use • All engine air must pass special ball bearings instead of through a 34mm diameter fluid bearings to support the restrictor within 50mm of the turbine shaft. But these are not compressor blade leading your regular ball bearings - they edge. are super precise bearings made of advanced materials to handle Thanks to Garrett for the speeds and temperatures of their illustrations... the turbocharger.They allow the turbine shaft to spin with less friction than the fluid bearings. They also allow a slightly smaller, lighter shaft to be used.This helps the turbocharger accelerate more quickly, further reducing turbo lag.

henever you hear people W talking about race cars or high-performance sports cars, the topic of turbochargers usually comes up. Turbochargers also appear on large diesel engines. A turbo can significantly boost an engine’s horsepower without significantly increasing its weight, and that is the huge benefit that makes turbos so popular!

Turbochargers are a type of forced induction system. They compress the air flowing into the engine.The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets the engine squeeze more air into a cylinder.

More air means that more fuel can be added. therefore, you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. A turbocharged engine produces more power overall than the same engine without the charging, which can significantly improve the power-toweight ratio for the engine.

Argentina because for each stroke of the piston the engine will get a smaller mass of air. A turbocharged engine may also have reduced power, but the reduction will be less dramatic because the thinner air is easier for the turbocharger to pump.

In order to achieve this boost, the turbocharger uses the exhaust flow from the engine to spin a turbine, which in turn spins an air pump.The turbine in the turbocharger spins at speeds up to 150,000 rotations per minute (RPM) — that’s about 30 times faster than most car engines can go. And since it is hooked up to the exhaust, the temperatures in the turbine are also very high.

Heres how it works...

The turbocharger is bolted to the exhaust manifold of the engine. The exhaust from the cylinders spins the turbine, which works like a gas turbine engine. The turbine is connected by a shaft to the compressor, which is located between the air filter and the intake manifold. The compressor pressurizes the air going into the pistons. See illustrations.

One of the surest ways to get more power out of an engine is to increase the amount of air and fuel that it can burn.

One way to do this is to add cylinders like the famous Metro 6R4s or make the cylinders bigger. Sometimes these changes may not be feasible - a turbo can be a simpler, more compact way to add power, especially for Rally cars where weight is critical!

The exhaust from the cylinders passes through the turbine blades, causing it to spin. The more exhaust that goes through the blades, the faster they spin.

• Maximum of one turbocharger with one turbine wheel and one compressor wheel on a common shaft

How a turbocharger is plumbed in a car.

On the other end of the shaft that the turbine is attached to, the compressor pumps air into the cylinders. The compressor is a type of centrifugal pump; it draws air in at the center of its blades and flings it outward as it spins.

In order to handle speeds of up to 150,000 RPM, the turbine shaft has to be supported very carefully. Most bearings would explode at speeds like this, so most turbochargers use a fluid bearing.

This type of bearing supports the shaft

Turbo Lag...

One of the main problems with turbochargers is that they do not provide an immediate power boost when you step on the throttle. It takes a second for the turbine to get up to speed before boost is produced. This results in a feeling of lag when you step on the throttle, and then the car lunges ahead when the turbo gets moving.

One way to improve turbo lag is to reduce the inertia of the rotating parts, mainly by reducing their weight. This allows the turbine and compressor to accelerate quickly, and start providing boost earlier. The main way Rally Cars improve turbo lag is to use the ‘Big Bang’ anti-lag systems.

Turbochargers allow an engine to burn more fuel and air by packing more into the existing cylinders. The typical boost provided by a turbocharger is 6 to 8 pounds per square inch (PSI). Since normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 PSI at sea level, you can see that you are getting about 50 percent more air into the engine.

Anti-Lag...

Most Rally teams use a system called an ‘anti-lag’ system. When the driver lifts off the throttle, the ignition timing is severely retarded, an above normal amount of metered air is allowed to enter the engine and fuel is injected between the exhaust valves and the turbine inlet.The ignited fuel creates heat that keeps the turbo speed up. When the driver re-applies the throttle, there is an explosion of raw fuel in the turbine that sounds like pistol shot, a burst of flame, and voila, no lag. This system can be switched on or off or modulated by a switch on the driver’s control panel.

The turbocharger also helps at high altitudes where the air is less dense.

Normal engines will experience reduced power at high altitudes like in Rally

So there it is...we hope this little guide gives you a better understanding of how turbos work, We’ll see you next month for another ‘make is easy’ session!

all the latest goodies...

Three new Rally Championship Power to the people review videos from RPM ow much of the H black stuff can you handle?

Tarmac is the lifeblood of rallying in Ireland and on the eve of the new season RPM has launched a further 9 hours of tarmac rallying action to satisfy the addiction of fans to rallying on the black stuff.

With the 2000 and 2002 Toshiba Irish Tarmac Rally Championship reviews already in existence, Tyndall Productions announce the

addition of the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Tarmac seasons to their collection.

• Tarmac 1997- Masterful McHale • Tarmac 1998- McHale The Maestro • Tarmac 1999- Greer’s Year All the RPM rally review programmes contain extra on-board footage never seen on T.V and they all last for over three hours. They cost £22.50stg (35 euro) per title, and the price

includes packaging and postage.

PRE-EASTER OFFER Buy any three of the RPM rally review tapes before Easter and you will receive a fourth worth £22.50 completely free!

Obtain by cheque or postal order from:Tyndall Productions, 58 Edentrillick Road, Hillsborough, Co.Down, N.Ireland, BT26 6PG Tel: 028 92 689444/ 048 92 689444 (From Republic of Ireland)

Carrying a battery booster in your car of emergencies is a wise idea but when they cost around £300, it’s not usually an option for the everyday motorist.

Now there’s a solution, as Sparkrite has launched its new Starter and Charger - which costs £39. The unit will jump a flat

battery instantly, and powers a dead cell up to 10 times faster than a normal charger.

It works on all lead acid batteries, whether sealed or unsealed, and you can test your old cell in seconds. You can get more information from www.carpartsdirect.co.uk or call 01332 290833.

Enhance your alloys Looking for a simple yet highly effective way of improving the appearance of your alloys? Top whell maker Mille Miglia could have the answer with it’s hidden tyre valve.

Not only does it enhance the look of the wheel but, as the black rubber is

not protruding, it also limits the risk of valve damage. Priced at £25, each pack contains four valves plus two spare caps.Also included is an extension tool, to make checking pressures easier.Visit www.millemiglia.co.uk or call 01626 832222 for details.

38 Pacenotes

specialstages 023 tiles southern 4 championship

ROUND ONE

quality inns west cork rally 15-16 MARCH PICTURES: CRSPICS.COM

Kenny’s Corker!

lonakilty boasts a unique C atmosphere in Irish rallying.

It captures all that is good about the sport in a very relaxed weekend where anybody from rally fanatic to spectating families can enjoy themselves.

With a fabulous entry and some of the classic stages this was shaping up to be a great event.

The trio of McKinstry, Boland and Barrable stood out as the main choices for victory, but how close the competition would be on the opening Ring stage was amazing. Just 0.2 of a second separated McKinstry and Barrable, both in P2000 Imprezas while the newer S8 version of Boland was a further 6 seconds behind, but he had local man Liam McCarthy a couple of seconds ahead of him. Another Toyota, the Celica of Donal O’Donovan was next, just ahead of last year’s winner

the second loop after getting up as high as sixth. Another to go was the ever-entertaining Kieran O’Neill whose Kadett was sideways as usual, but fuel pump failure would see his day shortened. Much was expected of Ollie O’Donovan in the Kumho Impreza, but when a cable came loose he spent many minutes parked in Ring village trying to fix it. Having got that sorted a wheel would then part company on the next stage and he slid out of the rally.

With Barrable taking time back on stages four and five, McKinstry hit back on the sixth to extend his lead further. Boland, having stiffened the suspension was much happier and posted the fastest time over Ring 2.

McCarthy’s Murphy Construction Corolla was having its best ever outing and was still shadowing Boland and extending the gap over Fleck in sixth. O’Donovan had dropped back slightly while Collins

James O’Sullivan - always in sideways action!

Eamon Boland and his new S8 WRC Melvyn Evans in another Impreza.

The Pedro Dog Foods S7 Impreza of Maurice Gass was having it’s first real taste of proper stages and was lying just 0.1 of a second ahead of English visitor Steve Fleck. Phil Collins was pedalling his Mk2 as usual and blitzing the rest of the two wheel drives. Denis Cronin was admitting to a very slow start and mechanical problems were hampering the similar machine of Donie O’Sullivan.

Billy Coleman on 00 duties...

Stages two and three would see McKinstry open a nine second lead over Barrable and Boland dropped further time and was looking forward to service. Liam McCarthy dropped back a few places to fifth but was only six seconds off third.

Melvyn Evans was admitting that he would not mind a bit of rain but his times were now starting to improve in the 99 spec Subaru as was Fleck in his similar machine. Like Barrable, Davy Armstrong was another that was out in Ballina the previous weekend but engine problems would sideline him midway through

still led the 2wd’s convincingly.

Maurice Gass was slowed by gear selection problems and also his gear indicator had gone on the blink for a while. Up front the leading duo swapped seconds over the last couple of stages of the day and Boland had a slight cushion for himself in third. McCarthy had slipped past Evans who in turn was nearly a minute clear of Fleck. At the day’s final service, crews seemed to be dropping all around. Firstly Donal O’Donovan, who was then followed

by Cronin and Richie Curran who was lying just outside the top ten.

O’Donovan’s co-driver Pat Lordan

specialstages

Pacenotes 39

023 tiles southern 4 championship fell ill and the car was also struggling, while a heat exchanger went on Cronin’s M3 and Curran was left with no compression. They joined JJ Fleming who was debuting the ex-Boland DJ Gear Impreza, and although suffering from lhd and a damaged front wheel put them out.

Day 1 Results 1. Kenny Mckinstry 2. Michael Barrable 3. Eamonn Boland 4. Melvyn Evans 5. Liam McCarthy 6. Steve Fleck 7. Maurice Gass 8. Phil Collins 9. Donal O’Donovan 10. Denis Cronin

55.30.60 55.41.20 55.58.80 56.01.70 56.09.80 56.52.90 57.10.60 57.54.50 58.03.40 58.03.50

A great finale was expected, but so often these things never work out.

Barrable’s Pirelli Impreza refused to start up in parc ferme. The resultant penalties dropped him down the order and took the wind out of his sails. Later in the morning exiting service a drive shaft problem was noticed and the rally was over. This now left McKinstry’s Protec Impreza with a slightly more comfortable lead over Boland, but the NVD backed Wexfordman was expected to push hard from the start.

Having been slowed yesterday by changing down too many gears at a time today’s stages would not present that sort of problem. Second fastest on Stage nine and quickest on ten seemed to prove this, but nevertheless he only cut Kenny’s lead by 0.10 of a second.

Melvyn Evans’s times were getting more impressive all the time and he never seemed to bee more than two or three seconds off the pace on any stage.

Maurice Gass was also getting in on the act and was quickest on ss11 and he was starting to close in on fifth. Liam McCarthy blotted his copybook slightly with a small off on the twelfth stage costing him almost 50 seconds. Other crews in bother included Tom Holton having struggled on Saturday, a blown turbo early on Sunday morning would condemn the Kildare crew to an early trip home in the Profile System Celica.

Fellow Kildare man Tommy Graham had a mixed Saturday, driving hard but not getting the times. A change of diff setup and different tyres cured those problems for Sunday and there was a steady improvement in the Jones Oils Impreza.

Nigel Hicklin was out to go one better than last year’s Southern Four Championship runners up spot and the Eurocables - backed Impreza driver has improved his pace greatly and would finish just outside the top ten. George

Thaw’s learning curve is rapidly improving and the Englishman, who was competing for only the 12th time, got his best ever result as he enjoyed the Cork stages.

Tommy Graham.

ROUND ONE By stage twelve McKinstry had a 16 second lead over Boland and he would lose another 3 seconds on the next as slight gearbox problems showed. But on the fourteenth stage he bounced back and took ten seconds back. With two stages remaining, Kenny gained another 0.3 of a second on the penultimate stage but the would be major drama on the last. Boland, on a charge damaged a wheel and the resultant time loss would see him drop to third behind last year’s winner Evans. McKinstry and Sean Mullally had driven faultlessly throughout the event and the new addition to the McKinstry Hire stable looks like it will be hard to beat this year. Maurice Gass kept chipping away at McCarthy and aided by another fastest time he would take one of his best results to date.

Steve Fleck, along with his mechanic/co-driver, coped very well to come home sixth but Phil Collins behind him was ecstatic - top two-wheel drive and a host of four wheel drives behind him. Tony Davies had a quiet run in his Metro 6R4, which was the sole example this year. Cathal Arthurs 1996 winning Celica was next and the Eurocables backed driver had a steady run throughout the event along with new co-driver Llionos J-Edwards. Damien Cole was partnered on this occasion by the famous Nicky Grist and they overcame problems on Saturday to set blistering times on Sunday to complete the top ten.

CLASS RESULTS NEXT PG.

quality inns west cork rally 15-16 MARCH PICTURES: CRSPICS.COM

Derek Smith

Anthony O’Halloran with his beautiful 400.

Darrian danger!

overall 1 Kenny McKinstry/Sean Mullally Subaru Impreza WRC 01.58.19.90 2 Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones Subaru Impreza WRC 01.59.03.20 3 Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrisey Subaru Impreza WRC 01.59.17.30 4 Maurice Gass/Geofrey Orr Subaru Impreza WRC 02.00.16.00 5 Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy Toyota Corolla WRC 02.00.47.00 6 Steve Fleck/Andy Card Subaru Impreza WRC 02.01.20.50 7 Phil Collins/Howard Davies Ford Escort Mk2 02.03.48.40 8 Tony Davies/Wyn Thomas Metro 6R4 02.04.03.70 9 Cathal Arthurs/Llinos J-Edwards Toyota Celica GT4 02.04.55.70 10 Damien Cole/Nicky Grist Darrian 02.05.15.80

Kieran O’Neills rally didn’t last long!

Cathal Arthurs

George Thaw

023 Tiles Southern 4 Rally Championship after Round 1 reat weather and even G better rallying marked the opening round of the 023 Tiles Southern Championship.

4

Rally

After 16 fast and flowing stages, Maurice Gass with co-driver Geoffry Orr took the maximum points from Cork Motor Club's West Cork Rally. The Armagh crew in the ex-Richard Burns Impreza World Rally Car charged up the leader board on Sunday, finishing just ahead of the local crew of Liam McCarthy & Kieran Murphy in a Toyota Corolla World Rally Car. With 80 crews registering for

the Championship, the pace was expected to be hot.

Reigning Southern 4 champions

Ollie O'Donovan & David Moynihan's title defence got off to the worst possible start when a

wheel sheered from their Impreza.

Despite new crews joining the championship, the "regulars" showed the way in many of the classes.

The championship now moves to Killarney for the Rally of the Lakes. Last year Donie O'Sullivan took maximum points on his home event behind the wheel of a GpN Subaru. This year, along with Barry Coleman the Killarney driver is expected to use a Subaru World Rally car. Gass however as championship leader will have the upper hand as the 023 Tiles Southern 4 rally championship goes from strength to strength.

Overall Championship Standings 1 MAURICE GASS/GEOFFREY ORR Subaru Impreza WRC 2 LIAM McCARTHY KIERAN MURPHY Toyota Corolla WRC 3 NIGEL HICKLIN SAM McMULLAN Subaru Impreza 555 4 BOB FOWDEN JERRY HYNES Mit. Lancer Evo 6 5 TOMMY GRAHAM FRANCIS KENNY Subaru Impreza WRC 2WD Section ANTHONY O'HALLORAN Opel Manta 1600 Section LIAM BRADY NOEL BRADY Proton Satria S1600 Historic LIAM SHEEHAN MARTIN CRONIN Escort Mk I

20 18 16 14 12

40 Pacenotes

specialstages 023 tiles southern 4 championship Civic of Wexford’s David Parle and the Impreza of Peter Clifford. Ed O’Neill and John McCarthy rounded out the GpN results.

ROUND ONE

quality inns west cork rally 15-16 MARCH PICTURES: CRSPICS.COM

Class 4 - Bob Fowden

n the group N section Bob I Fowden and Jerry Hynes GroupN came out on top as expected,

and classes

but it was certainly not clearcut.

Having suffered gearbox problems on Saturday they dropped well down the order. This left Kieran O’Callaghan in the hired Hogg Motorsport Lancer to take a comfortable lead.

Early retirements from the frontrunners were Mark Morgan who crashed his EVO 7 and Eoin Doyle whose

Subaru retired with mechanical problems. O’Callaghan set his sights on pacing himself through Sunday and gladly let Fowden eat into his lead. Fowden just did a job on Sunday and that was bring the car home, as he was too far back to win. That is what everybody thought, even at the finish, but O’Callaghan received road penalties that cruelly dropped him behind Fowden. Third was the Impreza of Welsh crew Eilir Morris and they were followed by the

In the F2 stakes it was a class 6 battle between Liam Brady David Parle and Alan Ring after Guy Woodcock crashed out on the last stage. This was Brady’s best result to date and the Proton worked well all weekend.

Rwd pride outside the top ten went to Derek Smith, who was second in class 14 while time penalties dropped Ruan’s Anthony O’Halloran in the Q8 Manta behind Gwyndaf Evans, who was making a welcome return to a Mk2. Diarmuid Keohane took class 12 from the ever consistent Martin Daly with Michael Walsh third.

Dave Turnbill was runner up to Davies in class 15 with Conor Kavangh getting one of his best runs to date in his Cosworth to take third.

John Sinclairs immaculate Starlet took class 11 from Liam Cooper and Pat Joe O’Sullivan.

Class 2 - David Parle

Class 5 - John Carroll Class 6 - Liam Brady

Class 9 - Tony McCaul

DRIVE OF THE DAY

Class 8 - Liam McCarthy Class 10 - Stephen Clery

Class 11 - John Sinclair

Kenny McKinstry’s performance was faultless.The Ryan Oils Impreza looked at ease over the weekend and set the majority of fastest times. Maurice Gass’s improved form was also worth noting as was Phil Collins seventh overall in a 4wd biased top ten.

Class 7 - Paul Cloke Class 12 - Diarmuid Keohane

Class 14 - Phil Collins

eam Yoplait Rallying - Ray T Martin and Martin Brady had an excellent start to their 2003 Get Connected Championship in the glorious sunshine of St Patrick’s Weekend in scenic West Cork.

The event was held over 16 excellent stages and ran perfectly thanks to the Cork Motor Club, who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of the event. The club really put on an excellent show for the 25th anniversary with several top crews in WRC cars starting the event and many overseas visitors making the trip for the event including multiple World Rally winning co

Historic Section - John Farrell

Team Yoplait “Best in the West” driver Nicky Grist.The two day event also counted as the first two rounds of the Get Connected Championship.

Ray and co driver Martin started the event in their newly acquired Peugeot 106 resplendent in its new Team Yoplait yellow colour scheme.

The crew was competing in the competitive class 6 and had 7 other crews to compete against in the class.

They also had chosen to enter the Formula 2 class in the Get Connected series which caters for up to 2 litre front wheel drive cars.

The lads started the day sensibly, aiming for championship points and began to build up speed as they got familiar with the new car, however they soon found themselves settled in over such classic stages as “The Ring” and “Timoleauge”. The car ran faultlessly and the crew ran steadily to the finish of day one.

Ray and Martin finished the day as first placed Class 6 Crew and 3rd In Formula 2 amongst the Get Connected runners and in the top 70 on the event overall and 35 seconds and closing on 3rd in class.

Very Happy with day one the lads started the final day (Sunday) in a confident mood having scored solid championship points on day one and they set about building their pace even further to challenge for third in class. Day two provided a further four stages repeated to make 8 tough and fast tests for the little 106.

On the final four stages it was just a matter of consolidating the position and taking the car home but Ray gave co driver Martin Brady a small fright when he had a small spin on a tight junction on the second last stage. It

kept the crowd happy never the less!

But the lads took the car home without a scratch delighted to find they had again won Class 6 in the Get Connected series and also the double bonus of being winners of the Formula 2 class also on the second day coupled with 3rd in class on the overall event standings behind Alan Ring in the Peugeot 206 and Liam Brady in the Super 1600 Proton.

Very happy with the weekend Team Yoplait left to prepare for the next round of the Get Connected Championship the Manx National Rally on May 9th/10th leading both Formula 2 and Class 6 in The Get Connected series.

specialstages

Pacenotes 41

kbb doors national forest rally championship

McCarthy Magic...

McCarthy and Dan Maguire Jonohn scored a well deserved victory the Willie Loughman Memorial

ROUND ONE

willie loughman memorial rally

Rally, round 1 of the Southern Forestry Championship in their Subaru Impreza. McCarthy had only recently switched to the Impreza, and had never won a round of the Championship, but on this occasion he led from the start to clinch his first ever victory.

Stage 1 saw McCarthy/Maguire pull out a massive 23 seconds over the 8 mile test to set his challenge right from the start, the Impreza being the only car to be faster than young Fermanagh driver Garry Jennings, and co-driver Gordon Noble, in their ex-works Peugeot 106 Maxi. Jennings was enjoying this outing, a test session for his incoming season which will see him at the wheel of Peugeot Sport UK’s 206 Super 1600 charger.

John Donnelly and Greg McCarthy (Escort WRC), Eddie Kinirons and Greg Shinnors (Celica GT4) and Paul Staunton and Bruce Burgess (Escort Mk2) were all tied for third 7 seconds down on the 106, with John McGaffin and Tom Graham in 6th in their Subaru Legacy, but the first stage was to see top seed and past winner of the event, Dermot Kelly drop 2 minutes in his Escort WRC with an electrical fault.

Kevin O’Kane set fastest time on stage 2 in his Impreza, but it was McCarthy/Maguire who set their second fastest time on stage 3 to increase their advantage to 34 seconds over Kinirons/Shinnors, who had got their Celica ahead of the 106 Maxi of Jennings/Noble, the Peugeot struggling for traction on the more slippery parts of the stage.

The Mark 2 Escort of Staunton/Burgess held 4th place ahead of the rapidly advancing Impreza of O’Kane and co-driver Steven Griffith in 5th only, 1 second behind, and the Escort WRC of Donnelly/McCarthy a further 20 seconds in arrears. Kelly and co-driver John Brennan in their WRC Escort continued to try and fix their electrical problems, and had got themselves up to 13th place overall.

An accident led to the cancellation of stage 4, but when the action resumed on stage 5 and 6, it was McCarthy/Maguire who still led the chasing pack by almost 40 seconds in their Impreza. Kinrions/Shinnors still held 2nd place, but were now under threat from a hard charging O’Kane/Griffith who were now flying in their Impreza and had overhauled Jennings/Noble to now lie 3rd, relegating the little Peugeot to 4th.

Staunton/Burgess had dropped to 5th place, McGaffin/Graham still lay in 6th, but now dropping down the leaderboard were Donnelly/McCarthy who picked up a puncture on stage 6 and limped to the end losing a lot of time and dropping to 7th.

Kelly/Brennan still hampered by the electrical problems were making headway towards the top 6 in their WRC Escort, but the problems were still no closer to being sorted.

McCarthy/Maguire continued to set the stages alight, and by the time the

23 FEB

cars arrived in service after stage 8, they now led the rally by over a minute from Kinirons/Shinnors. Jennings/Noble were have an intense scrap with O’Kane/Griffith, with the Peugeot driver getting the better of the Impreza to regain his 3rd place despite his rear shocks now giving him cause for concern. Staunton/Burgess still held 5th place, while Donnelly/McCarthy moved up to 6th after their puncture problems on stage 6, but hot on their tails was the similar Escort WRC of Kelly/Brennan, now 10 seconds behind, and the earlier problem now seemingly traced to a fuel problem.

After the final two stages of the day McCarthy/Maguire rolled up to the finish ramp, victors of the Willie Loughman Memorial Rally with a

margin of 1 minute and 32 seconds, from the Toyota Celica of Kinirons/Shinnors, who fought hard, but just couldn’t get on the pace.

Garry Jennings proved his worth with a fantastic drive to 3rd overall, even though the suspension on the 106 had all but gone.The team had no spares to fix the car, in the end they felt themselves lucky to get to the finish, although Garry did say that he had a few heart stopping moments along the way.

O’Kane/Griffith finished 4th in their Impreza after ending up second best in the battle with Jennings, and getting up to 5th at the finish was the Impreza of John Shanahan and Liam McLaughlin, while the Escort of Kelly/Brennan finally

made it into the top 6 after solving their earlier problems.

Donnelly/McCarthy ended the day in 7th, McGaffin/Graham were 8th.

Rounding off the top 10 were Paul Mulcahy and Kenny Walsh who were 9th and Alan Mulcahy and Dermot Harrington in 10th, both crews in Toyota Top 10 Results Starlets. But the sickest 1 McCarthy/Maguire man of all must have 2 Kinirons/Shinnors been Paul Staunton 3 Jennings/Noble who, while running in 4 O’Kane/Griffith 5th place throughout 5 Shanahan/McLaughlin the day, picked up a 6 Kelly/Brennan puncture on the final 7 Donnelly/McCarthy stage losing 5 minutes 8 McGaffin/Graham and any chance of a 9 P Mulcahy/Walsh top 10 position.

10 A Mulcahy/Harrington

overall

53.35 55.07 55.59 56.20 56.56 56.57 57.37 58.26 59.56 1.00.42

42 Pacenotes

specialstages kbb doors national forest rally championship John McCarthy & Dan Maguire

ROUND two

tipperary forestry stages 30 MARCH

WORDS: GREG SHINNORS PICTURES: MARTIN WALSH Brian Lawlor & Peter Kavanagh

McCarthy Takes Two in Tipp he Subaru pairing of T John McCarthy and Dan Maguire claimed

John Shanahan & Liam McLoughlin

final results Pl 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Car 2 4 3 5 1 95 10 12 9 17

Driver John McCarthy/Dan Maguire Eddie Kinirons/Greg Shinnors Kevin O’Kane/Francis Regan John Donnelly/Greg McCarthy Dermot Kelly/John Brennan Brian McCluskey/Damien Duffin John McGaffin/Ian Allsop James Murphy/Con Mulcahy John Shanahan/Liam McLoughlin Kevin Lynch/Martin McNichol

Cl 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 5

Total 0.50.28 0.50.57 0.51.21 0.51.42 0.52.01 0.52.02 0.52.09 0.52.12 0.52.31 0.52.56

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

31 14 35 8 19 33 22 24 47 45 54 91 60 50 43 30 39 83 85 63 57 62 68 65 55 69 34 93 89 76 74 80 58 53 70 75 71 87 94 78

John Reid/Brendan Greene Brian Lawlor/Peter Kavanagh Michael Tynan/Colin Brady Paul Staunton/Bruce Burgess Michael O’Sullivan/Paul Fitzgerald Tommy Kiely/Paul Mulcahy Alan Mulcahy/Karl Deumann Gus Kearney/Owen O’Neill Aidan Jackson/Denis Jackson James Coleman/Andrew Purcell Bob Scanlon/Kevin Gillespie John Carroll/Eugene McGrath Stephen McGrath/Mark Wiley James Fagan/David Ward Allen Treacy/Michael Coakley Seamus Anderson/Alan Kinsella Eamon Donovan/Kevin Kearney Patrick Shanahan/Joseph Irwin Kevin Corcoran/Michael Haley Joe Conway/John Mills Ivan Bryan/Garrett Cotter John Meade/Peter Neville Paudie O’Callaghan/Padraig Dineen Kieran Roche/David McDonnell John Walsh/Anthony Bullman Martin Kirwan/Olive Costello Jimmy Devane/Mike Buckley Kevin O’Sullivan/Alan Ring Alan Dineen/ Tony Dineen Anthony O’Sullivan/Lorraine Piggot Hans Matthia/Paddy O’Connell Ted Duggan/Stephen Brawder Jonathan McDaid/Martin Brady Graham Quinn/Martin Costello Michael Lenihan/PJ O’Keeffe Michael O’Riord/Finbarr Quirke Clement Lonergan/Kevin Clifford Kieran Crowley/Ken Carmody Sidney Burke/Damien Browne John Bagge/Damien Walsh

4 3 4 4 3 2 2 6 1 4 8 1 1 2 4 3 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 1 4 1 1 1 1 2 6 6 1 2 2 2 6 2

0.54.28 0.54.28 0.54.37 0.55.30 0.55.30 0.55.53 0.55.58 0.56.40 0.57.09 0.57.15 0.57.45 0.58.35 0.58.38 0.58.50 0.59.07 0.59.55 1.00.19 1.00.20 1.00.39 1.01.16 1.01.29 1.01.46 1.02.12 1.02.20 1.02.38 1.03.39 1.04.39 1.04.44 1.05.16 1.05.17 1.05.36 1.07.35 1.08.04 1.08.44 1.10.30 1.12.57 1.15.34 1.15.50 1.19.09 1.23.59

their second consecutive victory on the Mitchelstown based Sean Conlon Memorial Forest Rally and now enjoy a 4 point lead over Eddie Kinirons/ Greg Shinnors (Celica GT4) with Kevin O' Kane/ Greg McCarthy (Subaru) 3 points adrift in 3rd in the KBB Doors National Forest Rally Championship.

Mitchelstown ran on a later date than their usual January 26th and instead of having snow, ice and/or fog, this year’s event was only hampered by dust and bogey times! The event ran like clockwork, conditions were bone dry with very fast stages, as the crews fought it out tooth and nail all day long. Dermot Kelly/ John Brennan stormed through ss1 Cambaun Wood (his favourite stage) and stopped the clock with a 6.52, shattering all previous records, including the bogey.

John McCarthy/ Dan Maguire were 2nd fastest on 7.00 with Eddie Kinirons/ Greg Shinnors 3rd on 7.13.

Stage 2 saw the leaderboard turned on its head. Dermot Kelly had a very soft roll half way through the new 8.8 mile test on a square right, doing little damage but dropped 2 minutes as they beached the Escort WRC in a drain. John McCarthy got caught in Kelly's dust, now running 1st on the stage, spun twice and dropped 25 secs to new leader Eddie Kinirons (now ahead by 12 secs), who along with the Kevin O' Kane/ Francis Regan Impreza 555 and the John Donnelly/ Greg McCarthy Escort WRC beat the bogey. It was stage 3 where John McCarthy took the lead, taking 16secs off Eddie and leading from there to the finish.

At service after ss3 John McCarthy was leading by 4

secs ahead of Eddie Kinirons, who had lost 6th gear, locals John Drislane/ Paul Goodman (Impreza) held 3rd, Kevin O' Kane 4th, late entry and Championship sponsor Brian McCloskey/ Damien Duffin (Escort WRC) 5th,John McGaffin/ Ian Allsop (Legacy) 6th, John Donnelly/ Greg McCarthy Escort WRC were 7th and here they sorted the anti-lag problem, James Murphy/ Con Mulcahy Escort GPA held 8th despite electrical troubles.The Dermot Kelly/ John Brennan Escort WRC arrived to service 1st on the road but 9th overall, here the car was tracked etc and had a new windscreen fitted thanks to "The Windscreen Company." John Corrigan a fellow compeditor was spectating, got the call and rushed home for a screen (Kelly's luck!) John Shanahan/ Liam McLaughlin (Impreza) were 10th now the only GPN survivor, they too had some body damage after being caught in Paul Staunton's dust, Paul had slowed with a puncture through ss 1.

hairpins, but on this second run through all the top ten beat the bogey and so the results don't reflect just how committed these lads are.

John McCarthy was looking good for a second win he just had to keep it together on ss6 Kilworth and he did, 9.39 second fastest was certainly enough to secure another win. Eddie Kinirons did a 9.45 and claimed another fine 2nd overall despite losing time with no 6th gear. John Drislane was holding third starting Kilworth but had to retire with power steering problems. Kevin O'Kane finished 3rd and John Donnelly 4th, Dermot Kelly was quickest on 9.34 and recovered to 5th overall, his assault hampered by bogey times. KBB Doors director Brian McCloskey was 6th, John McGaffin 7th, James Murphy 8th denied a better result by the now infamous bogey times. John Shanahan 9th winning GpN and leading his class in the championship, Kevin Lynch rounded off the top ten as he gets to grips with his Impreza WRC- P2000.

John McCarthy set the pace through ss4 with a All in all a great day. Good 6.50-breaking Kelly's new craic, excellent weather, record, Eddie Kinirons was superb stages, a well run 2nd fastest on 6.55, 18 secs event everything on time up on his first attempt, good marshalling.Very Dermot Kelly, trying to competitive rallying, and as recover from his off, was winner on the day John next on 6.56-again the top 3 McCarthy pointed out the beating the bogey! Kevin great comoraderie between O'Kane 7.06, John Drislane 7.07 and John Donnelly 7.08. all the lads. Of course they mean business when the flag John McCarthy had a clean drops, but are true run on ss5-fastest on 7.51, Dermot Kelly 7.53 and James sportsmen and always there Murphy drove out of his skin to help out each other whenever needs be.Thanks in front of his home crowd to Jim O'Brien and his team to equal Dermot, this only for a job well done. his second event with the 7speed GPA car.

This was a superb Round 3 KBB Doors National Forest stage - very Championship 2003 fast with an Circuit of Wicklow Rally, Sunday 13th excellent April, Organised by Motor Enthusiast's surface, lots Club of dust and 6 stages based in Roundwood Co. some Wicklow. flowing

John Donnelly

John Donnelly & Greg McCarthy (Escort WRC)

next round

Gus Kearney & Owen O'Neill

44 Pacenotes

206supercup keeping an eye on our irish competitors

ROUND ONE

border counties 22 MARCH WORDS: CIARA CONLAN

Three in a row for Shaun tragic accident involving one of the 206 crews cast a black cloud over the event.

A

The car of Alan Doncaster and Roy Herron went off road on SS5 and landed heavily in a deep ditch.

Both were airlifted to hospital in Newcastle but co-driver Roy died from the injuries sustained in the accident. Alan sustained very bad facial injuries, broken ribs and torn ligament in his leg and was being treated for several days. We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Herron Family and anyone else who is affected by this tragic accident. We would also like to wish Alan a speedy recovery.

ith the cancellation W of the opening round of the 206 Super Cup, the

had electrical trouble on the opening stages and he managed to make it through SS4, but was well down the order and he subsequently retired on SS5.

Graham McClintoch, who had crashed his 206 on the Carrick forestry event last month, had his car fixed and was lying fifteenth.

Shaun Gallagher

Rally of Wales, Peugeot Sport UK set about finding a replacement event straight away in an effort to keep a similar Cup structure and minimise the disruption to the crews.

The ‘Brick and Steel’ Border Counties event based in the Scottish Borders town of Jedburgh was drafted in as an alternative event for the prestigious season opener.

It covered six demanding stages over 45 stage miles of Kielder Forest, a forest area notoriously known as ‘Killer Kielder’ because of its rough stages and deep ditches.

Five Irish crews started the event including the experienced 206 Super Cup crews of Shaun Gallagher/Richard Pashley, Gareth McHale/Joe Downey and Graham McClintoch/Ger Loughrey. Philip Morrow with his brother Simon on the notes, Rodney Wilton with co-driver Peter Leahy and Killarney codriver Jakes Kelly in with English driver Andrew Pawley rounded off the Irish 206 competitors.

Three crews ahead of the 206’s that crashed out on SS1 resulting in the stage being cancelled all received a nominal time. Local man Chris Moore with co-driver Mike Panes was the pace setter on SS2 and won the stage by two seconds from Richard Sykes and co-driver Mark Andrews.The Winter Cup Charging hard the young Gareth McHale

On SS5, Shaun set equal fastest 206 time along with Joan Roca with Richard Sykes finishing the stage two seconds down. He now had second place and was only four seconds down on Sykes who was leading the 206 field.

- winning crew of Stuart Jones and Richard Edwards finished the stage just three seconds behind Sykes. The highest placed Irish crew after SS2 was Philip Morrow/Simon Morrow with a joint fourth fastest stage time, eight seconds behind Chris Moore. Shaun Gallagher, the 2002 Super Cup runner-up set eighth fastest stage time, one second behind Gareth McHale.

Richard Sykes set an equal fastest time with George Philipedes on SS3 with Spanish 206 Championship winner Joan Roca finishing one second behind and Sykes and Philipedes and one second ahead of Shaun Gallagher.

Andrew Pawley with Irish codriver Jakes Kelly caught the car in front and tried to pass, but the dust cloud made for very poor visibility and they trailed

overall standings Place 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 10th 13th 21st

Crew Rnd 1 Shaun Gallagher/Richard Pashley 30 Richard Sykes/Mark Andrews 25 Joan Roca/Daniel Guirro 22 Sebastian Ling/James Philips 20 Mike Falkner/Peter Foy 18 Gareth McHale/Joe Downey 14 Philip Morrow/Simon Morrow 11 Graham McClintoch/Ger Loughrey 8 Andrew Pawley/Jakes Kelly 0

the car for three and a half miles, losing valuable time.

Pawley and Kelly ended up in a ditch on SS4 but managed to get the car back on the stage.

By this time they had lost valuable minutes and were well down on the rest of the 206 crews and lying second last overall.

Olly Marshall set the fastest 206 time on SS4 with Shaun

Total 30 25 22 20 18 14 11 8 0

Gallagher finishing the stage four seconds down. The competition between Cup runners was so fierce for the first four stages that only twenty seven seconds separated the top ten crews going into service. Shaun Gallagher had progressed up to third, Philip Morrow was equal sixth with Gareth McHale, both eleven seconds down on leader Chris Moore. Rodney Wilton’s 206

Gary Jennings enjoying his new toy...

With only twenty six seconds separating the top 6 going into the last stage, anything could have happened - and it did for Chris Moore.

Electrical problems forced him to pull over to let Mike Falkner through and he slid into a ditch and was unable to get back out, thus ending his victory hopes.

Gallagher set fastest stage time on the final stage, beating Sykes by ten seconds and securing the round win.

He now goes into round two next month with three Cup wins in a row under his belt having won the last two events last year.

The Cup crews head back to Kielder at the end of April for round two - The Pirelli International based in Gateshead and of course I’ll be there to bring you all the top action....

CiaraC

206wintercup

Pacenotes 45

keeping an eye on our irish competitors eugeot Sport U.K have long P been at the pinnacle of onemake rallying in the U.K and towards the end of July last they unveiled plans to host a new series during the long break between the 2002 and 2003 season. The 206 Winter Cup was designed to expose crews to competitive events during the four-month break between the 2002 Super Cup finale in October and the 2003 season opener in March. It also served as a testing ground for those who had expressed an interest in this year’s prestigious 206 Super Cup but who had not competed in a 206 Cup car previously.

Three events were named as qualifying rounds, Galloway Hills based in the forests around Castle Douglas in South West Scotland,The Red Kite based around the notorious Epynt military ranges in Mid-Wales and the Rallye Sunseeker based in the coastal town of Bournemouth. Each crew was allowed one drop score with the two best point scores counting towards the final tally, meaning that if a crew retired on an event they were still in with a chance of winning the title. Interest in the series was good with fourteen registered crews going into round one, eight of who were new to the Peugeot Challenge. Philip Morrow co-driven by his brother Simon from Lisburn in their ex-Shaun Gallagher Cup car and Corkman Shane McCarthy teamed with Tony Mulcahy were the only crews representing this side of the Irish Sea. Round one, Galloway Hills, consisted of 5 stages covering 45 stage miles of rough Scottish forests. Heavy overnight rain before the event had made the stages very slippery so crews had a tough day ahead. The first two stages of the day had claimed two 206 veterans, Ben Roper who crashed out on SS1 and Mike Falkner who had damaged his suspension on SS1 retired on SS2 with a broken driveshaft. The following stage claimed another two entrants, Clive Wheeler and Sebastian Ling and only ten made it back to final service in Castle Douglas. With two stages remaining, both Irish crews were settling in well.

Philip Morrow fresh from winning the Northern Ireland Junior Driver of the Year award the previous day was in a comfortable position while Shane McCarthy who had never competed on loose before was gaining some good experience before his assault on the 2003 Super Cup. The penultimate stage saw Richard Sykes take the lead and he had a four second advantage over Philip Morrow going into the final stage. But a

Philip Morrow

Morrow and McCarthy uphold Irish honour... puncture cost him valuable time and Philip set fastest stage time to take the win by six seconds over Sykes. The Morrow brothers with one event win in the Championship now had the advantage going into round two while Shane McCarthy finished the event a credible 7th, one minute and fifty three seconds behind Morrow.

Round two brought the crews to the Epynt Military ranges in Mid-Wales for the Red Kite Stages. The event covered nine stages over forty-five stage miles in Crychan and Halfway forests. A new Irish crew, Cavan man Rodney Wilton with co-driver Peter Leahy, joined the series for round two. An icy but sunny January day greeted the crews on the first stage, and the varying conditions caught some of the 206 crews out on the pre-service stages. Championship leader Philip Morrow had approached a corner too fast on SS3 and spent 40 seconds in a ditch, causing some damage to his car, while Shane McCarthy had a spin costing him valuable seconds on the same stage.

Midlander Richard Sykes was the leading 206 going into first service with Welshman Leon Pesticcio close behind in second. The repairs to Morrow’s car after his off cost him valuable time and sent the Ulsterman over his time limit and out of the points for the Championship. However, he did carry on to contest the Trophy Rally at the back of the field to gain more experience in the 206. Fellow Irishman Rodney Wilton lost the back end of his 206 but managed to keep the car going to finish the event eleventh of the 206 crews while Shane McCarthy finished sixth.

The battle for first place went right to the last stage between Sykes and Pesticcio. Sykes slid off on a corner but spectators got him back onto the stage and he carried on but dropped fifteen seconds to Pesticcio and the Welshman took the win by a mere six seconds. Five crews went into the final round with a chance of winning the Cup. Sykes, Pesticcio, Morrow, Olly Marshall and young Welshman Stuart Jones.

wintercup final standings Pl. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 9th 14th

Crew Stuart Jones/Richard Edwards Leon Pesticcio/Howard Davies Richard Sykes/Mark Andrews Olly Marshall/Craig Parry Sebastian Ling/James Phillips Shane McCarthy/Tony Mulcahy Philip Morrow/Simon Morrow Rodney Wilton/Peter Leahy

Rnd1 22 20 25 0 0 14 30 \

Rnd2 20 30 25 22 14 16 0 10

Rnd3 30 0 0 20 25 22 0 \

(*) indicates dropped scores have been included in the final score

Total 52 (*) 50 50 42 39 38(*) 30 10

The final round of the Winter Cup brought the crews to sunny Bournemouth to contest sixteen stages to the north of the coastal town. With five 206 crews in with a chance of winning the Cup, the event proved to be an exciting season finale. Richard Sykes a Peugeot Cup veteran and Leon Pesticcio were favourites to take the title while 206 newcomers Philip Morrow, Olly Marshall and Stuart Jones were not to be dismissed.

The event started well for the Irish crews with Shane McCarthy setting second fastest 206 time on the opening tarmac stage around Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens and Promenade while Philip Morrow set a steady sixth fastest time. The crews then moved north to the Avon Park complex and Morrow emerged from SS2 in front of the other 206 crews. He held onto his lead until the end of SS3 but dropped down to third by the end of SS4. Only 5.8 seconds separated the top five 206 crews after SS4 and Shane McCarthy was lying a comfortable sixth. Leon Pesticcio was feeling very unwell and after a doubt that he would start the event he turned up early on Saturday morning, but he was struggling to keep up with the rest of the crews and was lying eleventh going into SS5.

The following stage marked the end of the event and Championship hopes for Leon when he hit a large pothole towards the end of the stage and damaged his suspension so badly he could not continue.Three of the five Cup contenders now filled the top three places with young Stuart Jones leading, Philip Morrow in second and Richard Sykes closely nipping Morrow’s heals in third. SS7 marked the end of the event for Sykes when he broke a drive shaft and damaged the differential on the rough stages. He managed to limp to the end of the stage but the car was too badly damaged to continue.

Morrow now took the lead from young Jones and The Cup lay in the sights of the two young newcomers. Morrow retained his lead until SS11 where he landed very heavily from a large jump and damaged the sump, losing oil.

The damage to the engine meant immediate retirement for the young Ulsterman and meant imminent victory for Stuart Jones with five stages remaining.

The young Welshman showed great pace and maturity to complete all the remaining stages and lift the 2002 Winter Cup. Shane McCarthy had driven a copy book rally to finish the event third overall behind Sebastian Ling.

Final Championship standings are shown in opposite table…..

Can Jonny hitch a 206 Wintercup ride? carva co-driver Jonny Tate Sswitching relishes the thought of seats and becoming a driver, and he has just been given a chance to fulfill those dreams by the organisers of a new scheme to bring young talent into the sport.

Prospeed Motorsport are offering a Scholarship for one potential future rally champion to contest this year’s Peugeot 206 Winter Cup at the wheel of their 206 Cup car.

Jonny has already contested the first round of the Scholarship which included driving tests on both tarmac and gravel surfaces and impressed the instructors with

a notable performance, so much so, that he has been invited back to round two of the challenge.

Organisers have said that he stands a very good chance of getting through to the final round.

The winner of the Scholarship will become part of the ProSpeed Motorsport team for 3 events of the 206 Winter Cup. All expenses

are paid by the team, and they provide everything including the car, co-driver if necessary, service crew, petrol, tyres, entry fees and insurance, a prize worth in excess of £20,000. All the winner has to do is turn up and drive the car.

Round 1 which Jonny has already passed consisted of driving techniques in the classroom followed by driving tuition in VW Golf and Peugeot 206 rally cars over various surfaces.

Round 2 is invitation only, and consists of yet more driving, but this time the drivers will be subjected to a physical test during the day.They will also get a ride in the actual car they will be driving should they win the prize.

The final round will be attended by the six people who have impressed the judges the most, and they will put through yet more driving tests, and eventual victory will be based on tests involving driving ability, attitude, interview skills and potential. This time the drivers will be judged by a panel including 2002 British Rally Champion, Jonny Milner who will announce the winner at the end of the day.

For more information about the ProSpeed Motorsport Rally Scholarship 2003 please call: +44 (0) 1904 720438 or e-mail: scholarship@prospeedmotorsport.co.uk

206 winter cup review WORDS: CIARA CONLAN

The prize 206 car that Jonny has his sights on...

46 Pacenotes

classifiedservices useful services / for sales / wanted

To advertise simply send your ad details and picture along with a Cheque or Postal Order made out to Pacenotes for the correct amount to the address below...

ClassifiedsPacenotes, 19 Tudor Oaks, Banbridge, Co Down N. Ireland BT32 4LP

2000 Super 1600 Ford Puma Full Works Spec Super 1600 Puma in Gravel trim.

Fully rebuilt 2003 spec Field Motorsport Engine(0kms) Mint condition ready to go.

00353 87 2123526 OR 069 76165 email: stonehallvisitorfarm@eircom.net

1982 Opel Ascona 400

Wide Arch Nova Rally Car 1993 shell(spotless) not seam welded, fitted with ProTec wide arch kit.

Gp A adjustable wide track suspension, fully rosejointed.

Gp A uniballs. poly bushes in rear beam.

Bilstein 2 1/4 front coilovers.

Adjustable top mounts, Bilstein rear shocks.

Tarmac spec springs.

Rear disc conversion, 2L front discs and calipers.

Hydraulic handbrake.16\" OZ super T\'s.

Never used in competition, one year old.

Receipts Parts cost 4900 euro selling for 4000 euro o.n.o Contact: Brian Grealish E-mail: grealishbrian@hotmail.com Tel: 086 1702368

Easily uprated to Irish challenge spec. £17750 GBP Contact: Peter Dowds e-mail: peterdowds@ntlworld.com Phone: 0044 7968 487264

rallysportireland

Chris Griffiths Manta 400’s 1 x Full Swindon engine, only 200 miles since full rebuild.

1 x Full Millington 400 engine, car built by Safetydevices, ready to go.

With many wheels, tyres and spares.

(TEXT ONLY)

Ford Focus RHD challenge cup car (Bilstein Suspension) fully rebuilt, full works spec rebuilt

by Boreham in tarmac trim.

£42500 GBP

2 EX WORKS MANTA 400S FOR SALE

Advert this size will cost only £10/ 15Euro

2001 Focus 2Ltr Rally Cup Car

1600 Sunbeam Skip brown engine Tranx 4 speed gearbox AP 4 pot calipers on front chrysler 180 discs on rear.

Bilstein suspension all round(adjustable fronts) SPARCO seats 3"belts Car is in good condition and comes with 6 spare wheels

PRICE £3950 Contact Ian Mob 0044 7831 587204

Opel Ascona Ex works Phase 3 engine and axel, getrag box, tarmac setup.

Plenty of spares contact for details for full spec.

Price:£22,500 Sebastian Stacpoole e-mail: stacpool@iol.ie Tel: 00353 87 2360655

Talbot Sunbeam 1600

for sale, ready to race.

Price 3000euro.

Contact Finian Hannigan @ 087 9692777 for more info.

Escort Cosworth Clubman GpA R&D 6speed box R&D front/rear diffs 315mm brakes some spares John@07885 525490

Mark I Escort with Toyota Twin-cam engine Fully Aero Quipped with Hydraulic Handbrake. Adj. Billy\’s All Round.

World Cup Cross Member and Quick Rack.

Vented Discs All Round. Gartrac Adj Pedal Box. Turreted and Re-inforced shell. Much More.

Price: Euro 6,500.00 Contact: Conor Falvey Tel:087 8296288

SUZUKI SWIFT 1300 GTI (Ex Mark Fisher car) Group N & A FIA papers.

Ready to go.

Affordable way to go Rallying. ¤ 7500.00 (Eur) Tel: 087 2506450 (Bernard Bradley)

2001 Ford Focus WRC 400,000 euros

Janne Tuohino e-mail: janne.tuohino@lpmgroup.com Contact Phone: +358500905011

Advert this size will cost only £20/ 30Euro (WITH PICTURE) OPEL CORSA RALLY CAR BUILT TO HARRY HOCKLEY SPEC. RING FOR FULL DETAILS 8,000euros ono Tel: 086 2617846 (Carlow)

1989 Honda Civic 1.4 Rally prepared, just finished and log booked. e-mail:donalkelleher@hotmail.com or 086 2623258

WANTED I am looking for names of persons or company’s with LHD Evo’s for rent, either here or in Wales!

Please reply to: codriverireland@ yahoo.com

Nissan Sunny 2.0 Rally Car Class A7, 0miles on engine, 6speed dog box with spares, 12rims with good tyres, works light pod includeed, lots of spares, no time wasters please

Tel: 087 2901215

For Sale: Escort Mk I Rally Car Ford Escort MK1 1974 welded in cage, cross seam welded bodyshell weight, under 1000kg ENGINE Cosworth bdg 2liter weber 48 carbs new aluminium block 2002 dry sump bdx cylinder head cams:l1 and da 10 steel h section rods mahle forged racing pistons GEARBOX quiafe heavy duty 6 speed sequential with sixth 1:1 and gear change display hydraulic clutch ap twin paddle clutch

SUSPENSION fully floting atlas axle watts linkage fully rose jointed ajustable bilsteins coil over rear hydraulic power steering (electric motor driven)2 turns lock to lock monte carlo front discs25mm thick 10 gallon aluminium tank twin facet red top fule pumps + filter king WHEELSx13 compomotive wheels x 11 For More information and Photos E-mail John Hodgson: tomcat@manx.net

Place your advert TODAY - Call +44 (0) 28 40660390

fordka&focus

Pacenotes 47

latest news from ford’s ladders of opportunity

Noone is No.one! arrick-on-Suir, 23rd February C 2003:Vivian Noone from Cashel, Co.Tipperary has won the opening round of the 2003 Ford Rallyesport KA Rally

Championship and finished in an amazing twenty sixth position overall, at the Suirway Forklifts Carrick-on-Suir Forestry Rally.

With a starting line up of fifteen Pirelli shod Ford KA, the opening round of the 2003 Irish Series promised to be one of the most exciting to date.The majority of the crews had never competed on gravel before, as the series has traditionally always been fought out on the tarmac stages.

Ian Chadwick in the Autopoint Ford KA has had plenty of experience in the “woods” having competed in the Polo Cup in the UK for the last two seasons. His gravel experience immediately showed as he set fastest time on the opening loop of three stages.Vivian Noone in the Gain Horse Feeds Ford KA and Eoghan Fogarty settled into a joint second position by the first service eighteen seconds off the leader.

Martin Laverty in the MGL Ford KA in fourth position a further two seconds in arrears.

With stage four cancelled, Noone attacked, setting fastest time on stage five, six and seven.Vivian moved into

the lead from Fogarty by just eight seconds. Fogarty fought back, trying desperately to reduce Vivian’s lead, but to no avail - the man from Cashel once again recording fastest time on stage nine. Fogarty, in a desperate do or die mission won the tenth and final stage but not by enough,Vivian coasted home to an eight second victory. Despite a costly puncture Ian Chadwick finished in third position on his return to the KA series and Martin Laverty fourth. “It has been a long time coming.This is my second year in the KA Rally Championship and I am absolutely delighted. More of the rounds should be in the forests. We had a great battle all day with Ian Chadwick and Eoghan Fogarty.They pushed me all the way, but we always had a little bit in reserve. I cannot wait for the next round of the series where, the battle will recommence.” said Vivian.

IRELAND

2003 RALLY

CHAMPIONSHIP

ka championship after round 1 1 2 3 4 5

KA army invades the Kingdom of Kerry... he second round of the highly competitive 2003 Ford Rallyesport KA Rally Championship, the Circuit of Kerry Rally, takes place on Sunday the 6th of April next based in Tralee, Co. Kerry.

T

Vivian Noone (Cashel) took the overall honours on the opening

round of the series on the Carrickon-Suir Forestry Rally. However as all fifteen Pirelli shod Ford rockets head for the tarmac stages of North Kerry,Vivian"s crown will be challenged by newcomers Eoin Fogarty (Roscrea), Gordon Coleman (Mallow), Keith Lyons (Limerick) & Walter Walsh (Waterford). However as experience is everything in

rallying and some of last years KA front-runners such as Kenneth Mulvaney (Sligo) and Mark Kane (Tullamore) will also be challenging for victory and to move up the leader board.

The Circuit of Kerry Rally, with in excess of 85 competitive stage miles, will include some classic Kerry stages such as "Desmonds Grave"

and "Smerla River". "It was brilliant to secure my very first KA victory on the opening round of the 2003 Championship. However the pressure is now on keep my Championship lead. I am really looking forward to a great battle in Kerry," said Championship leader, Vivian Noone.

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Vivian Noone Cashel, Co. Tipperary Eoghan Fogarty, Roscrea, Co. Laois Ian Chadwick, Ballincollig, Cork Martin Laverty Magherafelt, Co. Derry Ian Liston, Athea, Co. Limerick 19 Walter Walsh Waterford Emily O’Mahony Carrigaline, Cork Kenneth Mulvaney, Coolaney. Co. Sligo Keith Lyons Limerick Gordon Coleman, Mallow, Co. Cork Mark Kane,Tullamore Gary Reidy, Adare, Co. Limerick John Doolan Clonmel, Co.Tipperary Cathal Greane, Galway

30 26 23 21 17 15 13 12 11 0 0 0 0

It just keeps getting better and better...

The 2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship boasts a variety of changes with all of the 2.0 litre Championship cars receiving new ECU and a 5 speed dog engagement gearbox and uprated driveshafts to harness the increased power.

The Prize Fund is also increased to Eur25,000 and the eventual winner getting at test-drive in a WRC Ford Focus at M-Sport in Cumbria.

Brendan Kelly in action at Punchestown.

2003 focus events ROUND ONE 3&4TH MAY RALLY OF THE LAKES, KILLARNEY ROUND TWO 1ST JUNE CIRCUIT OF MUNSTER, ADARE

he Ford Ireland Focus Rally T Championship returns for its second year and the new and improved series will start with the International Rally of the Lakes based in Killarney on the 3rd & 4th of May.

The 2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship sees the crews tackle seven events throughout the country starting in May and finishing in Cork in October. Each round of the series has been chosen to offer each competitor the opportunity to gain experience on a wide variety of surfaces and style of event.

The Championship goal is to make the series the most successful training ground for future Rally Champions providing each competitor with a broad range of experience in a high tech, professional environment at an affordable cost.

"We have introduced a variety of changes both to the Championship and the Championship cars for 2003. I am confident that these changes will provide us all with much more exciting action for the forthcoming season and once again establish the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship as Ireland premier one make rally series", said Tom Collins, Championship Director.

"We are looking forward to this years competition which promises to be even more exciting than last year, when we witnessed real head to head competition with the battle for first place going down to the very last rally.

With the improvements to the cars the coming season and the presence of new competitors it is going to be the championship to watch," said Declan Foley, Brand Manager, Ford Ireland.

ROUND THREE 29TH JUNE RAVENS ROCK, WATERFORD

2003 RALLY

CHAMPIONSHIP

Protec Promotions Limited, Provincial House, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick.

Ph: 068-32599

ROUND FOUR 13TH JULY SLIGO STAGES, SLIGO ROUND FIVE 6&7TH SEPT ULSTER, ARMAGH ROUND SIX 21ST SEPT CLARE STAGES, ENNIS ROUND SEVEN 4&5TH OCT CORK 20, CORK

IRELAND

John Foley flying high during the Clare Stages Rally.

The ultimate prize testing a Focus WRC

48 Pacenotes

clubsandwich tasty news from around the clubs MOTORSPORT IRELAND 34 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. Phone: 016775628, Fax: 01-6710793, e.mail: info@motorsportireland.com website: www.motorsportireland.com A.L.M.C. Mr. John Carroll Phone: 01-8510920 (w) or 087-2654241, email: john@boyleproperty.net.

BIRR & DISTRICT AUTO CLUB Ms. Della McEvoy, Phone: 0502-33312 (h) or 087 6604704.

CARLOW CAR CLUB Ms. Denise Ryan-Marini, Phone: 0507- 32761 (10-6pm), Fax: 050732269, email: dryanint@iol.ie.

CARRICK-ON-SUIR MOTOR CLUB Ms. Ann M.Fitzgerald, Phone/Fax: 051-895238 (h) or 086 2463861, email:carrickonsuirmc@eircom.net.

CASTLE AUTOMOBILE CLUB Mrs. Maureen Curran, Phone: 049-8541175 (h) or 087 2271461.

CO.CAVAN MOTOR CLUB Mr. Sean Sharkey Phone: 087- 9371290, email: seanmsharkey@hotmail.com.

CO. KILDARE MOTOR CLUB Mr. David Fitzgerald, Phone: 045-899431 (h), 045-876458 (w) or 087 2493003, email: ckmc@eircom.net website: www.ckmc.ie CO. MONAGHAN MOTOR CLUB Mr. Michael McMahon, Phone: 047-89559 (w) or 087 7987279, email:monaghanmotorclub@eircom.net website: www.monaghanmotorclub.com DONEGAL MOTOR CLUB Mrs. Lottie Reid Phone/Fax: 074-26966 (h) or 087-2290728, email: lottiereid@oceanfree.net, website: www.donegalmotorclub.com.

GALWAY MOTOR CLUB Mr. Dennis Murphy Phone: 091-552434 (h), 091-742229 (w) or 086-8517833,Fax: 091-751107, e.mail: denm@gofree.indigo.ie G.S.M.C Pat Lordan, Phone: 01-6668211 (w) or 087-9969988, email: gardarallyteam@eircom.net.

CLARE M.C. Jeanne Casey, Phone: 086 4000495, email: info@claremotorclub.com, website: www.claremotorclub.com.

CONNACHT MOTOR CLUB (SLIGO) Mr. Andrew Caldwell, Phone: 071-86550 (w) 087-2371923, email: acaldwell@cgold.ie website: www.connachtmotorclub.com.

CORK MOTOR CLUB Mr. Brian C.O’Connell Phone: 021-4873737(h) or 086 2651970, e.mail: bcoc@eircom.net, website: www.corkmotorclub.com.

KERRY MOTOR CLUB Mr.Tom Barrett Phone: 066-7127331 (h).

LEINSTER MOTOR CLUB Ms. Ann Stevens Phone: 01-6264961 (after 6.30pm only), email: leinstermc@eircom.net

ttention all Motor clubs - welcome to the A first ever dedicated page for Irish Motor clubs North and South of the Border - ‘Club Sandwich’!

I am appealing to you all to use this page to your own advantage, supply us with any club information, meeting dates, upcoming rallies, BBQs, AGMS, marshal training days or any thing else for that matter!

Perhaps you have a club newslette? Save money, print the info in Club Sandwich!

Remember, your members need to know what’s what, potential new members need to know what’s what.... so here is your chance.

We’ve set up a special email address for motor clubs and its members - clubsandwich@pacenotes.net or call us on +44 (0) 2840 660 390.

Remember it’s YOUR page so use it!

ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN IRELAND CAR CLUBS Mr. Nicky Moffitt Phone: 048 92663110(h), 048 3833 8031 (w), e.mail: nmoffitt@motorsport.net website: www.anicc.org.uk.

BALLYNAHINCH & DISTRICT MC Lawson Wade Home: 01238 561374 Work: 01238 562238 ballynahinch_mc@hotmail.com www.badmc-online.fsnet.co.uk BRITISH MOTOR RACING MARSHALS CLUB Colin Rossborough Phone: 048 84943 2985 email: C.ROSS@DNET.CO.UK COLERAINE & DISTRICT MC

MAYO & DISTRICT MC Mr. John Duffy, Mullinmore Street, Crossmolina, Co.Mayo. Phone: 096-31646 (h), 096-53326 (w) or 087 9583240, website: www.mayo-motorsport-club.com.

MIDLAND MOTOR CLUB Ms. Josephine Lane-Flynn, Phone: 043-47819 (h), email: jodylane@iolfree.ie

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY M.C. & L.C.C. Mr. Maurice Bryan Phone/Fax: 01-4931877or 087 2621536 e-mail: alcedo@gofree.indigo.ie EAST COAST RALLY MARSHALS CLUB Mr. Brian Dennis Phone: 01-6280527, 087-2432919 GALWAY MOTORSPORT MARSHALS Mr. Hugh Conlon Phone: 091-751750 (h), 091-563016 (w), 086-8036145, email: hcon@eircom.net.

LIFFEY RALLY TEAM MARSHALS Mr. Paddy Murtagh Phone: 01-8745209 (w) or 087-2638416.

MUNSTER M.C. & C.C Ms. Margaret A. Devine, Phone: 021-4859720.

NORTHEAST MOTORSPORTS CLUB Ms. Ann Murphy Phone: 041-6852060(h), 041-9833549(w) or 086 8339109, email: alm_murphy@yahoo.co.uk, website: www.ardeeonline.com/nemc.

SKIBBEREEN & DISTRICT CAR CLUB Ms.Sinead Maxwell Phone: 028-33348 (h) or 087 7797373. e-mail info@skibbdcc.com Website www.skibbdcc.com TIPPERARY L.C. & M.C.C Mr. Paddy King, Phone: 052-35893 or 086-8617254.

KILLARNEY & DISTRICT MOTOR CLUB Ms.Rachel Clifford Phone/Fax: 064-44025 (h) or 087 9884225, email: rachel.clifford@oceanfree.net.

Club Appeal!

Phone: 0902-92474 or 086 2307384.

LIMERICK MOTOR CLUB Mrs. Mary Fitzgerald, Phone/Fax: 061-393442 (h), email: billfitzgerald@eircom.net, website: www.limerickmc.ie.

WEXFORD MOTOR CLUB Ms. Karen O’Dowd, Phone: 087-7984253, Fax: 053-41846, email: podowd1@eircom.net, website: www.wexfordrally.tripod.com.

MOTORSPORT RESCUE SERVICES LTD Mr. Colman Gilligan Phone: 01-8685516(h), 01-2061361(w), 087-2333747 Email: cgilligan@eurologic.com WESTERN MARSHALS CLUB Mr.Tom Tuffy Phone: 086 8134096.

IRISH RALLY COMPETITORS ASSOCIATION Declan Tumilty Phone: 01-6273868 (h), 01-6288564 (w) or 087-2597599, email: ircainfo@eircom.net, website: www.irca-info.com GALWAY BAY RALLY RESCUE UNIT Mr. Ivor Gleeson Phone: 091-591497 (h), 091-509892 (w), Fax: 091-509855, 087 2649329, email: ivor@cao.ie, website: www.cao.ie/rescue LAOIS RALLYSPORT Mr John Delahunty Ph: 0502-32005 or 086-8341080.

ATHLONE RALLY RESCUE Mr. Frank Henehan

club news...

Magherafelt and District MC Monthly meetings are usually held on the 1st Monday of the month in Mary’s Bar, Magherafelt @ 8:30pm.

Everyone welcome.

Cookstown Motor Club Club meetings are held in the Killymoon Golf club, Cookstown on the first Tuesday of each month at 8.00 p.m. All members and interested non members are welcome.

Maiden City Club Meetings take place on the second Monday of each month, changing to the White

Willis Gibson Phone: 028 7034 2825 (h) 028 7034 3809 (w) COOKSTOWN MOTOR CLUB Phillip Armstrong Home: 028 87738090 Mobile: 07740 986320 Phil@cossie.fsnet.co.uk DUNGANNON MOTOR CLUB David White Home: 028 877 23541 Work: 028 877 23451 www.dungannonmotorclub.com ENNISKILLEN MOTOR CLUB Allan Shields Phone: 028 66327337 or 07754 028898 e-mail allan_shields1@hotmail.com www.enniskillenmotorclub.co.uk

LOUGH NEAGH CAR & TARMAC RALLY MARSHALS' CLUB Donna Spier Phone 048 79 30 13 79 MAGHERAFELT MOTOR CLUB Lee Averal Home: 02879 644190 Work: 02894 423439 alan@maghera.com www.magherafeltmotorclub.co.uk MAIDEN CITY MOTOR CLUB Paul Flanagan Home: 028 71353329 MID ANTRIM MOTOR CLUB Michael Johnston Home: 02825 649340 NEWRY & DISTRICT

Get your Rally programme printed or designed for less than you think!

No minimum order - Great colour Rates

Horse Inn, Campsie, usually starting at 8.30.p.m.

Rathfriland MC All meetings to be held in the Old George, Rathfriland, 8pm on these dates: Wed 7th May, Wed 4th June, Wed 2nd July, Wed 6th August, Wed 3rd September, Wed 1st October, Wed 5th November, Wed 3rd December Interested in marshalling.

Kerry Motor Club depends on a very sizeable group of volunteer marshals to ensure a safe running of the whole event.

The club is very grateful for the MOTOR CLUB David McElroy Home: 028 38 831724 NORTH ARMAGH MC & CC Barry Taggart Home: 0284 0625 143 Work: 0284 0629301 btaggart@namcc.com www.namcc.com

assistance it receives from their neighbouring clubs most notably, Kilarney and district, Clare, Limerick and Cork Motor clubs. For individuals who would like to volunteer their services for running of the event the Marshall meeting points and stage commanders are as follows: Stage 1 Jakes Kelly at the Kerry Group Plant,Tralee road Listowel at 8.30 am; Stage 2 Seamus O Connor at Kelly’s Petrol Station, Six Crosses at 9.00 am; Stage 3 Kevin Walsh Atlantic Oils Ardfert at 10.00am, Stage 4 Mike o Keefee Manor Statoil Tralee at 10.am QUEENS UNIVERSITY MC qubmc-committee@yahoogroups.com RATHFRILAND MOTOR CLUB Andy Gilmore Home: 028 4377 1391 Work: 028 4377 8484 Fax: 028 4377 1391 Mobile: 0797 6677 890 andy@agilmore.fsbusiness.co.uk www.msauk.org/club/rathfrilandmc

NORTHERN IRELAND MC Drew Todd Phone: 048 9146 8339 e-mail: dtodd@ulster-rally.co.uk

RUC MC Arthur Livingston Work: 01232 650222 EXT26005

OMAGH MOTOR CLUB Lewis Boyd Home: 028 8224 1687 Work: 028 82835235 Mobile: 07711 737185 LBoyd@slt.n-i.nhs.uk

ULSTER AUTOMOBILE CLUB Mr.Tom Watson Phone: 028 9042 6262 Fax: 028 9042 1818 email: ulsterac@dircon.co.uk website: www.ulsterac.dircon.co.uk.

graphic design • contract publishing photography • digital colour printing web solutions & security

19 tudor oaks, banbridge, co down, bt32 4lp, northern ireland. t: +44 (0) 28 4066 0390 m: +44 (0) 7803 891893 e: simon@mooneymedia.com