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Well this is really the shakedown stage for the start of the 2006 season and is run by the 500MRCI. It is a chance for all drivers to dust off the cob webs or get their first competitive drive in new machinery and today was no exception with Sean Devine and Martin Doherty out in new S9’s and Dickie Curran out in the evo8 that has only done 1 previous event. The day started a tad latter than billed and with 2 local men doing double zero especially David Francis in his rather rapid mk6 escort RWD monster to get the crowds warmed up as the rallycross spec ford chirpped and spluttered to awaken the already awake roosters, then it was onto the main stages were Devine, Biggerstaff and Doherty looked much on the same pace  all driving on the limit and in some rough terain too with the gravel sections cutting up bad (though making way for some nice images). The groupN field was on a charge too with the the usuals giving it all and before hand Mike Curran said "the evo7 is sold so i need to take it easy and bring it home" and by heck he did bringing it into 4th overall and "nd grpN behind his father Dickie in the newer machine with George Robinson having a good drive in his McNeill prepared WRC Escort into 5th behind Mike. Bigerstaff had the drive of his life today battling it out at the top and it paid off as he took the podium position followed by Doherty in his new machinery.

Onto the lower classes and these ranged from nova’s, escorts especially the mk2’s but a rather nice one in my books is Hasletts F2 cup car which is to say te least a rapid piece of kit, then the classics with anglia, cortina and popular 100e all out for the days craic and Tracey in his beautiful BMW which certainly wasn’t sluggish. Another mention deserved in my eyes to the man in the Black "funbeam" by jees he was enjoying himself and certainly wasn’t feared of her at all so the sideways may not be fast but he made it look fast. Overall a great and surprisingly warm (for Kirkistown) day with a lot of action and results to come asap.

These are low resolution images of what can be purchased so please contact for more information / samples of more images / prcing guide.

1 Denis Biggerstaff and Stuart Biggerstaff (Subaru WRC) 26min22s
2 Martin Doherty and Michael McColgan (Subaru WRC) 26min40s
3 Dickie Curran and Chris Curran (Mitsubishi Evo8.5) 26min47s
4 Michael Curran and Gareth Conn (Mitsubishi Evo7) 26min50s
5 George Robinson and Damien McCann (Ford Escort WRC) 26min52s
6 Gary White and Dominic Carson (Ford Escort WRC) 27min05s
7 Brendan O’Hagan and Pat Hone (Ford Focus WRC) 27min22s
8 Gary Rodgers and Brian Crawford (Mitsubishi Evo6) 27min31s
9 Brendan Donegan and Noel Farrell (Mitsubishi Evo9) 27min41s
10 Connor McCluskey and Crawford Henderson (Mitsubishi Evo8) 27min43s

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Graham is a photojournalist and motoring writer with over 20 varied years of coverage from manufacturer press launches to international motorsport and motoring events throughout the world. Graham is a full member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and Ulster Motor Writers Association.