Circuit of Ireland - UAC Easter Stages Rally 2022

[Graham]

We were at the junction of the Feystown and Loughdoo roads on the exit of the right hander, I think you may have been in the next field to us right on the corner as I heard kids running around?

No, I was in the scenic carpark just before the finish line of the hillclimb.

 

[AidanMcG]

What happened with this whole ‘bogey’ time thing?

 

[Deleted member 23441]

What happened with this whole ‘bogey’ time thing?

Bogey times are times for stages set by organisers/governing body of rallies to keep the average speed down, if a competitor beats the bogey he does'nt get that time he gets the set bogey time, its a safety/insurance measure.

 

[FM155]

The organisers scrapped the bogey on Cairncastle for the last runs and Ali Fisher went 11 odd secs faster and won.

 

[AidanMcG]

The organisers scrapped the bogey on Cairncastle for the last runs and Ali Fisher went 11 odd secs faster and won.

Ah. For some reason I had it in my head about nominal times - haven’t been able to follow CoI this year so no idea what all the social media comments about ‘rule changes’ were about

 

[DC.]

Anyone know if this will be broadcast on tv?

 

[FM155]

Ali was definitely the fastest man on the second day, it took him a fair amount to time to get up to that pace and at that point, Josh Moffett had been consistently quick throughout the rally. I think it's a bit controversial to change a rule to the benefit of any driver that is on a late charge unless there was another reason to do so.
Can't take away the fact that Ali was the quickest car on the second day though.

 

[DC.]

Surprised at Desi Henry’s pace. Shame the engine went as it would have been even closer come the end.

Not been a good few weeks for the new Fiesta. Henry’s going pop, Devine & McCourt changing out of theirs and Boyle picking the Polo to start his R5 campaign.

Thought there would be more Fabias over here as it’s the ‘go to’ in WRC2. Maybe it’s to do with the package that comes with the car?

 

[KevM]

Henry's engine was/is fine. They changed a sensor in service & it was good to go, but he'd already pulled out. I actually think Cathan would have went better in his Fiesta

 

[DC.]

Strange one by McCourt. Worth trying a different car but as you say he’d probably have faired better in the Fiesta.

Not a Subaru in sight.

 

[FM155]

See Josh's interview at the finish at 9:43:12, understandably not a happy bunny.

 

[Graham]

See Josh's interview at the finish at 9:43:12, understandably not a happy bunny.

Robbed.

Does anyone have a factual clue as to why the rule book was thrown out at the end?

 

[FM155]

Haven't heard of anything really. Seems a bit odd to say the least.

 

[DC.]

Someone has had a word with the officials.

OK if they want to scrap bogey times but at least do it before the start of a new loop so it’s fair on everyone.

 

[FM155]

Josh was managing a lead and not taking risks but Ali was going for it no matter what, as anyone would in his position would. Fair enough to remove the bogey time but not after the cars had left the final service. Josh hadn't changed his tyres because he was confident of beating the bogey and taking the win. It's not great for the event either, doesn't send out a good message to competitors.

 

[KevM]

Maybe Masi has been demoted to head of Rallying

 

[bob]

Ive met your man Terry Bradely the artist in what looks like an Satin grey AMG Gts a good few times in Millisle.

Robbed.

Does anyone have a factual clue as to why the rule book was thrown out at the end?

I’d seen someone post that international stages have no bogie time, no idea if theres any truth in that as it’s not something I’ve ever heard before?

 

[Graham]

I’d seen someone post that international stages have no bogie time, no idea if theres any truth in that as it’s not something I’ve ever heard before?

Random.

 

[Graham]

Random.

But fact. Here is the press release from the club, which touches on it. It seems Moffett was caught sleeping.

 

[KevM]

Yes, he was. But to be fair, up until the last stage, everyone believed that the bogey's would be applied. He was managing a lead that was mathematically unbeatable.

 

[FM155]

The official times had bogeys applied up until the last stage so at best, it was sloppy on behalf of the organisers. In the past, the national event had to be a different length (shorter) than the international to enable them to be treated as two separate events with appropriate timings. Maybe that has changed in the last couple of years but still seems odd. At the end of the day, there's no argument that Ali was the quickest driver on the second day. If Josh hasn't appealed it, then I assume he's just taken it on the chin and will do the fighting on the stages which will be good for the rest of the championship.

Bogey times are a ballix tbh, I timed a Targa test last year and the first 10 runners beat it so I was telling them their test time and the bogey they would get applied, got some serious looks and comments back.

 

[lennyd]

I probably said hello and never knew it was you... I was in the green Forester SU08 ARU with the young twins with us on their first rally.

Was speaking to you at the end of Glendun then. I was the Marshall in shorts! Was up at 5.20 on Friday and in bed for 11 then up at 4.20 for Cairncastle. Got home for 8.30 on Saturday and ended up going out for a few pints with a mate who's home from England. Was pure scrap on Sunday.

I have to say, some people talk to marshalls like they've never got a slap in the bake. Hate being on accessible junctions and having to deal with some bellends. Thankfully I was on a chicane on Saturday and left in peace

 

[Graham]

Was speaking to you at the end of Glendun then. I was the Marshall in shorts! Was up at 5.20 on Friday and in bed for 11 then up at 4.20 for Cairncastle. Got home for 8.30 on Saturday and ended up going out for a few pints with a mate who's home from England. Was pure scrap on Sunday.

I have to say, some people talk to marshalls like they've never got a slap in the bake. Hate being on accessible junctions and having to deal with some bellends. Thankfully I was on a chicane on Saturday and left in peace

I'd never marshal a rally for the reason of having to educate bellends. A thankless task, well done yourself.

I enjoyed the event. As media we were treated with respect and allowed suitable freedom to get our job done.

And what better roads to review the new hybrid forester on. Chassis, comfort and space inside just perfect. Engine and cvt 'box major letdown.

 

[davecoupe]

Robbed.

Does anyone have a factual clue as to why the rule book was thrown out at the end?

FIA run events aren’t required to have a bogie applied (the wording is funny though, they aren’t required to apply a bogie…but it doesn’t say organisers cannot apply bogies either). In the FIA’s eyes, homologation rules are the bogie essentially. The rally was a round of the FIA Celtic rally trophy (and the ITRC is run to FIA rules) so there is no requirement for a bogie. MI have an agreement that they won’t run stages with an average speed of greater than 75mph for insurance reasons so they do apply bogies to the whole field on MI sanctioned events, I don’t think this applies to MSA events though.

The UAC (or the timekeepers, or whoever applies bogies) overlooked the FIA rules and applied bogies initially. Someone pointed out in the final service that they shouldn’t have applied bogies to the international field. Both Ali and Josh got a call on the road section on their way to the last stage to say that the bogies were scrapped. Think Josh got the call 5 mins before he was due on the line.

I think it really messed with their heads and it was an awful hairy run for both over the final stage. All 4 people involved were just glad to get to the end of the stage. Both had multiple close calls.

It was poorly handled but ultimately the correct decision was probably reached. It would be a very different story if there had been a plane crash by one of the protagonists at one of the massive 5th gear jumps on that stage though.

 

[lennyd]

I was instructed to make my chicanes tighter on the last run through Cairncastle as the bogey times were being beat on the first 2 runs