Tour of the Sperrins // Frank Kelly's massive jump

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davecoupe

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Great article as usual @Cess. Didn't get to go as I was at a wedding, raging as it started 2 mins from my house. Great field with more WRC's on the start line than the circuit and drivers like Bogie making the trip from Scotland.

Watched that video last night, baby blue definitely loves to fly.

Great pic of it here from rallyphotographer on Facebook.

https://m.facebook.com/Rallyphotogr...9204439794366/843181555729982/?type=1&theater
 
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Cess

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Many thanks @davecoupe and that is some picture. John O'Neill has immortailty assured now, after taking that. It's aleady one of the the classic shots of Irish Rallying. Reminds me of that crazy pic of Vincent Bonner from years ago.

Amazingly well supported event with a couple of Scottish drivers over, including Bogie. I hear him say at the start line that he doesn't come over to Ireland enough and is pulling together a deal for an Escort for Donegal.

The stages Magherafelt and District motorclub pulled together were superb - some of the best I've seen all year. I never realised what great rallying roads there were, right on my doorstep. I used part of Knockoneill as my scenic fun run to our house, when I'm driving back. Met a three Scottish guys on Knockoneill and they love coming here for rallying and were crazy for the place.

It will be interesting to see if they run the same stages next year, as the whole world will be heading to Kelly's jump. The video has gone viral and is doing the rounds everywhere. That car must be some build, as it never missed a beat all rally. And I can confirm he was attacking the jumps where I was too.

@Cooper you can pass on your congratulations in person to @bob :laughing: Great result on a tricky rally and on closed roads too.
 

davecoupe

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Yup, its been immortalised already. Ive seen the video and was linked to that picture from an American site which shows how much its spread. I thought on a 400 ZP Ascona straight away when I saw it too lol

Kelly's machine is easily the most airbourne escort in Ireland, he seems to love the air. He hit a telegraph pole in Donegal last year or the year before (on Gartan lake I think), he hit it easily 2/3rds of the way up the pole because we had to walk past to get out of the stage.

Bogie would probably be considered a regular in Donegal at this stage, he has had a Darrian and a 6R4 over before but it would be good to see him tackling the Escort boys. Usually brings a massive following over with him too.
 

bob

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That jump.... is epic. Pass on congrats to Bob @Gaz, by all accounts he was flying.

@Cooper you can pass on your congratulations in person to @bob :laughing: Great result on a tricky rally and on closed roads too.

Thanks guys, great roads and a mixture of everything, fast bumpy tight etc. Received a 1 minute penalty which messed up the times a bit but it was our own fault for arriving at a stage start too early.

I had that Frank Kelly jump marked as flat in the notes for our first run over the stage, it was anything but flat!
 

Cess

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@bob - from a competitors' perspective, what was that jump like? Did you just think "I need back off?"

The 1 minute time penalty is a killer, but all part of the learning process and you must be very happy with your pace!
 

3-nicks

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Kelly's machine is easily the most airbourne escort in Ireland, he seems to love the air. He hit a telegraph pole in Donegal last year or the year before (on Gartan lake I think), he hit it easily 2/3rds of the way up the pole because we had to walk past to get out of the stage.

.

That accident your thinking on was Manus Kelly in Rodney Wilton's escort last year 200mtrs from the end of Gartan , not frank Kelly.
 

KevM

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That accident your thinking on was Manus Kelly in Rodney Wilton's escort last year 200mtrs from the end of Gartan , not frank Kelly.

My wee cousin was standing pretty much at the telegraph pole. He says it the car hadn't wrapped the pole & changed direction, it was over the top of them and others!
 

3-nicks

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My wee cousin was standing pretty much at the telegraph pole. He says it the car hadn't wrapped the pole & changed direction, it was over the top of them and others!

Yeah I was standing 20mtrs before the pole. It was one of the scariest accidents I have ever seen. Its a miracle no one was killed. Where the car ended up in the middle of the road there had to of been at least 40 people standing at the side of the road in a garden just across the road from the pole.
 
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