NI Rally Championship 2013 : All Chat Here

[Graham]

Opening N.I. Rally Championship Event Backed by Eurocables Belfast

Image Courtesy of Graham Curry Photography

Regulations and entry forms for North Armagh Motor Club's Eurocables (Belfast) Stages, round one of the Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship and round two of the McGrady Insurance Junior 1000 Rally Challenge Ireland, have been revealed.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 16 February at Co. Down's Kirkistown Race Circuit, sees Eurocables (Belfast) return as title sponsor for the first time since 2009.

"We're delighted to have Shane Braniff and Eurocables Belfast back on board as title sponsor," said Clerk of the Course, William Fullerton. "Shane has long been a supporter of rallying and particularly our event, so on behalf of North Armagh Motor Club, I'd like to extend our sincere gratitude."

Having previously backed the event for what transpired to be a 10-year term, company director Braniff decided to renew his business association with the rally this year.

"I'm delighted to support North Armagh Motor Club and their opening round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship," Braniff said. "It is always a popular event to kick-start the season and one that I always enjoyed as a competitor in the past. I'm proud to be associated with it and wish everyone a very safe and enjoyable rally."

Competitors will face the traditional six stages, totalling approximately 24 stage miles, all based within the Kirkistown venue. Regulations have just been released but the event has already received interest from a number of leading competitors.

Last year's winner and reigning N.I. champion, Derek McGarrity, has confirmed his intentions to enter aboard his S14 specification Subaru Impreza WRC. However, McGarrity may not mount a full title defence.

"I really enjoy the opening rounds of the Championship," he admitted. "They are always good events to do - there's not much to hit around the tracks - and they provide a good shakedown ahead of the Circuit of Ireland."

"I'm also going to enter the first three rounds of the Irish Tarmac Championship," he added. "We'll see how things are sitting after that and make a decision on whether or not we'll continue with either series."

Maynooth driver Kevin Barrett is another driver who has expressed interest in competing. The Subaru Impreza WRC pilot intends to mount a full Northern Ireland Rally Championship campaign this year and has always been competitive on previous visits to Kirkistown.

The event may also see Phillip Morrow return to the series aboard his Group N Lancer. He is going to enter another event in Ireland in early February, and provided there are no major repair bills, the Lisburn driver may be amongst the Kirkistown line-up.

They will be joined by a host of quick pilots in both four-wheel-drive and two-wheel-drive machinery, not to mention the Junior 1000 crews, in what is always one of the best supported events of the season.

Regulations and entry forms are available from North Armagh Motor Club's website (www.namcc.com) or by telephoning Simon Fullerton on +44 (0)7745 891227.

 

[Graham]

McGarrity Heads Carryduff Forklift Rally Series Opener at Kirkistown

This Saturday's Eurocables (Belfast) Stages, which takes place at County Down's Kirkistown Race Circuit, has attracted more than 70 entries for the opening round of the Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship.

Defending champion, Derek McGarrity, will head the field off the start line in his S14 specification Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. Navigated by Neil Doherty, the crew will be aiming for a repeat success at the venue, having won January's New Year Stages which was held at the same location.

In fact, McGarrity is always a hot favourite for any event at Kirkistown. He has secured countless victories at the venue over the years, and it was here that he started his successful 2012 title winning campaign with a victory last year.

At number two, County Kildare driver Kevin Barrett will be aiming to stop him in his tracks. Barrett will drive a slightly older specification Subaru Impreza WRC, but he could be one to watch. He has some experience of the Kirkistown venue, and won a rally time trial at the circuit late last year.

At number three, Peadar Hurson is an interesting addition to the rally. It will be the Newry driver's first rally in almost four years, having been out of action since the 2009 Circuit of Ireland Rally. He has hired Jim Feenan's Formula Karting Ford Escort WRC and plans to contest the opening three rounds of the Carryduff Forklift series.

"I've never gone that well on race circuits," Hurson admitted, "so the first event at Kirkistown will be a bit of a learning curve. The car is a '98 spec Escort WRC so it's never going to be near the Subarus but we'll see how we get on."

Also joining the fray will be Emma McKinstry in her Impreza World Rally Car, as well as former Northern Ireland Champion George Robinson in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. William Hamilton completes the top six seeds with his Impreza WRC.

In the Group N category, Kieron Graffin and Paddy Robinson are the top seeds in their Evo 9. They will battle it out with the Subaru belonging to Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy, not to mention the Evos belonging to Graham Ballantine, Liam McFall and Jonny Leonard.

The two-wheel-drive class has also received a bustling entry with Keith White and Martin Carey heading the field in their potent Mark 1 Escort. James and Rebecca Kennedy will provide some stiff competition in their mount, while Simon Woodside and Steven Dowds will break the Escort stranglehold in their beautiful BMW M3.

The event also hosts round two of the McGrady Insurance Junior 1000 Rally Challenge where four drivers between the ages of 14 and 16 are set to do battle on the stages. Kyle White and Alan Purdy head the order in their Peugeot 107, with William Creighton and Andrew Bushe bringing their Citroen C1 to the party. Eoghan Bogue and Liam Regan will also be in the mix, as will James Partridge and Billy Regan.

The opening stage of the rally will start shortly after 9am on Saturday. Competitors will tackle six stages, all within the confines of the Kirkistown venue. More details, including stage maps and a full entry list, can be found online at www.nirally.com.



Eurocables (Belfast) Stages - top 10 seeds

1 Derek McGarrity/Neil Doherty (Impreza WRC S14)
2 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC)
3 Peadar Hurson/Damian Connolly (Escort WRC)
4 Emma McKinstry/TBC (Impreza WRC)
5 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Lancer Evo 9)
6 William Hamilton/TBC (Impreza WRC)
7 Kieron Graffin/Paddy Robinson (Lancer Evo 9)
8 Brendan O'Hagan/Jonathan Pollock (Impreza)
9 Keith White/Martin Carey (Escort Mk1)
10 James Kennedy/Rebecca Kennedy (Escort Mk2)

 

[Graham]

McGarrity Wins Eurocables!

Derek McGarrity claimed victory at Saturday’s Eurocables (Belfast) Stages Rally, round one of the Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship, held at County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit!

Navigated by Neil Doherty, McGarrity propelled his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car to the top of the timesheets after stage one and never looked back. A faultless performance saw him extend his advantage on every stage, eventually arriving home more than half a minute ahead of the rest of the pack.

Maynooth’s Kevin Barrett and Sean Mullally were the best of the rest, having held a consistent second position throughout the event. Driving a slightly older specification Impreza WRC, Barrett had hoped to secure another victory at Kirkistown after his November Time Trial success but it wasn’t to be on this occasion. Instead, he picked up the runner-up position as well as a healthy helping of championship points.

Derek McGeehan and Cormac McGrady secured a late entry aboard their MINI WRC and the trip to the County Down venue proved to be worthwhile. A spin on stage one dented their challenge, leaving them ninth overall after the test. But they recovered to claim third overall by the end of the day.

Emma McKinstry and Kenny Hull had held third overall for a time but they had to settle for fourth in the end after the charging MINI crew overhauled them. Emma, who celebrated her 30th birthday earlier this month, finished 9.9 seconds ahead of Peadar Hurson’s Formula Karting backed Escort WRC.

Hurson had decided to make a return to the sport after a four-year layoff and although he admitted that he was a little bit rusty at the start, he soon got into the groove. By the midpoint of the event, he was setting top five times and finished with a solid result to start his championship campaign.

In the Group N category, James Laverty and Francis Regan secured a start to finish victory aboard their Subaru Impreza. They were lying as high as fourth overall during the early stages but eventually arrived home in sixth, almost 20 seconds ahead of nearest Group N rivals Kieron Graffin and Paddy Robinson. Graffin just managed to nip in front of Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy at the last gasp, finishing one-tenth of a second in front of the Impreza crew.

The McGrady Insurance 2WD category saw Keith White and Martin Carey earn another well deserved victory in their Mark 1 Escort. Simon Woodside and Steven Dowds had held an early advantage in their BMW M3 but White overhauled the crew after stage four when Woodside hit trouble.

White stayed in front until the finish, sealing the category win from David Armstrong and Paul Mulholland, with Simon Woodside and Steven Dowds third.

Drew Wylie and Fintan McGrady were the leading crew home in the Montgomery Motorsport Historic category, with Stanley Orr and Brian Cairns second ahead of Stephen and Lucy Whitford.

Finally, in the McGrady Insurance Junior 1000 Challenge, Kyle White and Alan Purdy claimed the win by 20.7 seconds from William Creighton and Andrew Bushe, with Adam and Brian Bustard third.

Round two of the Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship takes crews to Bishopscourt on 9 March for the McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages.

Ballynahinch and District Motor Club has organised an all new format for the event, which will feature 14 stages within the confines of the County Down venue.

Eurocables (Belfast) Stages Results (top 10)

1 Derek McGarrity/Neil Doherty (Impreza WRC) 26m14.8s
2 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 26m47.2s
3 Derek McGeehan/Cormac McGrady (MINI WRC) 27m03.8s
4 Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Impreza WRC) 27m17.5s
5 Peadar Hurson/Damian Connolly (Escort WRC) 27m27.4s
6 James Laverty/Francis Regan (Impreza) 27m39.0s
7 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Lancer Evo) 27m47.8s
8 Kieron Graffin/Paddy Robinson (Lancer Evo) 27m56.6s
9 Trevor Ferguson/David McElroy (Impreza) 27m56.7s
10 Keith White/Martin Carey (Mk1 Escort) 28m13.2s

 

[Graham]

Crews Gear Up For Bishopscourt!

Round two of the Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship is set to attract some of the country’s leading competitors to Bishopscourt Race Circuit this Saturday for the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally.

Ballynahinch and District Motor Club has revamped the popular event which for the first time will feature a total of 14 stages within the confines of the County Down venue. The new format has proved popular with competitors and almost 70 crews have entered in a variety of machinery.

Reigning champion Derek McGarrity will head the field off the start line in his potent Subaru Impreza WRC. Navigated by Neil Doherty, McGarrity won the opening round of the series at Kirkistown and is also a former winner at Bishopscourt. He won the 2012 event behind the wheel of a MINI WRC and is hot favourite to add yet another trophy to his cabinet.

Chasing him down will be Kevin Barrett and Sean Mullally, also in an Impreza WRC. The Triton Showers MD is still in the hunt for his maiden Northern Ireland Championship victory but his lack of familiarity with the venue may make his job that little bit more difficult.

Derek McGeehan has also entered his MINI WRC. Having finished third at the opening round of the Carryduff Forklift backed series, the Draperstown driver is out to build on his success.

Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly join the World Rally Car crews with their hired Escort WRC. It was just last month that Hurson returned to the sport after almost four years but he acquitted himself well at the opening round of the series to finish fifth overall.

Former champion George Robinson completes the top five seeds aboard his Mitsubishi Lancer, while James Laverty and Francis Regan are the top seeds in the production category. They enjoyed at stunning drive at Kirkistown which netted them sixth overall in their Impreza.

Keith Cheshire and Adrian Murdoch will be ones to watch having upgraded their Evo 4 Lancer for an Evo 7. They start the event with number seven on their doors ahead of Kieron Graffin and Paddy Robinson, with Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy at nine ahead of Paul Barrett and Declan Tumilty.

The event has also received a host of entries from top quality two-wheel-drive machinery, and heading the 2WD crews is event sponsor Fintan McGrady. Navigated by Mark Hanna, McGrady will be ‘flat out’ in his Mark 2 Escort in a bid to fend off some face stiff opposition from the likes of Keith White, David Armstrong and David Crossen.

The event also hosts round three of the McGrady Insurance Junior 1000 Rally Challenge Ireland, a series that allows drivers as young as 14 to get behind the wheel. A total of seven young guns will take to the Bishopscourt stages, with Kyle White heading the field in his Peugeot 107 from Adam Bustard’s Chevrolet Spark.

The action is due to start shortly after 10am on Saturday at Bishopscourt Race Circuit. Located just a few miles outside Downpatrick, spectators will be treated to some high-octane action, including the famous Bishopscourt jump!

Top Ten Seeds

1 Derek McGarrity/Neil Doherty (Impreza WRC)
2 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC)
3 Derek McGeehan/TBA (MINI WRC)
4 Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Escort WRC)
5 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Mitsubishi WRC)
6 James Laverty/Francis Regan (Impreza)
7 Keith Cheshire/Adrian Murdoch (Lancer Evo 7)
8 Kieron Graffin/Paddy Robinson (Lancer Evo 9)
9 Trevor Ferguson/David McElroy (Impreza)
10 Paul Barrett/Declan Tumilty (Lancer Evo 6)

 

[Graham]

McGarrity Masterclass!

It was another Derek McGarrity masterclass today at the McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages, round two of the Carryduff Forklift MSA N.I. Rally Championship, as the Glengormley pilot steered his Subaru Impreza WRC to the top of the podium to secure another impressive rally victory!

Navigated by Neil Doherty, the crew moved into the rally lead after stage four and stayed there until the finish of the rain-soaked event. Their winning margin was 16.2 seconds over the Evo 6 belonging to Jonny Leonard and Jackie Elliott, while Derek McGeehan and Darragh Mullen claimed third in their Corolla WRC.

Ballynahinch and District Motor Club had pulled out all of the stops to lay on a challenging event for more than 70 crews. Brand new stage layouts and a total of 14 stages were challenging enough, but the weather helped to add more drama to the mix as rain and wind pelted the County Down venue throughout the day.

After the opening stage, it was a surprised Kieron Graffin who found himself leading the rally from Trevor Ferguson, with Mark Massey completing a trio of Group N crews in third. The short 1.6 mile test certainly sprung a few surprises but Graffin held on to the lead after stage two, albeit by just seven-tenths of a second from Massey.

Crews returned to action after service and it was the third test that claimed its first major retirement of the day. Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly had entered the stage hoping to improve on their position, only for a broken propshaft to call an end to their rally.

“It just broke as we were accelerating out of the hairpin,” Hurson rued. “We just had to pull over – that was that.”

“It’s a shame because we made some adjustments to the car in service and put more cuts in the tyres. We were hoping for better things but didn’t get the chance.”

While Hurson retired from the event, Mark Massey and James McKee emerged as the new rally leaders in their Group N spec Evo 9. Early leader Kieron Graffin had dropped out of the top 10 after an overshoot in the KG Motorsport Lancer. His problems were then compounded when he was awarded a maximum stage time for allegedly cutting the stage, despite “setting a slower time than my previous run”.

Graffin’s troubles left Massey at the top of the leaderboard ahead of a recovering Derek McGarrity and Neil Doherty. McGarrity was on a mission, and having been as low as ninth in the Garry Jennings car, he was climbing his way through the ranks.

One stage later, when Massey lost half a minute with a problem, McGarrity moved into the number one slot…and that was a position that he was never destined to relinquish.

McGarrity kept the pressure on throughout the event, although it wasn’t as dominant a display as we are accustomed to seeing from the Glengormley pilot. He managed to secure another six fastest times over the remaining 10 stages, eventually arriving home 16.2 seconds ahead of a hard-charging Jonny Leonard and Jackie Elliott.

Leonard put in a truly stunning drive aboard his Evo 6 Lancer. After promoting himself into third overall after stage four, he became embroiled in a battle for the runner-up spot with Derek McGeehan.

Only a handful of seconds separated the two crews throughout the day and it was only on the penultimate stage that Leonard managed to nip in front of his rival. He stayed there until the finish, claiming second overall on what is only his second event in the car.

Derek McGeehan and Darragh Mullen had to be content with third in their Corolla WRC on this occasion, while Kevin Barrett and Sean Mullally completed the top four in their Impreza WRC.

Kenny McKinstry and John McGaffin had looked set to take fifth in the Banbridge driver’s newly acquired S14 specification Impreza WRC, only for a problem during stage 13 to put them out of the running.

“I think the exhaust’s back box split and then the rear bumper started to melt,” McKinstry explained. “It filled the car with smoke so we had to pull over.”

“Before that happened, the car felt fantastic,” he added. “On the fast stages we were on the pace but on the tighter sections, I found it difficult to get to grips with left-hand drive.”

Kenny McKinstry was not alone in his woes during the closing stages. George Robinson and Tommy Speers, who had held seventh overall, were forced to pull over during the final test when their Evo encountered some mechanical troubles.

Coming home in fifth, James Laverty and Francis Regan enjoyed another solid run to finish ahead of Mark Massey and James McKee, with early leaders Kieron Graffin and Paddy Robinson taking seventh in front of Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy.

Two-Wheel-Drive

In the two-wheel-drive category, Alan Smyth and Peter Thompson took a deserved win in their Citroen C2. The finished ninth overall in the process, less than four seconds ahead of Carryduff Forklift’s Barry Greer and Damien Duffin, with Andrew Wilson Christopher McKeown third in their Starlet.

There were some dramas further down the field. On stage 11, James Kennedy’s Escort had a coming together with Allan Mackay’s Anglia, sending both crews into retirement with two very sorry looking cars.

Junior 1000

The event also hosted round three of the McGrady Insurance Junior 1000 Rally Challenge. Seven crews aged between 14 and 17 contested a total of 10 stages, with William Creighton and Andrew Bushe picking up the spoils in their Citroen C1. They finished 14.7 seconds ahead of Adam and Brian Bustard, with James Partridge and Billy Regan third.

Round 3 – Triton Showers Easter Stages

The attention now turns to round three of the Carryduff Forklift backed series. The Triton Showers Easter Stages Rally, a replacement event for the Circuit of Ireland, takes place on Saturday 30 March when competitors will tackle closed roads within County Down. For more details, log on to www.nirally.com.

 

[Mk2Escortrs1800]

McGarrity Masterclass!




Two-Wheel-Drive

In the two-wheel-drive category, Alan Smyth and Peter Thompson took a deserved win in their Citroen C2. The finished ninth overall in the process, less than four seconds ahead of Carryduff Forklift’s Barry Greer and Damien Duffin, with Andrew Wilson Christopher McKeown third in their Starlet.

There were some dramas further down the field. On stage 11, James Kennedy’s Escort had a coming together with Allan Mackay’s Anglia, sending both crews into retirement with two very sorry looking cars.



The attention now turns to round three of the Carryduff Forklift backed series. The Triton Showers Easter Stages Rally, a replacement event for the Circuit of Ireland, takes place on Saturday 30 March when competitors will tackle closed roads within County Down. For more details, log on to www.nirally.com.

Was there a lot of damage to Kennedys escort?

 

[Graham]

Was there a lot of damage to Kennedys escort?

no idea, wasn't there mate, just post the PR's from MediaJAM to keep in the loop