CarSport August 2013

™

MOFFETT IS MAGIC IN DONEGAL ...as Jennings suffers penalty kick... n FULL REPORT INSIDE

August 2013

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No. 336

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JOHN COYNE SUNBEAM LOTUS

• Peugeot 208GTi • Cultra Hillclimb • Loughgall Festival • Circuit back in ERC? • McShea in China • Sperrin & Mourne Stages

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FRONT COVER photo: ROY DEMPSTER

“It is traditionally one of the great features of the Donegal Rally, the battle for the national division, the battle between the Mk II Ford Escorts.

This year was no different; indeed it will rank as one of the best...”

DONEGAL RALLY REPORT by Sammy Hamill

CONTENTS

pages 11-15

photo: ESLER CRAWFORD

EDITOR

AUGUST 2013 No.336

4: EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP:

35

Will the Circuit get back in for 2014?

8: KILLARNEY LAKES: Garry Jennings takes a memorable victory in his S12 Impreza WRC.

11: DONEGAL RALLY: Sam’s yer man for victory!

23: HOGG ROAST: Action from the Lark in the Park where Richard Hogg took the honours.

8 40

35: THIRTY YEAR SPRINT: We talk to sprint sponsor Bill Adair about his 30 years of sponsorship.

80

39: PEUGEOT SPECIAL: The new 208GTi is tested and we take a look back to the 205GTi.

49: KIA’S NEW SPORTS CAR:

64

We test the new Pro_Cree’d GT, Kia’s first performance car.

Pat Burns

64: KIRKISTOWN’S 60TH: Report and photos from the 60th birthday at the Co. Down racetrack.

80: CULTRA HILLCLIMB: Esler Crawford’s photo study of the high profile hillclimb.

82: IN THE DRIVERS SEAT: We talk to top Nissan exponent Dan Daly.

G

arry Jennings was magnanimous in defeat, the sign of a true sportsman. After suffering a three minute stage time penalty for clocking into parc ferme early, which gave him absolutely no advantage, Jennings didn’t make a song and dance about losing one of the biggest rallies of the year on a technicality. Instead he shrugged it off saying he would ‘take it on the chin and come back next year...’ There are not too many drivers who could take such a penalty without putting in an appeal which would have left the overall winner of the event in doubt. Instead, Garry set about taking back as much of the time lost as possible and now leads the Irish Tarmac Championship. He might well have plenty to celebrate at the end of the year...

49 31-33… ‘BEAM ME UP! JOHN COYNE’S SUNBEAM LOTUS

THE TEAM

Sunderland’s Herrington Park played host to a motor sport festival recently and could be an opponent to the Circuit of Ireland gaining a place in the ERC.

Editor

Patrick Burns

patburns@greerpublications.com

MANAGER

Gladys Greer

gladysgreer@greerpublications.com

Art editor

Stuart Gray

stuartgray@greerpublications.com

columnists Sammy Hamill, Maurice Hamilton, Jim McCauley, Richard Young

correspondents John Belshaw, Billy McCullins, Graham Curry

photographers Billy McCullins, Esler Crawford, Ian Lynas, Anthony Hunter, Gus Geddes, Roy Dempster, Michael Christie, Trevor Foster, Robert Chambers, Ger Leahy, Graham Curry

Publishers James & Gladys Greer DesigN Greer Publications Design Tel: 028 9078 3200 Advertising & Editorial Greer Publications 5b Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast BT3 9JQ T: 028 9078 3200 F: 028 9078 3210 From Republic of Ireland prefix 048 E: patburns@greerpublications.com

W: www.carsportmag.net

This magazine is Copyright © GREER PUBLICATIONS 2013. No part of it may be reproduced in any form without prior permission of the publisher.

CarSport

Will the Circuit get back in the European Championship?

BY SAMMY HAMILL

I

t was a dilemma Bobby Willis wrestled with even before he made his 11the hour decision to withdraw the Circuit of Ireland from the inaugural European rally championship.

Was 2013 the right year to be part of the series?

It was, after all, a step into the largely unknown as Eurosport Events took over the running of a championship which was to replace the Intercontinental Challenge and was desperately in need of a re-vamp.

Willis was the brave man who had taken the Circuit into the IRC and had been the mastermind behind a highly successful event at Easter 2012.

Eurosport’s commercial director Francois Ribeiro, impressed by its organisation and its heritage, was keen to have the Irish event on board again for 2013 but in several conversations with me, Willis talked about his doubts.

He knew it was going to be a transitional year and back in the latter part of 2012 there was still little indication of the standard of entry which could be expected or which manufacturers would be involved.

Rallying was moving on from the Super 2000 cars which formed the backbone of the IRC but most of the new breed of Regional Rally Cars and, especially, the next generation R5 category, would not be ready for competition until mid or late 2013.

Should he gamble or should he keep his powder dry for 2014?

Waiting a year seemed like the easy option but, having built up a good relationship with Ribeiro and the IRC/ERC hierarchy, turning down their invitation to be part of the 2013 series carried risks.

In the end matters were taken out of his hands when guarantees of the huge

funding needed didn’t come through until a point where he considered it too late, hence the decision to withdraw just hours before the ERC calendar was announced. Willis figured it was better to do it while Ribeiro and Co had time to call up a replacement event rather than be forced into a situation of calling it off in January or February.

So far as he can tell no damage was done and, perhaps, he can wipe his brow and reflect on the extraordinary turn of events which saw the substitute rally, the Easter Stages, obliterated by the weather.

When the original news was announced, saying the Circuit of Ireland was off, the Ulster Automobile Club chairman famously said: “We will run a rally come hell or high water.” He hadn’t taken snow into account.

Imagine the disappointment and upheaval it would have caused if it had

5

Eurosport’s Commercial Director Francois Ribeiro

NEWS

been the full international Circuit of Ireland with a European field assembled in Armagh when the blizzard blew across parts of the province back in April.

But strange as it may seem, had that been the case, the rally would have gone ahead!

“When we put the Easter Stages together we decided to use only one part of the original plan for the Circuit, keeping it compact and using just the Co Down stages,” explained Willis. “Those were the stages which were hit by the snow and the rest of the route was unaffected. We would have had to make adjustments and cut the route but we would still have had a rally.”

It is all water under the bridge – or snow over the hills – now and, undeterred, Willis has his sights set on taking the Circuit into the European series in 2014.

But now Willis finds he has competition close at home for a coveted spot in what is shaping up to be a viable alternative - indeed a real rival - to the World championship.

Three other organisations within the United Kingdom have stepped up to the plate, expressing interest in staging a European round. The Rally of Scotland, which the Circuit replaced in the IRC schedule, is keen to make a return while Rally Yorkshire wants to be considered along with a totally new event to be created in the Sunderland area of the north east.

The Circuit and Rally Yorkshire appear

to be the front-runners and Ribeiro has admitted they could consider including both events.

“We have never had two ERC rounds in one country before,” he said, “but if Britain could come with two exceptional rallies, both of which were well-funded and with very good organisation, then I have to admit, I would be forced to scratch my head and maybe it would be possible.

“I have to say, it would be more likely to be one and I am quietly confident we will be back in the UK next year.”

Ribeiro said he knew Willis was focussed on putting together a strong package. “I know how hard he is working - I am also aware of how much his backers have missed this year; the chance to see Craig Breen on an ERC round at home would have been fantastic,” he said.

But he added: “I also have had a good meeting with people from Yorkshire.”

Willis says his plans are progressing well. “I’m having a lot of meetings and the groundswell of support and backing from government level down is positive.

I think people really missed the Circuit this year especially after so many enjoyed having the IRC here in 2012.”

The Sunderland approach has come out of left field but is said to be well funded and is backed by PR guru and motorsport commentator Tony Jardine and in an effort to raise rally awareness in the area, a mini event was staged as part of the Sunderland Festival in Herrington Country Park recently.

Jardine, who was back in Ireland for an annual visit to the Donegal International, said: “It is no secret that Sunderland was disappointed to miss out on bringing Rally GB to the north east and I think it would have a lot to offer the ERC including the use of the Stadium of Light, Herrington Park, the North Shore and some really great stages nearby.”

Rally of Scotland has remained in contact with the ERC promoters since running one of the most popular rounds of the old IRC between 2009 and ‘11 but is considered an outside

Bobby Willis of the Circuit of Ireland

bet for 2014.

Ribeiro, who says he expects to know within the next month which British events will go forward for the 2014 calendar, believes next year “will be the greatest” in the series’ 60-year history.

Ribeiro believes the onset of the new R5 cars allied to the already strong base of Super 2000 and Regional Rally Car machinery will transform the ERC into a hotbed of competition.

“Next year we will have a superstrong championship with three types

of R5 car on the market,” he said. “As well as M-Sport’s Fiesta, Citroen’s DS3 and Peugeot’s 208 R5 cars, we will also have more than 300 S2000 cars still on the market.

“Next year will probably be better than even the best years in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, when we had so many cars competing. It is very exciting for next year.”

After all the heartache of 2013, wouldn’t it be a shame if the Circuit of Ireland missed out?

CarSport

RALLYING

6

Meeke working hard to develop

R5 208 rally car

BY SAMMY HAMILL

Kris Meeke and Chris Patterson in action in Corsica in the new 208

K

ris Meeke can see the bright side.

True, he admits to be being “bloody frustrated” as a return to rallying at World or European level remains tantalisingly out of reach, but he can appreciate the positives too.

“I must be one of only a handful of rally drivers who are being paid to do what we love to do – drive rally cars,” he says with a rueful smile. “It’s just that I’m not doing it in the places that really matter.”

The irony of his situation will not be lost on those who are paying fortunes to buy their way into World and European championship teams but that isn’t to say Meeke wouldn’t trade places with them if the opportunity arose in the shape of a multi-millionaire sponsor.

CarSport

He knows that is not going to happen and instead he making the most of a unique situation in which he is in high demand to do everything except the one thing he really wants – strap himself into a front-line rally car and get back on the stages again.

“I’m lucky in the sense that I’m on the go all the time doing a whole variety of things and mostly getting paid to do them,” he says. “At the same time it is bloody frustrating to be so close to the action without being part of it.”

From test driver to TV filming to rallycross commentator, it is all part of Meeke’s itinerary these days.

He is of course relishing his role as the chief test and development driver for the new R5 cars being developed by both

Citroen and Peugeot .

Since the departure of Citroen/ Peugeot motorsport director Olivier Quesnel and the arrival of replacement Yves Matton, Meeke has been drawn back into the French set-up.

He and Matton go back a long way, back to the days of the Junior World championship, and indeed it was Matton who was in charge when Meeke came home to contest the 2006 Ulster Rally in a Super 1600 Citroen.

Late last year, when Matton needed a driver to do test work on the current WRC Citroen DS3, he called Meeke and the relationship has developed from a one-off job to a year-long contract to develop the new R5 cars.

“I’ve worked with them a lot over

the years and it is nice to be asked again. I’m happy to be back doing some proper work,” he said. “We have been focussing mostly on the Peugeot 208 T16 so far but by the end of June the Citroen should be ready to begin testing.

“It is rare for both Citroen and Peugeot to be developing rally cars of the same specification at the same time but both the DS3 and the 208 are fairly similar in size and shape and can both use the same running gear. I don’t know what the ultimate plan is, or whether we will ever see them competing against each other in the World championship, but I’m more than happy to be involved and to have such close links to these important manufacturers.”

Those links led to Meeke’s appearance

7

RALLYING

Kris Meeke joins Citroën WRT in Finland

C

itroën’s works crews, Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio and Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen will be joined by Kris Meeke and his co-driver Chris Patterson, who will compete for the Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team, at the fastest, most spectacular event on the WRC calendar replacing Khalid Al Qassimi and Scott Martin.

Due to professional commitments, Al Qassimi will be unable to take part and, always keen to promote talented drivers, the Emirati driver had no hesitation in asking the British driver to take his place for this event.

“Unfortunately, I cannot take part in the Finnish round,” said the Sheikh. “Kris has real potential as a driver and has the maturity you need to enjoy a sensible and efficient race. I’d like to give him the chance to express himself fully at this unusual event. I hope he is very successful there.”

“This is an incredible opportunity for us!” said a delighted Kris Meeke.

“Taking part in Rally Finland in a DS3 WRC is a dream that I didn’t think would become reality. I’d like to thank Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi and Citroën Racing for the trust they have placed in us. We’re going to benefit from the advice and expertise of a team that has won the World Championship eight times. We have every chance of securing a good result.”

Kris Meeke

The new R5 version of the 208

at the Tour de Corse, driving an R2 Peugeot 208 as a zero car.

It was Peugeot Sport director Bruno Famin who suggested the Corsica outing and Meeke jumped at the chance. “I didn’t need asking twice. “No, I wasn’t competing but was good to be back on a proper rally again and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The R2 is an amazing little car.”

He has another zero car appearance lined up for the Ypres Rally but this time in the R5 Peugeot. Meeke, of course, is a past winner of the Belgian event when it was a round of the Intercontinental Challenge and he will be on hand to help Craig Breen in any way he can.

Intriguingly, Thierry Neuville will also be performing zero car duties at Ypres in

Ford’s new R5 Fiesta, providing the first opportunity to see and compare two of the new generation cars in action at the same time.

However, Meeke feels it will be too soon to make any judgements about the Peugeot.

“Most of the testing we have done so far has been on gravel and although I will have a run on asphalt just before Ypres there is still a lot of work to be done before we get to a final specification,” he said.

He doesn’t expect the 208 to be ready for competition until next January which would dispel talk of him making an appearance in a European round before the end of the season – or that Craig Breen will have one available to him for

the final rounds of this year’s series.

“I don’t think that is going to happen.

I think it will be January before the car is homologated. The difficulty is the R5 regulations are very strict and once the car is submitted for homologation there are very few changes that can be made so you have to get it right first time.

“I expect you will see it out in a zero car role on a few more rallies before the end of the year but not actually competing,” he added.

On the Ulster Rally, perhaps? After all both Citroen and Peugeot have used the event to showcase new cars in the past.

“It would be nice but the situation with the R5 is different,” he explained.

“The R5 will be essentially a customer car and unfortunately there is no obvious UK market for it as it doesn’t fit into the all two-wheel-drive British championship in the way that the R2/R3 Citroens and Peugeots do.”

Meeke has also been linked to the vacant position in the Citroen World championship team for Rally Finland in August.

Khalid Al-Qassimi, the third member of the team alongside Mikko Hirvonen and Sordo, will be absent due to a Middle East championship commitment and earlier this year Matton confirmed Meeke was under consideration along with Chris Atkinson as his replacement.

“Yves knows I would go to the end of the earth to get into his car in Finland,” said Kris. “After I tested it a few months ago, I sent him a text telling him I’d sell my granny to get a rally in that car!”

But no grannies need worry. He doesn’t think it is going to happen.

“I haven’t heard anything definite one way or the other but as I understand it the decision is down to the Abu Dhabi side of the team. Yves and Citroen will

have an input but it is Al-Qassimi’s car and ultimately his decision who drives it.”

And while all eyes this month have been on Sebastien Loeb and his Pike’s Peak record attempt, it transpires that Meeke should have been there too.

He had been invited to attempt to set the fastest time by a production SUV up the famed Colorado hillclimb in the new Land Rover and had been all set to head to the States when the trip was aborted because the necessary work permit didn’t come through in time.

“I’ve been to America several times but for this job I needed a permit because I would be ‘working’. We thought it had been sorted but there was a delay and it didn’t come through until two days after we should have been away. Really disappointing.”

In Meeke’s absence American Paul Dallenbach, a Pike’s Peak veteran, got the gig and duly set the new record.

But there was another new experience just around the corner – commentating alongside Andrew Coley during the live streaming of the European rallycross at Kouvola in Finland.

“It was something new and a bit of fun but not something I would want to get too good at! I would prefer to be out on the track letting my driving do the talking.

“But they are making big efforts to re-invent rallycross and raise its profile.

IMG, the sports promotion company, are involved and they are aiming to create a World championship in the near future.

“The cars are fantastic and when you have people like Petter Solberg and Tanner Foust taking part it is certainly getting a higher profile.”

And Kris Meeke?

“Maybe. It was something we did talk about in Finland. We’ll see ...”

CarSport

RALLYING

??

ITC KILLARNEY RALLY OF THE LAKES

Jennings takes jewel in the crown as rivals hit trouble

BY MARTIN WALSH PHOTOS: TREVOR FOSTER, ROY DEMPSTER & MARTIN WALSH

I

n the end, the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes in Killarney was a battle for survival – with no fewer than eight of the top twelve starters failing to finish the two day classic that made its debut in the FIA European Historic Rally Championship.

At the finish of the fifteen stage encounter, Fermanagh’s, Garry Jennings and his Donegal co-driver, Neil Doherty (Subaru) were 51.4 seconds ahead of the Subaru WRC of Northern Ireland’s, Derek McGarrity/James McKee. The Donegal/ Derry combination of Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan, also in a Subaru WRC, were third.

On the opening stage at Moll’s Gap, Midleton’s Daragh O’Riordan in his state-of-the-art Ford Fiesta WRC, took a three second lead from Abbeydorney’s, Thomas Fitzmaurice, who was driving the S12C Subaru that O’Riordan achieved back to back wins in Killarney in 2011 and 2012. Ballylickey’s Denis Cronin, in the ex-Fitzmaurice S11

CarSport

Subaru, was a mere two tenths of a second further behind. Indeed, Cronin moved into second after the stage at Gortnagane as he closed to within eight tenths of O’Riordan, who continued to lead. Cronin’s hopes of a second victory in Killarney were dashed on the third stage when he crashed out of the rally. His demise promoted Fitzmaurice into second – 13.8 seconds behind O’Riordan. Declan Boyle (Subaru) retired with transmission failure on the second stage and mechanical failure added Roy White’s MG S2000 to the list of retirements.

On the third and fourth stage, Fitzmaurice lost time with power steering problems and arrived at the Killarney service park down in fourth place. O’Riordan overshot and spun on the fourth stage as an improving Garry Jennings, slotted his S12B Subaru WRC into second 3.4 seconds behind O’Riordan. Donagh Kelly (Subaru WRC), on his first competitive outing in Killarney

Sam Moffett took Group N honours in Killarney

9

Daragh O’Riordan was very impressive in his new Fiesta WRC before a small off

RALLYING

Garry Jennings took his first win of the year in Killarney in a rally of attrition

(just like fellow Donegal ace, Boyle) held third. In Group N, Castleisland’s Alan Ring (Mitsubishi) led the showroom category, he was beginning to stamp his authority and was some thirty seconds ahead of the similar Mitsubishi of rival, Sam Moffett.

The loop of stages at Gortnagane, Banard and Knockacullig concluded Saturday’s action, overnight.

Unfortunately, Fitzmaurice’s rally ended in a high speed crash on Gortnagane and the medical services were quickly deployed. The Abbeydorney driver and his co-driver, Fionn Foley were both were removed to the Cork University Hospital.

Overnight, rally leader O’Riordan held a 7.3 second advantage. Second placed Jennings had to turn off the engine for a brief period at the start of S.S.7 due to concerns with a soaring temperature gauge; he traversed the stage without any issue. Kelly held third from Derek McGarrity, his Subaru ended the opening stage with a puncture, a power steering problem thwarted his efforts throughout the day.

Ring, despite some concerns about a slipping clutch continued to lead Group N while the top ten also included Owen Doyle (Ford Focus WRC), Sam Moffett (Mitsubishi), Josh Moffett (Mitsubishi), JJ Fleming (Ford Focus WRC) and Stephen Wright (Mitsubishi).

In the National category, Craig Breen (Escort), having replaced a faulty plug, held a 19.7 second advantage over Killarney’s, Fergus O’Meara (Escort).

Having lost time with a puncture on

Moll’s Gap, Frank Kelly (Escort) bowed out on the day’s final stage with a broken half shaft. Kevin O’Donoghue (Escort) was slowed by several problems.

In the FIA European Historic category, Wesley Patterson (Escort) set the pace and held one minute and 14.5 seconds lead over the Escort of Welsh driver, Tomas Davies, Millstreet’s, Mark Falvey (Ford Escort) was third after an off road excursion.

Miss Rally of the Lakes brightened up the finsh ramp

OFF Punching in the fastest time on Sunday’s opening stage, Moll’s Gap, O’Riordan cemented his lead role with an advantage of some 25 seconds.

However, within a few miles of the classic Tim Healy Pass, hopes of a hattrick of Killarney wins were in tatters when his SPH liveried Ford Fiesta slid off the road and broke a track control arm.

Jennings arrived at the Castletownbere

Works Peugeot driver Craig Breen drove a Mark 2 Escort and proved how quick he is in any car

CarSport

10

RALLYING

Wesley Patterson won the FIA Historics class

“O’Riordan cemented his lead with an advantage of 25 seconds.

However, hopes of a hat-trick of Killarney wins were in tatters when he slid off the road and broke a track control arm.”

RESULTs: KILLARNEY RALLY OF THE LAKES (RND 2 OF THE IRISH TARMAC CHAMPIONSHIP)

service with a lead of 48.4 seconds with Kelly in second 38.6 seconds ahead of McGarrity. Ring, in fourth, held a comfortable lead in Group N. After the three classic stages of Cod’s Head, Ardgroom and Healy Pass, Jennings had stretched his advantage to a minute and 6.2 seconds. The race for second intensified as McGarrity closed to within 1.6 seconds of Kelly while Ring reigned supreme in Group N. Owen Doyle (Focus WRC) bowed out on the stage at Ardgroom. JJ Fleming made a

spectacular exit on the Tim Healy Pass, his Ford Focus WRC failing to negotiate one of the many bends.

On the penultimate stage, McGarrity edged ahead of Kelly as leader Jennings experienced some brake troubles.

Jennings went on to claim the spoils from McGarrity and Kelly in a Subaru WRC lock-out of the top three positions.

McGarrity had just 0.5 of a second in hand over his rival. There was bitter disappointment for Alan Ring, his rally ended on S.S.13 when the suspension

Drew Wylie won the Historic Tarmac class

Fergus O’Meara won the National class

CarSport

collapsed. Sam Moffett was best placed to take the showroom honours. Kerry’s, Fergus O’Meara after eventually sorting his Escort, won the National category, early pacesetter, Craig Breen (Escort) retired with mechanical problems. The Escorts of Paddy Kiernan and Kevin O’Donoghue were second and third respectively.

Patterson (Escort) took a dominant victory in the FIA European Historic category with Todd Falvey second.

Andrew Siddall (Ford Escort) was a distant third.

In the “IRL” Historics, Drew Wylie (Ford Escort) took a comfortable victory.

In the Junior category, victory went to Bandon’s, Vincent McSweeney/ Michael Kearney (Honda Civic), who were presented with the Gerard Horgan Memorial Trophy. Wexford’s, Conor Moore (Honda Civic) partnered by Bandon co-driver, Ella Ryan were second with Ballylickey’s, Daniel Cronin (Honda Civic) and his Kerry co-driver, Shane Buckley third.

The presence of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship competitors brought an extra flavour to the event.

The withdrawals of Italians, Enrico Brazzoil, Carlo Marenzana and Maurizio Pagella, in a trio of Porsche 911’s, was disappointing. Swedish pair, Henrik Boivie (Ford Escort RS2000) and Christoffer Söderberg (Opel Ascona) were very complimentary, hopefully they will spread the word. Names like Dominic Bruyneel and Paul Lietaer spring to mind.

The ceremonial start on the Friday evening entailed a huge amount of effort by the Killarney and District Motor Club.

Dermot Healy and his team wanted to show the competitors from the European Historic Championship some of the Irish culture – music and dance – the availability of the car park within the town centre gave them great flexibility in that regard. It was preceded by a safety demonstration that ran somewhat over time, such demonstrations need to be very well choregraphed if they are to be effective.

CarSport would like to take this opportunity to wish Thomas Fitzmaurice a quick recovery.

1. G. Jennings/N. Doherty (Subaru WRC) 2h.11m.40.3s 2. D. McGarrity/J. McKee (Subaru WRC) 2h.12m.31.7s 3. D. Kelly/K. Flanagan (Subaru WRC) 2h.12m.32.2s 4. S. Moffett/J. O’Reilly (Mitsubishi) 2h.17m.41.1s 5. S. Wright/S. Wright (Mitsubishi) 2h.20m.56.6s 6. J. Moffett/J. Rowan (Mitsubishi) 2h.22m.00.6s 7. S. Carey/B. O’Driscoll (Honda Civic) 2h.24m.39.5s 8. R. Byrne/J. Byrne (Mitsubishi) 2h.24m.40.2s 9. W. Mavitty/W. Lynch (Mitsubishi) 2h.25m.17.9s 10. P. Price/P. Price (Subaru) 2h.27m.37.1s

IRISH TARMAC CHAMPIONSHIP (Positions after Round 2): 1. G. Jennings 2. D. McGarrity 3. K. Cronin 4. D. Kelly

30pts 26 24 22.5

FIA HISTORICS 1. W. Patterson/S. Hayde (Ford Escort RS1800) 2h.25m.09.7s 2. M. Falvey/G. Conway (Ford Escort RS1600) 2h.26m.42.4s 3. A. Siddall/C. Williamson (Ford Escort RS1800) 2h.34m.56.1s

NATIONAL 1. F. O’Meara/B. Doherty (Ford Escort) 2h.18m.13.2s 2. P. Kiernan/G. Kiernan (Ford Escort) 2h.18m.34.7s 3. K. O’Donoghue/J. O’Leary (Ford Escort) 2h.21m.20.0s

IRL HISTORICS 1. D. Wylie/D. Beckett (Ford Escort) 2h. 28m. 24.5s 2. D. Jackson/J. McCarney (Ford Escort)2h. 33m. 01.2s 3. J. Spiers/S. Niedrum (Porsche 911) 2h. 33m. 53.3s.

JUNIORS 1. V. McSweeney/M. Kearney (Honda Civic) 1h.10m.55.5s 2. C. Moore/E. Ryan (Honda Civic) 1h.11m.57.2s 3. D. Cronin/S. Buckley (Honda Civic) 1h.12m.20.7s

ITC DONEGAL INTERNATIONAL RALLY

Sam’s Yer Man!

BY SAMMY HAMILL

PHOTOS: ESLER CRAWFORD, ROY DEMPSTER, TREVOR FOSTER & FERGAL KELLY

CarSport

RALLYING

12

L

ast year it was all about the Sam Maguire Cup. This year they are talking about Sam Moffett, the young man from Monaghan who upstaged the favourites to win the Donegal International Rally.

True, there was a hint of controversy surrounding his victory and an element of luck, too, but nothing can take away from the cool and calm way in which Moffett and co-driver James O’Reilly seized their opportunity.

It also helped that they were on board “the car that can’t stop winning” – the McKinstry Motorsport S14 Subaru which has won almost every time it has appeared since being brought to Ireland from Belgium by Derek McGarrity. How the former Tarmac champion must have

Stephen and Suzanne Wright won Group N

wished he had been piloting it instead of a Ford Focus as he chased that ever elusive Donegal win!

But it was production champion Moffett who got to steer it round Donegal, driving a WRC supercar for only the second time and making it two out of two. However, even a first time win in the national championship in his native Monaghan hardly seemed to indicate he would be the one to be standing atop the finish ramp in Letterkenny come the end of the toughest round of the Tarmac series.

Yet Moffett did it with one of the most assured, error-free drives you will ever see. He barely put a wheel wrong all weekend and was ideally positioned when the rally was turned on its head

Donagh Kelly finished second in his new Focus WRC

during a dull, damp second leg.

Declan Boyle had been the big casualty of the opening day, the National Championship leader’s dreams of becoming the first Donegal winner of the rally for more than a decade disintegrating along with the braking system of his Subaru on only the second stage.

He had actually led by a fraction of a second from Garry Jennings after the first stage, sending home hopes soaring, but brake failure brought it all to a premature end.

It became a battle between last year’s winner Jennings and reigning Tarmac champion Darren Gass, the two of them trading fastest stages times over the opening five stages – Cark Mountain second time around was cancelled – to leave Jennings in front by just short of ten seconds, all courtesy of a blistering burst out of the blocks over Breenagh.

Gass was a little deflated, feeling his

S10 Subaru didn’t have the oomph of Jennings’ S12 over the faster stuff and worrying the Saturday leg would play into the Kesh driver’s hands.

Moffett, meanwhile, was nicely tucked into third, just 16 seconds behind Gass and repeatedly assuring an overseeing Kenny McKinstry he wasn’t pushing. “I’m not taking anything like the maximum out of the car,” he kept insisting.

The bone-dry conditions of Friday turned to rain on Saturday but the duel at the front continued unabated.

Despite his fears, Gass was equal to the challenge Jennings was throwing down, the two of them trading seconds and the gap see-sawing from five seconds to eight and back again. Both admitted they were close to the ragged edge and, at times, had been lucky to stay on the road.

Then Gass’s luck ran out. On the penultimate stage of the day, Grovehall,

ERC star and works Peugeot driver Craig Breen was out in a Mark II Escort

Darren Gass pushed Garry Jennings for the first half of the rally before crashing out

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13

Wesley Patterson won the Historic section

RALLYING

Frank Kelly was second in the National class

his Subaru banged off a couple of banks, bashing the front and the rear and damaging the steering, leaving him and co-driver Enda Sherry stranded out in the country.

It was a relieved Jennings who went on to complete the second leg with a 37 second lead over Moffett and a second Donegal victory seemingly within his grasp.

But then came the twist. The Subaru checked over and readied for Sunday, Jennings and co-driver Neil Doherty left the Milford service area and headed back to parc ferme in Letterkenny. They were aware they had departed early but on many rallies this is allowed as there is no advantage to be gained – as opposed to entering service early – and is sometimes encouraged to help clear clogged up service areas.

It came as a body blow when Jennings later learned his early exit was under investigation following a query by another competitor. In the circumstances, and the facts not in dispute nor any evidence he had been instructed to leave, the organisers had little option but to impose a three minute penalty on a minute-for-minute basis according to the regulations.

Overnight the leader went from first to fifth and Moffett found his third place on Saturday afternoon had turned into a 48 second lead over McGarrity with Donagh Kelly and Seamus Leonard next in line ahead of a dispirited Jennings.

Fair play to Garry though, he behaved with impeccable sportsmanship, indicating he wouldn’t be appealing the penalty and saying: “We’ll take it on the chin and come back next year.”

Now it was all in young Moffett’s hands, a first international win in prospect with ‘only’ the six Sunday stages – two runs over the famed High

Glen, Atlantic Drive and Fanad Head – standing in his way.

Again he handled it with aplomb, gauging his pace perfectly to maintain a steady gap over McGarrity and remain comfortably clear of the battling duo of Leonard and Kelly. Leonard, who was second behind Jennings in his venerable S9 Impreza last year, showed his intentions with fastest time over Glen on Sunday morning and cut Kelly’s advantage by a further ten seconds on Atlantic Drive followed by six more on Fanad.

But with the gap down to six seconds, a 40-second puncture on the re-run of Atlantic Drive brought his charge to a halt and allowed the disheartened Jennings to close in too.

The final run over Fanad brought more drama with McGarrity who had finally appeared to get on top of the string of transmission troubles which had

Sam Moffett and Kenny McKinstry

The second run over Knockalla was cancelled after fears there was oil spilled on it

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RALLYING

14

afflicted his Focus all weekend, now discovered it had developed a misfire before the engine gave up within sight of the finish.

His late exit elevated Kelly to second, a minute-and-a-half behind Moffett.

He had made a late switch to the ex-JJ Fleming M-Sport Ford Focus and struggled to adapt to its characteristics and left-hand-drive. But Kelly stayed patient, stayed in touch and was rewarded with the honour of being top Donegal finisher.

Jennings moved ahead of Leonard on the last stage and had the consolation of maintaining his lead at the top of the Tarmac Championship standings with Moffett and Kelly now sharing second place.

Darragh O’Riordan finished a disappointing fifth but deserves praise for his perseverance and determination to bring his ill-handling M-Sport Ford Fiesta under control. It just could not handle the Donegal bumps, co-driver Tony McDaid describing it as “a nightmare”, but O’Riordan battled on trying to find the key that would unlock its potential. He just couldn’t find it.

John O’Donnell completed the top six in his Subaru, second highest Donegal driver, and in the thick of it from day one although he lost time on the final leg with the throttle jamming at inconvenient moments. Scary!

For Moffett there were no real scares just a tremendous sense of achievement.

Or as someone pointed out – maybe it was his destiny. He is 23-years-old, was born on the 23rd day of November and the rally finished on June 23! Nice symmetry.

He admitted the final stage and been

Winners in Donegal were all from Monaghan: Suzanne and Stephen Wright, Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly and Garry McPhillips and Paul Sheridan

one big worry from start to finish. “I thought I had about five punctures and then I thought the clutch was slipping but it was all in my head,” he laughed.

“The car was fantastic and I’m sure there was even more to come from it, I genuinely didn’t have to push it to its limits – or mine.

“But to win this rally is amazing. So many top drivers have won it before and to be part of that list is very special for me.”

In fact it turned out to be a special

event for the Monaghan rally community with Stephen Wright winning the production category in seventh place overall and Gary McPhillips surviving a titanic duel with Manus Kelly to win the National division.

Martin Doherty was the long-time production leader chased hard by Wright who finally got in front when Doherty’s Mitsubishi retired with engine failure on the first run over Fanad on Sunday.

“We had a great battle with Martin before his engine trouble but after that

we were able to cruise around,” said Wright who was teamed with his sister Suzanne. “Winning Group N in Donegal is something special as our dad won it 27 years ago.”

Seamus Heron, in ninth overall, made it a Mitsubishi one-two ahead of Shane Maguire’s Subaru and Rory Byrne’s Mitsubishi.

In front of the three of them was the hard-driven little Renault Clio R3 of Joe McGonigle, the top two-wheel-drive finisher in eighth place overall.

Derek McGarrity had a frustrating rally in his Focus, retiring within sight of the finish

Garry Jennings came back from a three minute penalty to finish third

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1. Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 22m 44s 2. Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Ford Focus WRC) 2h 24m 14s 3. Garry Jennings/Neil Doherty (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 24m 53s 4. Seamus Leonard/ Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 25m 02s 5. Daragh O’Riordan/Tony McDaid (Ford Fiesta WRC) 2h 25m 58s 6. John O’Donnell/Aidan Friel (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 26m 21s 7. Stephen Wright/Susanne Wright (Mitsubishi Evo 9 Gp N) 2h 29m 42s 8. Joe McGonigle/Mac Kierans (Renault Clio R3 Maxi) 2h 34m 22s 9. Seamus Heron/Gerry McVeigh (Mitsubishi Evo 9 GpN) 2h 37m 05s 10. Shane Maguire/ Martin McGarrity (Subaru Impreza GpN) 2h 37m 30s

Group N Production 1. Stephen Wright/Susanne Wright 2. Seamus Heron/Gerry McVeigh 3. Shane Maguire/Martin McGarrity Class winners: Gavin Kelly/Eamonn Gillespie (Honda Civic); Ian Chadwick/ Andy Hayes (Škoda Fabia); Joe McGonigle/Mac Kierans; Seamus Leonard/Paul McLaughlin

NATIONAL RALLY 1. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan (Ford Escort) 2h 27m 11s 2. Frank Kelly/Stephen Quinn (Ford Escort) 2h 29m 07s 3. Damian Gallagher/Mac Walsh (Ford Escort) 2h 29m 34s 4. Adrian Hetherington/ Gary Nolan (Ford Escort) 2h 29m 47s

HISTORIC RALLY 1. Wesley Patterson/Sean Hayde (Ford Escort) 2h 03m 44s 2. Seamus O’Connell/Sean Magee (Ford Escort) 2h 05m 02s 3. Ian Millar/Ronan O’Neill (Ford Escort) 2h 14m 34s

JUNIOR RALLY 1. Kevin McLaughlin/ Kieran McGinley (Honda Civic) 60m 50s 2. Jonathan Orr/Martin McBrearty (Honda Civic) 60m 55s 3. Damian O’Reilly/ Damien McCabe (Ford Escort) 61m 23s

15

Gary McPhillips won a thrilling National event

RALLYING

RESULTS: DONEGAL INTERNATIONAL RALLY (ROUND 3 OF IRISH TARMAC CHAMPIONSHIP)

NRC DONEGAL NATIONAL RALLY

McPhillips wins thriller I

t is traditionally one of the great features of the Donegal Rally, the battle for the national division, the battle (usually) between the Mk II Ford Escorts.

This year was no different; indeed it will rank as one of the best.

Gary McPhillips’ name was on top of the time sheets at the finish by a two minute margin over Frank Kelly but that was not the real story. No, for almost every mile through the three days it had been all about Monaghan intruder McPhillips and Donegal’s own Manus Kelly.

It hadn’t started too well for Kelly when the intercom failed on the first stage and he couldn’t hear co-driver Donall Barrett, allowing McPhillips to steal a five second advantage. But Kelly halved the deficit on the next and so the see-saw battle began, swinging one way then the other before McPhillips edged the first day by six seconds.

Rodney Wilton was close behind followed by Frank Kelly and Damien Gallagher and the visiting Craig Breen. However, the World S2000 champion’s did not have a smooth run in his borrowed two-litre Escort and although he got as high as fourth before he damaged the steering

and later electrical problems led to his retirement although not before he had set a fastest time through Garrygort.

The McPhillips and Kelly show continued through day two, the gap widening at one point to 13 seconds and then coming down to as little as three as they exchanged fastest times and fought tooth and nail through the rain.

By the end of day two the gap was back up to six seconds, all those miles all that effort to end up where they had started. Kelly was concerned however about a vibration in the car. It turned out to be the flywheel, his crew having to take out the clutch and gearbox to fix in under 30 minutes.

Job done, the final leg was more of the same. Gap up to nine seconds, back down to one. Then a change. Finally on Fanad Head Kelly got his nose in front, albeit by just a second.

The cars, if not drivers, were feeling the strain, McPhillips Escort suffering a cracked manifold and Kelly’s was running on the hot side as they prepared for the last loop.

On stage 18, Glen, Kelly almost doubled his lead – to 1.7 seconds! But McPhillips turned it around on Atlantic Drive to go into the last stage with a 1.7 advantage. It was all or nothing for

both of them. “Win it or bin it,” said McPhillips.

And for Kelly it was just that – nothing. He went off the road and out of the rally to leave McPhillips and co-driver Paul Sheridan the relieved but worthy winners.

“I’ve been second here twice before so I’m delighted to get the win this time,” said Gary. “I’m just annoyed that Manus didn’t make it – we had some battle.”

Such was the pace of the front two, Frank Kelly was nearly two minutes back at the finish and 27 seconds ahead of third placed Gallagher.

Adian Hetherington, Daniel Conaghan and Paul Reid completed the top six, all in Mk IIs naturally.

It was Escorts all the way, too, in the historic rally which saw Wesley Patterson win by over a minute from Seamus McConnell and Donal Connelly.

The juniors were in action on the final day with Kevin McLaughlin coming from eighth after the first stage to win by five seconds from Johnathan Orr, both in Honda Civics.

Damien O’Reilly was third. Paul Creamer led for the first four stages but retired on Atlantic Drive.

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CHINESE RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

16

McShea’s Chinese Adventure

BY SAMMY HAMILL

I

t would be easy to forget about Niall McShea.

Our former World Production Champion has largely vanished from sight and hasn’t been seen on an Irish rally for the best part of four years.

But he hasn’t gone away, you know; he has just slipped under the radar and is quietly plying his trade far from home.

For the past three years McShea has been competing in the Chinese Rally Championship and indeed is the current two-wheel-drive champion.

Trouble is, it is a championship which goes largely unnoticed in the west and the Chinese don’t make it easy to access information. It takes time and tenacity – and the help of Google translation – to find out anything. The fact that Niall hasn’t felt the need to spread the word hasn’t helped either.

But the increasing use of social media, even though it is restricted by the Chinese, is increasing the championship’s profile as is the return of 2011 champion Mark Higgins to the series. It is helping, too, that China is being talked up as a possible World Championship venue in the near future – a project into which McShea has had some input.

The Fermanagh man has recently returned from the opening round of this year’s series, an event which began promisingly but ended when his Škoda

CarSport

Fabia was forced out with clutch failure.

He and co-driver Marshall Clarke are currently with the Red Bull China Škoda team which is backed by the Škoda importers but for McShea the Chinese adventure began way back in 2009.

That was the year, remember, he had stunned everyone by rocketing up the leaderboard on the first stage of Rally Ireland in Super 2000 Proton, even leading World champion Sebastien Loeb.

True, it all ended prematurely but it was a reminder of what a superb driver he is.

Later that year he was asked by his old friends at Prodrive to go out to China to help the Subaru team.

“The Chinese championship can be a bit complicated but the bottom line was that foreign drivers got bonus points and the Subaru team need to bring in someone to help them win the title,” he explains.

“Marshall and I went out, did the rally and even though we had to be taken to hospital suffering from heat stroke – the temperatures were over 40 degrees and more than twice that in the car – we still did the job for them. And I’ve been going back pretty much ever since.”

McShea moved on to drive for the Škoda importers and won the twowheel-drive category last year in a big unwieldy Octavia.

“After that they decided they wanted to go for the overall championship and we managed to acquire Robert Barrable’s S2000 Fabia. It is great to be back in a competitive car again and we made a brilliant start to the first round at Chenzhou in the south of the country.

“We were leading Mark Higgins’ Subaru after the first six stages but then the clutch packed up on stage seven and we dropped about half-a-minute to him. But that wasn’t the worst of it.

“We got the car back to service and the team started to change the clutch only to discover there was a problem with the spare and they had to try to cannibalise the old one to get one good clutch out of the two of them. They just ran out of time and that was the end of it.

“Really disappointing. We are still learning the Fabia but it was right on the pace and I felt confident we could beat Mark. But he went on to win the rally and he’s got a head start on us now.”

McShea says he is really enjoying what he calls his ‘Chinese Adventure’.

“It is just something totally different – the vast country, the people, the rallies.

It is all so very different to what we are used to in Ireland.

“The rallies are tough, believe me, and the conditions can be brutal with the heat and sometimes the rain. And the place is so big it takes forever to get anywhere.

“The next round, for instance, is up near the Mongolian border, in the desert, and it will take us a day and a half to get there once we arrive in China after a 12 hour flight.

“But the people are really getting into their rallying. There were vast crowds for the ceremonial start in Chenzhou and I’m told there were 70,000 spectators on the first stage!”

A lot of its popularity, he says, is down to a driver most of us know little about – Han Han. The Chinese, however, know him very well.

Apart from being a talented race and rally driver – he won the championship

“McShea believes the vast economic power of China makes it ideal territory for the World Rally Championship even though some manufacturers have expressed doubts because of the costs and logistics.”

last year – Han Han is a best-selling novelist and the world’s most-read blogger. He has over half-a-billion followers online.

“Han Han is simply massive in China.

He’s like a pop star and a really nice bloke as well as being a good driver,” says Niall. “If he is doing a rally they will turn out in their thousands to see him.”

And McShea believes the vast economic power of China makes it ideal territory for the World Rally Championship even though some manufacturers have expressed doubts because of the costs and logistics.

“There are not so many countries that can afford to host a World Championship round these days but China can and the place is car mad. They did have a round many years ago but China has changed so much in the past decade and to bring the WRC would grow the sport enormously, bringing it to a huge new audience.”

McShea says he has discussed it with top Chinese officials and with Fred Gallagher, his well-connected fellowUlsterman, and believes the wheels are turning in the right direction. The main event, Rally China, is already a round of the Asia-Pacific Championship and has been nominated as a WRC candidate event in November.

Besides his Chinese trips, McShea also uses his driving skills to good effect in TV and film work. He has been a regular on Top Gear for the past couple of years but doesn’t give much away. “If you talk about what you are doing you don’t get asked back,” he says. Enough said!

And last year he followed Mark Higgins’ example by joining the film crew for the big screen re-make of The Sweeney playing the stunt double for Ray Winstone.

It was an experience he found great fun but disconcerting at the same time.

In the movie Winstone’s character drives a new Ford Focus ST while the bad guys race through the English countryside in a powerful Jaguar XKR. The film makers paid little heed to the value of the cars and although Niall has damaged his fair share of bodywork during his rally career, even he felt uncomfortable with the treatment he had to deal out to the brand new supercars.

“I think there were 27 miles on the Jaguar and 15 miles on the Focus when we had to start slamming them off each other going down a road,” he said.

“It was good fun but felt all wrong.

We had five Focuses and we destroyed three of them, and we had three Jaguars and destroyed two of them.”

Nevertheless, it is an avenue down which he would like to continue much as Higgins has done in the last two Bond movies and most recently Fast and Furious 2.

Question is: will we see Niall McShea back on an Irish rally anytime soon?

“I wouldn’t expect so. I couldn’t afford to run a competitive car on the big Irish rallies,” was his candid answer.

17

S

ky One will soon be airing a special rally edition of their League of Their Own television programme in which Kris Meeke tries to teach England cricketer Freddie Flintoff how to drive a rally car. Unfortunately, during one of Flintoff’s timed runs, the cricketer loses control of the Citroën DS3 R3 and ends up rolling into a tree, breaking the tree in two.

A report in The Sun said that paramedics rushed to the scene at Walters Arena Motorsport Complex

in Swansea but both men were unhurt. Ashes star Freddie told The Sun: “It’s a testament to the strength of the car’s rollcage that I wasn’t hurt.”

Former IRC rally champion Meeke blamed Flintoff’s inexperience for the crash.

The former Ashes star was filming with League Of Their Own co-stars Jack Whitehall, Jamie Redknapp, James Corden and Jimmy Carr when the incident happened.

The Citroën DS3 rally cars were supplied by David

NEWS

Kris Meeke and Freddie Flintoff in a tree of their own!

Greer Motorsport in Carryduff with Raymond Moore of Charles Hurst Citroën co-ordinating the running of the cars. Rally drivers Molly Taylor and Mark Higgins were also involved in the programme while Chris Patterson instructed some of the celebrities how to read pacenotes.

None of the people taking part are allowed to comment on the event until closer to the airing of the programme which is expected to be in early August.

www.kgrallypics.com

CarSport

Donagh Kelly took an impressive victory in some very treacherous conditions on the Tour of the Sperrins

NIRC tour of the sperrins Rally

RALLYING

18

Donagh delights in maiden Sperrins victory!

PHOTOS: GRAHAM CHAMBERS & FERGAL KELLY

R

ound three of the 2013 Carryduff Forklift MSA ANICC Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship took place in the Sperrin mountains for the Magherafelt and District Motor Club’s Tour of the Sperrins Rally.

Following the cancellation of the Easter Stages due to the unseasonal snowstorm, teams eagerly awaited the six Derek McGeehan and co-driver Michael Orr

CarSport

closed road tarmac stages ahead, the last round having been back in March at Bishopscourt race circuit. It was to prove a dramatic rally with Donagh Kelly taking victory with an afternoon charge in his Subaru S11 WRC, ahead of series leader Derek McGarrity in his S14 Impreza. The changing conditions caught a few crews out and amazingly in the conditions,

Camillus Bradley brought his powerful MK2 Escort home third overall.

Series leader Derek McGarrity led the cars away in his Subaru WRC S14 and onto the first Sawel Mountain stage where he was second fastest, but not comfortable over the bumps and jumps.

Local ace Camillus Bradley took a superb fastest time, a full five seconds up on McGarrity.

“I think I must have caught them sleeping,” Bradley said afterwards.

“The stage didn’t feel that good to us. I thought we might have been ten seconds behind them so I couldn’t believe it when I found out we were leading the rally.” Draperstown’s Derek McGeehan was third in the WRC Mini.

Donagh Kelly was equal third fastest with McGeehan, followed by Peader Hurson in his Escort WRC. James Laverty was sixth fastest and the first Group N runner, but his rally was soon over, sliding off on stage 2, whilst his Subaru rival Trevor Ferguson had a big off on stage three, thankfully without any injury to the crew. Another to sadly fall by the wayside was Touring Car ace Steven Kane, making his rally debut in a Mini WRC. The Ballynahinch man had a frustrating throttle problem off the start

of stage one costing him 30 seconds, and then slid off on the second test when the throttle stuck, so he never got a chance to record a competitive time.

Back at the top, rally leader Derek McGarrity set the pace on stage three to arrive into a hailstone covered service area with a 7.6 second advantage over Donagh Kelly, while the two-wheeldrive powered Camillus Bradley was doing his best to keep up with his WRC counterparts in third.

Shortly after the leaders completed that third test, organisers were forced to stop the stage when Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy crashed their Group N Subaru Impreza. After hitting a telegraph pole, their car was pitched into a series of rolls but thankfully neither crew member was injured.

Second Loop

With the cars refettled in service, most crews returned to the stages for a repeat loop of the same three tests. However, eighth placed Kevin Barrett was forced to stay in service as his Impreza WRC developed a gearbox problem.

When the stage times started rolling in from the fourth test, it looked as though second placed Donagh Kelly was on a

19

RALLYING

Saloon car driver Steven Kane hired out one of the McGeehan Mini WRCs

Seamus O’Connell – always worth watching

charge. He had swiped three seconds out of leader McGarrity, leaving 4.6 seconds between the two contenders with two stages remaining.

Then the tide really turned in Kelly’s favour on stage five when he stopped the clocks in his Airtricity backed Impreza WRC some 13 seconds faster than McGarrity. As it transpired, McGarrity lost precious seconds when he caught two boys illegally riding quad bikes on the stage.

Going into the final test, eight seconds separated the leading crews. So when Kelly claimed fastest time once again, he had done enough to secure his maiden Carryduff Forklift series win!

“Derek has been our nemesis for a while now,” navigator Kevin Flanagan admitted at the finish. “I think he has managed to beat us by a few seconds on the last three occasions that we’ve come up against him, so it’s nice to finally get the win!”

Derek McGarrity and James McKee had to settle for second on this occasion but they were safe in the knowledge that they had done enough to secure maximum championship points.

Meanwhile, Camillus Bradley and Charlie Beattie completed their stunning drive to secure third overall aboard their

two-wheel-drive Mark 2 Escort. They did enough to fend off the challenge from the MINI WRC belonging to Derek McGeehan and Michael Orr, while Desi Henry and Damian Duffin secured fifth in their Citroën DS3 from the Escort belonging to Declan McNaughton and Sean Hayde.

Peader Hurson retired from fifth with a turbo problem on stage 5, leaving Portglenone’s Desi Henry to take the position in his DS3 Citroën. Co. Antrim driver, Declan MacNaughton brought his MK2 Escort home in sixth despite a faulty alternator. The top ten was completed by Mark Donnelly in 7th, also testing his DS3 for the British Championship on this event, Keith White, 8th in his 2.5 MK1 Escort, a charging Paddy McToal, 9th in his 2.0 8 valve Escort and Frank Wray, 10th in his Group A Evo 6. Group N winner was eventually Colm McFall in 17th, after brother Liam broke a driveshaft and similarly Kieron Graffin ran into differential trouble on stage 5. Greg McCormack with his 16-year-old daughter Caron co-driving took a fine 11th place and first Historic car home after a day long battle with Seamus O’Connell, both in sideways MK2 Escort BDA’s.

Camillus Bradley was right up among the WRC cars

Desi Kelly came home an excellent fifth overall

RESULT: TOUR OF THE SPERRINS (ROUND 3 OF THE N.I. RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP)

Derek McGarrity and his S14 Impreza on the Sperrins

1. Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Subaru Impreza S11) 40m 39.1s 2. Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Subaru Impreza S14) +0:08.8 3. Camillus Bradley/Charlie Beatty (Ford Escort MkII) +0:51.8 4. Derek McGeehan/Michael Orr (Mini WRC) +1:06.5 5. Desi Henry/Damian Duffin (Citroën DS3 R3) +2:39.3 6. Declan McNaughton/ Sean Hayde (Ford Escort MkII) +3:15.3 7. Mark Donnelly/Barry McNulty (Citroën DS3 R3) +3:41.8 8. Keith White/Damian McCann (Ford Escort MkII) +3:48.7 9. Paddy McToal/Connor O’Loan (Ford Escort MkII) +3:55.7 10. Frank Wray/Joe McNulty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) +4:01.2

CarSport

Declan and Brian Boyle put on a show for photographer Seamus Counihan in Cavan

NRC CAVAN STAGES

RALLYING

20

On the Boyle in Cavan

BY MARTIN WALSH PHOTOS: FERGAL KELLY

D

onegal’s Declan and Brian Boyle (Subaru WRC) returned to winning ways with a comfortable victory in the Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally, the third round of the National Rally Championship. After the day’s nine stages, they were a minute and 13.9 seconds ahead of the Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner with the overseas crew of James Belton/ Mark Glennerster (Subaru WRC) securing third, their best ever finish in a round of the series.

The “Drive of the Day” award was won by Clonmel’s Roy White and his Cork co-driver, James O’Brien, they brought their MG S2000 home in fifth place.

On the opening stage, Clanaphilip, Boyle set the pace and finished the 9.9 mile stage with an 8.6 second lead over Donnelly with Donagh Kelly (Subaru WRC) a further 7.2 seconds behind in third. Roy White (MG S2000) held fourth position followed by the Subaru WRCs of James Belton and Niall Maguire. Seamus Leonard (Subaru) retired with clutch troubles. Meanwhile, Declan Gallagher

(Toyota Starlet) was the top driver in the rear wheel drive category and Josh Moffett (Mitsubishi) was the Group N pacesetter. Kelly was quickest through the second stage and Boyle held the edge on the final stage of the opening loop.

At the Cavan service halt, Boyle expressed satisfaction with his pace, he opined that the opening stage was somewhat greasy – especially where there was shiny tar, it was as similar situation for part of the third stage, which was also quite gravelly. Donnelly, 10.6 seconds behind in second, reckoned that he had a slow start but pushed hard through the remaining stages.

The Derry ace was just two tenths of a second ahead of Donegal’s Donagh Kelly, who spun on the opening test and was concerned about the clutch through the remaining stages.

Welsh driver, James Belton occupied fourth; he spun his Subaru WRC into a hedge on the opening stage and lost some 20 seconds. Having overshot a junction on the first stage, Niall Maguire clawed his way back to fifth,

the triple National champion was also concerned about fluid leaking from a rear wheel. Fourth after the opening stage, Clonmel’s Roy White (MG S2000) was finding the return to a manual gear change quite difficult, he was sixth followed by the Group N pair of Eugene Meegan and Sam Moffett. Meegan was untroubled but Moffett was eager to get into the service halt to sort his Mitsubishi, unfortunately, he was forced to retire with gearbox issues.

Another Group N contender, Stephen Wright (Mitsubishi) was ninth, he lost time when he spun on the third stage.

Russell Woods (Escort) completed the top ten, he also led the two-wheel drive category, albeit a tenth of a second ahead of Rodney Wilton, who was eleventh. Elsewhere, Josh Moffett lost some twenty seconds on S.S.2 – on the last corner of the stage, he slid his Mitsubishi into a field.

On the first stage of the second loop, Boyle took control, he also reigned supreme on the fifth and sixth stages and duly arrived at the final service halt with a 56.9 second advantage. He Roy White was fifth in his MG S2000

Eugene Donnelly pushed his Corolla as hard as he could

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remarked: “I had a good run on stage four but I was careful on Stage 6 due to the gravel on the stage.” Donnelly, who had lost second spot to Kelly after S.S.5, regained the position when Kelly clipped a rock and punctured on S.S.6.

He commented: “There is no more in this Corolla, nothing left.” Although Kelly finished S.S.6, he lost over eleven minutes and decided to retire at the final service. “I slid on some gravel and then clipped a rock that punctured the front left wheel. I drove for a while but as I was holding up a few drivers, I pulled over and changed the wheel.”

Meanwhile, Belton and Maguire tussled for third, the former held a 4.3 second lead in that particular battle.

Having raised his MG S2000, Roy White felt the handling of the car was much improved, he was fifth. Sixth placed Eugene Meegan led the Group N category although his lost time after a gearbox mounting broke on the fourth stage, he was 10.2 seconds ahead of Stephen Wright, who was eighth overall.

Top rear wheel drive competitor, Rodney Wilton (Escort) was sandwiched between

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RALLYING

Patrick Kiernan won the ‘Driver of the Day’ award

Enda Sherry and Seamus Leonard

BORDER RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP

Kiernan/McCarville claim Cavan ‘Drive of the Day’

T Rodney Wilton was top of the two wheel drive category

the showroom pair. The final two places in the top ten were annexed by Josh Moffett and Russell Woods. Moffett spun on S.S.6; Woods trailed Wilton by 21.8 seconds.

Superior through the final loop, Boyle took a comfortable victory with second placed Donnelly a minute and 13.9 seconds behind. Belton managed to fend off the challenge from Maguire to clinch his best ever finish in a round of the National series, the margin between

them at the finish was 12.6 seconds.

White took another top six finish and along with co-driver, James O’Brien were awarded the “Drive of the Day” award.

In the race for Group N supremacy, Stephen Wright (Mitsubishi) took the laurels while local hero, Rodney Wilton (Escort) was the top rear wheel drive competitor.

Garry Jennings, Mel Evans and Colm Murphy were amongst the non-starters.

Group N winner Josh Moffett

he third round of the 2013 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship took the crews to Cavan. The ‘Drive of the Day’ award for the fastest finishing crew on stage 4 in Class 13 went to local man Patrick Kiernan and his Monaghan navigator James McCarville. Class 13 was probably the most competitive class in the event and their stunning time on that fourth stage saw them claim the award by just two seconds. Arthur and Mac Kierans maintain their overall lead in the Championship despite having to settle for second in class on the day.

Class 1-8 Francie McKenna/Sean Craig repeated their Monaghan success in Class 1. A dramatic day saw no Border-registered crews make it home in Class 2 or 3. Josh Moffett/John Rowan were the first registered Class 4 crew home taking third in class on the day with Shane Maguire/Martin McGarritty next up. Championship sponsor Andrew Mullen and Elaine Doherty maintain their class lead in the Championship thanks to finishing fifth in class. Steve Wood/Johnny Baird were the top registered Class 6 competitor in the Citroën C2R2 while Roger Kennedy/ Wendy Blackledge made it three Class 7 wins in a row in their Peugeot 306.

Overall rally winners, Declan and Brian Boyle, the 2010 Border Champions, took maximum points in Class 8.

Class 9-12 Damien O’Reilly/Damien McCabe were the first registered crew home in Class 9 to close on Championship class leaders Justin Smyth/Gregory McQuillan who retired. Gary Kiernan/Niall Tierney took a home win in Class 10 in their Mk2 Escort. Their result leaves them just one point off the overall lead in the Championship. John Kelly/Niall Kelly finished second in Class on the day and are also up to third overall in the Championship. Dermot O’Hagan/Pierce Doheny took a comfortable Class 11F win to open a commanding lead in the points table. Paul Carron/Andrew Browne were the top Border crew home in Class 11R after joint Championship leaders Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden were forced into retirement. James Cassidy/Declan Smith inherited victory in Class 12 after mechanical problems dropped Arthur and Mac Kierans down to second place although they maintain the overall lead of the series.

Class 13-20 RESULT: CAVAN STAGES 1. D. Boyle/B. Boyle (Subaru WRC) 1h.16m.04.1s 2. E. Donnelly/P. Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h.17m.18.1s 3. J. Belton/M. Glennerster (Subaru WRC) 1h.18m.33.1s 4. N. Maguire/E. Sherry (Subaru WRC) 1h.18m.45.7s 5. R. White/J. O’Brien (MG S2000) 1h.19m.34.3s 6. S. Wright/S. Wright (Mitsubishi) 1h.21m.14.6s 7. R. Wilton/C. McMahon (Ford Escort) 1h.21m.15.7s 8. E. Meegan/J. Traynor (Mitsubishi) 1h.21m.36.1s 9. J. Moffett/J. Rowan (Mitsubishi) 1h.22m.03.1s 10. P. Kiernan/J. McCarville (Ford Escort) 1h.22m.3.8s

National Rally Championship (Positions after ROUnd 3) 1. D. Boyle 2. N. Maguire 3. J. Belton 4. R. White

52pts 48 44 40

‘Driver of the Day’ winners Patrick Kiernan/James McCarville went on to win Class 13 after a tough battle with Russell Woods/Gary Gallagher which ended on the last stage when the latter rolled. Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne moved up to second in class to maintain their advantage at the top of the Class 13 points table. Rodney Wilton/Conor McMahon claimed Class 14 honours and were the first two wheel drive finishers in their Escort on their home event. There were no finishers in Class 15-18, while Johnny Leonard/Niall Burns top scored in Class 20 in their Evo6.

The Teams trophy where each finisher in a three member team collects ten points is currently dead level between “Mk2 Mayhem” (Arthur Kiernas/Mac Kierans, Justin Smyth/Gregory McQuillan and Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne) and “Sligo Pallets Rally Team” (Andrew Mullen/Elaine Doherty, David Leonard/ Darragh Mullen and Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle) with “Team Toyota Monaghan” (John Kelly/Niall Kelly, Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden and Raymond Conlon/ Darren McCague) a further twenty points adrift.

The fourth round of the 2013 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship is the Sligo Stages Rally on Sunday July 14th. With just two rounds remaining the battle for honours is sure to be intense over the closing rounds, which should provide compelling entertainment for competitors and spectators alike.

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RALLYING

Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna took an eight second victory on the Lark in the Park Rally in his Mitsubishi Evo

JOHN MULHOLLAND MOTORS LARK IN THE PARK RALLY

Hogg roasts the opposition PHOTOS: WILLIAM NEILL & FERGAL KELLY

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he John Mulholland Motors Lark in the Park was a great success with a close win for Limavady man Richard Hogg, driving his Mitsubishi Evo6. Codriven by Mark Hanna, the Mitsubishi duo had a great battle with the WRC Mini and its driver/engineer Derek McGeehan and Laurie Smith.

The confines of the City of Culture’s St. Columb’s Park, saw thousands of spectators descend on its sun soaked grass banks, with action for all the family, young and old alike.

Children played on the entertainment section, while their parents could watch the rally action, or enjoy the view in Ebrington Square, and mix it with all the other attractions taking place on the busy Derry-Londonderry Saturday schedule, with the busy service area in the ‘Golden Sands’ of the Square.

During the rally, brides gathered

to have their photograph taken with some of the cars, before assembling in Guildhall Square for the Foyle Hospice Brides on the Bridge world record attempt.

Meanwhile in the Park’s narrow tracks, there were a few spills, one provided by Derrick Jobb’s Citroën C2R2 coming to a halt against one of the bales, proving too much for the steering rack, forcing early retirement during SS3.

Overall winners were Richard Hogg/ Mark Hanna with a time of five minutes and 48 seconds, with Derek McGeehan/ Laurie Smith a close eight seconds behind. Third placed driver was Darren McKelvey/Denver Rafferty with a total time of six minutes and four seconds.

The best 2WD driver came from Bready, as Derek Gurney/Keith McEvoy did the Park in a time of six minutes and six seconds.

2WD winners Derek Gurney and Keith McEvoy celebrate at the finish Paul Curley (Subaru) goes around Mickey Peoples

The service area was in the ‘Golden Sands’ of Ebrington Square

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RALLYING

Geoffrey Dolan blasts past The Venue 2013

Darren McKelvey finished third overall Derrick Jobb hit a tree in his Citroën C2

Derek Gurney’s service crew Derek McGeehan took second in his WRC Mini

The final podium positions

BELOW: The Cyril Doherty trophy went to Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna

RESULT: JOHN MULHOLLAND MOTORS LARK IN THE PARK RALLY

Sean Cassidy navigates the narrow tracks in his Ford Fiesta

Kieron Graffin in his Hyundai Accent WRC

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Willie McFadden in his Escort G3

1. Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) 5m.48s 2. Derek McGeehan/Laurie Smyth (Mini JCW WRC) 5m.56s 3. Darren McKelvey/ Denver Rafferty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) 6m.04s 4. Sean Cassidy/Martina Cassidy (Ford Fiesta) 6m.05s 5. Derek Gurney/Keith McEvoy (Ford Sierra Cosworth) 6m.06s 6. Kieron Graffin/Aidan Friel (Hyundai Accent WRC) 6m.08s 7. Kevin Bradley/Paul Cassidy (Ford Escort Mk2) 6m.10s 8. Willie McFadden/Francis Devine (Ford Escort G3) 6m.11s 9. Irwin Craig/David Hamilton (Ford Escort Mk2) 6m.12s 10. Adrian Hetherington/ Graham Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2) 6m.13s

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BRC JIM CLARK RALLY

RALLYING Daniel McKenna won the R2 class at the Jim Clark Rally and entry into the Pirelli Star Driver shoot out at the end of the season

McKenna clinches Pirelli Star nomination

D

aniel McKenna had the most to celebrate after the Jim Clark Rally where he won the R2 class and was awarded a place in the Pirelli Star Driver shoot out at the end of the season. This was the Monaghan driver’s plan for the season as the winner of the Pirelli prize will get a works drive in 2014. Now that he has been given a nomination, McKenna may move up into the R3 Class to compete for overall honours.

Jukka Korhonen won the rally, hanging on to a two second victory on round two of the MSA British Rally Championship. Korhonen was chased hard by both Tom Cave and Alastair Fisher.

A clearly delighted Korhonen said at the finish in Kelso: “Very Pleased. My first tarmac win and only third tarmac rally. Very pleased with the result and a good two days; ups and downs, but we managed to do the win. A perfect rally.”

DGM Sport’s Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble had taken the mantle of chasing crew and ran second on the road but in the end they were overhauled by a charging Tom Cave, now second in the points tables, while also succumbing to advances by Osian Pryce to finish fourth with setup difficulties.

Ending the rally as they started in fifth place were Jonny Greer and Jonny Hart,

who enjoyed the stages when they were dry, but not in the damp conditions.

2012 Pirelli Star Driver Mark Donnelly and his co-driver Dai Roberts had a troubled event, struggling with setup and grip and finally a troublesome downshift in their DGM car. They managed sixth, having climbed from an early tenth place, but never bettered fifth fastest on the stages and will look forward to the Scottish, rather than back on the Jim Clark.

Topping the BRC’s RallyTwo runners in his Fiesta R2 was the 2012 Irish Billy Coleman Award winner Daniel McKenna, in what should have been a master class for local driver Garry Pearson. After a shaky start through his home town of Duns, Pearson, the 2012 British Junior Rally Champion had set about building an overnight lead of seventeen seconds.

But pressure from McKenna and Arthur Kierans eventually found a chink; Pearson dropped to second on stage nine after a big spin and ended his day after an impact with a tree on stage ten.

McKenna stayed out of trouble at the front, impressing en route to a one minute 40 second victory, enough to secure the second Pirelli Star Driver nomination of the season. At the finish in Kelso he admitted that it had been a tough event.

Jon Armstrong took maximum points in the Newcomers Trophy but was disappointed with finishing 19th overall

He said: “We suffered with fuel pump problems but it has all been worth it.

Our goal at the start of the season was a nomination for the Pirelli award, so I’m delighted that it has happened on just the second event.”

Jon Armstrong and Martin Brady took maximum points in the Ravenol Oils Newcomers Trophy, extending his lead to eight points over David Carney who moves up from fifth. The Ulsterman admitted he was disappointed with fourteen place overall though, having damaged the rear of the car on Friday.

Desi Henry and Phil Clarke had an unfortunate event, suffering a puncture on the Friday evening before being caught out on the wrong tyres and going

off on the Saturday morning.

In the Historic section Dessie Nutt dominated his class and fought off fellow Porsche rival Rikki Proffitt. A class victory has helped Nutt slash Proffitt’s overall class lead.

“The fog on Friday night helped me hugely,” explained class winner Nutt.“We took about three minutes from Rikki on those opening stages and I was in a strong position going into Saturday.

Rikki fought back on Saturday but the time we had taken on Friday meant were able to control our pace throughout the day. The overnight rain on Friday made for tough handling but the Porsche didn’t miss a beat and the class win the icing on the cake.”

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RALLYING

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NIRC MOURNE STAGES

Gass grabs Mourne victory PHOTOS: ROY DEMPSTER, FERGAL KELLY & FERGUS McANALLEN

Darren Gass dominated from the outset and finished over a minute ahead of Derek McGarrity Derek McGarrity finished second in his new Focus WRC

Frank Kelly in his Escort enjoying the twisting roads!

Paddy McVeigh drove a consistently fast rally

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ound four of the 2013 Carryduff Forklift NI Stage Rally Championship took place in the Mourne mountains for the Newry and District Motor Club’s Modern Tyre Service Mourne Rally. At the end of the day the sun was really shining on winners Darren Gass and Enda Sherry in their S10 Subaru WRC, who finished over a minute ahead

of Derek McGarrity and James McKee, debuting a new Ford Focus WRC. Derek took maximum Northern Ireland Championship points with second, and Paddy McVeigh brought his WRC Subaru into a fine third overall.

From the outset it was Markethill’s Darren Gass who dominated, taking fastest times on the opening loop Kevin Barrett made up for his non-finish on the Sperrins by finishing fourth

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of the Black Hill, Deadmans Hill and Ballydougherty stages. Derek McGarrity settled into second, on his first event in a newly acquired Focus WRC, which had been used in Belgium. A couple of stalls and an over-shoot, meant that he was already nearly thirty seconds off the lead at first service. In a surprise third place was Paddy McVeigh on his third event in a WRC Subaru, the Brantry man having used Group N machines in the past. Next up was Maynooth man Kevin Barrett, looking for a good finish here after retirement on the previous Sperrins round, then Derek McGeehan in the Mini WRC, who admitted to be slightly off the pace. Sixth overall was two wheel drive leader Davy Armstrong in his Mk II Escort, who led the similar machine of Frank Kelly by six seconds, with Adrian Hetherington next up in eighth. The drama in this class started on stage one, with the demise of Camillus Bradley with a roll, and Hetherington too was soon to depart the fray with a broken clutch. Jim Feenan in his Escort WRC was ninth and Jonny Leonard tenth in his Group A Evo 6. He had been lying as high as third,

Event sponsor Rory Byrne (centre)

Derek McGeehan admitted to being off the pace all day

fifth overall just three seconds in front of Davy Armstrong in his Mk II, both loving these superb twisting stages.

Derek McGeehan dropped to seventh behind this big race with the Mini WRC, admitting to be slightly off the pace.

Then there was a bigger gap to Jonny Leonard in the Evo 6 in eighth, Keith

White in his 2.5 litre Mk I Escort ninth and former outright winner Norman Armstrong in tenth with his Mk II. There’s now a summer break in the Carryduff Forklift supported Northern Ireland Rally Championship, with the next round the Ulster National Rally on 23rd-24th August.

Adrian Hetherington retired with a broken clutch

1. Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC S10) 1:13:30.8s 2. Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Ford Focus WRC) +1:08.9s 3. Paddy McVeigh/Paul Hamill (Subaru Impreza WRC S10) +2:10.0s 4. Kevin Barrett/Sean Mulally (Subaru Impreza WRC S11) +2:39.0s 5. Frank Kelly/Stephen Quinn (Ford Escort Mk II) +3:08.5s 6. David Armstrong/ Paul Mulholland (Ford Escort Mk II) +3:12.0s 7. Derek McGeehan/Michael Orr (Mini JCW WRC) +3:15.7s 8. Jonny Leonard/Niall Burns (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) +5:06.8s 9. Keith White/Damien McCabe (Ford Escort Mk II) +5:44.9s 10. Norman Armstrong/Lisa Allen (Ford Escort Mk II) +7:04.4s

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RALLYING

but a broken drive-shaft dropped the Fermanagh driver back on stage three.

Group N leader at this point was event sponsor Rory Byrne in his Evo 10, but he was set to retire on the final stage, handing the category victory to local man Damien Toner.

It was to be those three stages tackled twice more and little was to change at the top of the leader-board with 24 year old Darren Gass powering away from the field. Derek McGarrity lost further time on stage four with two stalls, but maintained his second place to the finish, ahead of Paddy McVeigh a fine third, after a consistently fast day. Kevin Barrett was very happy to get a good finish and take some championship points in fourth, just ahead of the frenetic two wheel drive battle. It was Frank Kelly who took the honours in

RESULT: MOURNE STAGES (ROUND 4 OF THE N.I. RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 4) 1. Derek McGarrity 2. Derek McGeehan 3. Kevin Barrett 4. Jonny Leonard 5. Keith White 6. David Armstrong

48pts 34 28 22 14 14

NI Group N Championship 1. Martin Laverty

Paul Barrett and Declan Tumilty go for a spin!

NI 2WD Championship 1. Keith White/Paul Mulholland

NI Junior Championship 1. Jonny Leonard

NI Ladies Championship 1. Emma McKinstry/Wendy Blackledge

MONTGOMERY MOTORSPORT Historic Championship 1. Stanley Orr

McCormack takes WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship round three in Carlisle Marty McCormack

M

arty McCormack and Phil Clarke took victory on round three of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship, the DMACK Carlisle Stages.

The brand new rally, organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, ran across stages in the Newcastleton and Kershope region and was adjudged a great success as crews praised the quality of stages and slick and friendly organisation. With a very compact route and minimal stage mileage, the event was a great addition to the championship schedule.

Overnight rain dampened down the stages, but right from the start McCormack’s Escort Mk II was the pacesetter, taking eight seconds out of nearest rivals Nick Elliott/Dave Price through the opening Arthur’s Seat stage, with another eight seconds before Jason Pritchard/Dale Furniss in third.

The pattern continued over the next two stages, with McCormack exiting the ten mile Kershope stage 19 seconds up on Elliott as they headed for service. “No problems at all, I stayed on the road and it was all good; like a Carlsberg morning,” said McCormack.

Tapio Laukkanen/Glenn Patterson had started cautiously in the Finn’s first Ford Escort outing for 21 years. Jimmy McRae and Pauline Gullick upped their pace during the afternoon and broke into the top ten, before sealing eighth in their Escort Mk II. “I could have done with doing the first three stages again,” said McRae.

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LOUGHGALL FESTIVAL

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Patterson’s Pace

BY KEITH SOMERVILLE

PHOTOS: FERGal kelly & tANYA FOWLES

N

orth Armagh Motor Club’s Loughgall Festival was another great success this year.

Winners of the prestigious Appendix K category were Wesley Patterson and David Aiken in their Ford Escort RS1800, some 40 seconds ahead of the similar car of Ian Millar and Ronan O’Neill.

Donegal pair, Donal Connolly and Danny McLaughlin set fastest times on all six special stages in their Ford Escort Mk II to win the Loughgall Historic Rally Car Challenge. Second overall and winner of the Post-Historic Category, some 48 seconds behind, were Raymond and Chris Nelson in their Ford Escort Mk I RS2000, with Alan and Claire Simms third overall and winners of the Classic category, in their Ford Escort Mk II only a further two seconds adrift. Winners of the Historic category were Robert and Olivia Coulter in their Ford Anglia. Colin McDowell and Ian Evans had a good start and had third fastest times in their Mini Cooper S on the first two special stages, but retired shortly after.

In the modified category it was David and Leanne Armstrong who emerged victorious in the 2.5 litre Ford Escort Mk II ahead of Keith White and Damian McCann in their 2.5 litre Ford Escort Mk I. Best of the 2 litre cars were Martin Teggart and Arnold Lutton in their Ford Escort Mk II while the smaller class was headed home by the Toyota Starlet of Brian Black and Ian Crozier.

Wesley Patterson was fastest around the Loughgall stages

This Mark II got stuck on a bale

Harry Burke and Ivor Ferguson

Damian Sherry with his children Finnian and Terghan with co-driver Kievan McPhillips

Claire Cummings gets to grips with the kids road safety display Gavin Taylor in his Mark I Escort

Alan Simms with Clare Simms co-driving

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Donal Connolly in his RS2000

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Martin Teggert and Arnold Lutton in their Mark II Escort

James Blane and William Fullerton

Wesley Patterson and David Aiken

LOUGHGALL FESTIVAL

Robert Coulter in his Anglia

Ingrid Douglas has a health assessment with Naomi Brown of Diabetes UK

Armagh Lions President Bob Scott thanks everyone for attending

Paul Gray heads for the scenery!

Miss Festival of Motorsport Emily Moffatt presents Wesley Patterson and David Aiken with their prizes

RESULT: LOUGHGALL HISTORIC RALLY CAR CHALLENGE

Tommy Taylor takes a close look at the Mk I Escort

Barry Scott and co-driver Isaac Beattie

1. Wesley Patterson/David Aiken (Ford Escort RS1800) 25:33.4s 2. Ian Millar/Ronan O’Neill (Ford Escort RS1800) 26:13.4s 3. Donal Connolly/Danny McLaughlin (Ford Escort RS2000) 26:42.4s 4. Raymond Nelson/Chris Nelson (Ford Escort RS2000) 27:29.2s 5. Alan Simms/Claire Simms (Ford Escort Mk II) 27:31.4s 6. Alan Jardine/Lloyd Cochrane (Ford Escort RS1800) 28:05.8s 7. Gavin Taylor/Martin Smyth (Ford Escort Mk I RS2000) 28:31.8s 8. Paul Gray/Jim Smith (Ford Escort Mk I) 30:22.2s 9. James Wilson/Hilary Wilson (Talbot Sunbeam Lotus) 30:46.5s 10. Robert Coulter/Olivia Coulter (Ford Anglia) 31:01.0s

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LOUGHGALL FESTIVAL

Miss Festival of Motorsport Emily Moffatt with Plum Tyndall’s Ferrari

Frank Curran with his Cadillac and Seamus Gray with his Vauxhall Omega

Gavin Taylor and Martin Smyth, winners of Historic Class 2B

John Wilson and Max Rainey with the PSNI Evo

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Ryan and Kevin Bradley

Raymond Clyde and Stephen McCombe

PHOTOS: FERGAL KELLY & FERGUS McANALLEN (WWW.RALLYRETRO.COM)

HISTORICS

‘Beam me up!

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Malcolm and Ronald Montgomery have just finished rebuilding 854 HZC, the Sunbeam Lotus that John Coyne used to win the 1982 Irish Tarmac Championship...

O

ne of the most successful Talbot Sunbeam Lotus’ in Irish rally history has just undergone a complete bare shell nut and bolt rebuild at Montgomery Motorsport in Augher.

The car, 854 HZC, was used by John Coyne to win the 1982 Irish Tarmac Championship. This was the second year that John had campaigned the car and the Lotus Sunbeam was sold the following year to Pat Dunnion who only used it on a couple of events. He then sold it on to Tony Greene and then it was moved on to Stanley Hilliard in Enniskillen before eventually arriving with Sean McQuaid in Trillick.

The complete history of the car and all the paperwork and documents were kept intact with the car and when Malcolm Montgomery went to look at

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HISTORIC REBUILD

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the car with a view to purchasing it a few years ago, he was amazed to find that everything relating to the car’s history was still with it, right down to the old original white Southern Ireland tax book with Chrysler Ireland in Dublin as the first registered keeper.

John Coyne, who rallied the car originally, now resides in Laguna Beach, California and remembers the car well.

“The initial 854 HZC was an exTalbot Dublin car used by the wife of the Managing Director, Tom Ronayne as a road car. I initially built this car at Talbot Ireland in 1978 as a 2-litre with the Brazilian block engine in Group 1 spec – and developed it based on our experience with the 1977 Championship winning 2L Avenger. Chris Sclater Automotive (by now providing build, prep and on-event support for the Talbot Ireland Team) subsequently modified this shell to accept the Lotus engine for Galway 1980 and we upgraded to full factory competition specification for the 1981 and 1982 season when we won the Tarmac Championship with the car. A big end over end roll out of second place in the ‘82 Ulster on the Ballix stage saw the final end of that rather tired shell.

“We re-shelled it into an ex-Blomqvist works shell which was at Mike Little Preparation in Carlisle – they did the major work and then Chris did the final work to get it ready for Cork ‘82. I did the Haspengouw Rally in Belgium in early ‘83 and then sold the car mid-year to Pat Dunnion in Donegal – I think he took it to Cyprus that year – I lost touch with it after that,” recalls John.

As the car only changed hands a few times to drivers that all knew each other, all the paperwork, including the original

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HISTORIC REBUILD

homologation papers were kept with the car. The car had been stored in garages for most of its life, so the Blomqvist shell was in good condition and all the works interior was completely original.

The Sunbeam Lotus originally would have been homologated with an aluminium bonnet but the original was damaged and Malcolm was unable to find a replacement anywhere until one day when he was talking to Ken Irwin about something completely different and Ken happened to mention he had an aluminium bonnet in one of his workshops. The bonnet didn’t stay in Castlederg too long after that!

The 2.2 all steel Lotus engine was shipped off to Phil Davidson at Revec who built all the works engines including Henri Toivonen’s Lombard RAC Rally winning unit. The ZF gearbox and back axle received a complete rebuild and Ralloy were able to supply any body panels that needed replaced. Trevor Speer carried out all the bodywork and painting. Ronald Montgomery rebuilt and rewired the car and it currently sits in the Montgomery Motorsport premises in Augher. The interior still has the original Recaro seats and Terratrip tripmeter as well as the original footrest and the only modern addition is the modern Fireater extinguisher system. The brakes are original spec AP Monte Carlo calipers with fixed Bilstein MacPherson strut suspension. Ian Rix of Nufold in Norfolk rebuilt the works quick steering rack.

The story doesn’t end there though as John Coyne has bought the car back and whether he plans to ship it to the States, keep it in Ireland, or rally it again remains to be seen, but it is another superb period piece from Montgomery Motorsport. Hopefully John will make a few appearances in Ireland with it.

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S.W. Adair Tyres celebrate

30 years of sprints

Main distributors for

throughout Ireland

“ We cover more events than 50 Killymore Road, Newtownstewart tel 028 8164 8428 • fax 028 8167 1241

“

anyone else in the UK

Ballynure’s Jimmy Mills and his 2 litre Escort

Bill Adair (right) with Henry Campbell, Chairman of the ANICC

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SPRINTS Robert McGimpsey’s single seater

Bill’s thirty year sprint PHOTOS: HUGO McNIECE

Competition tyre specialist Bill Adair has been sponsoring sprints in Northern Ireland for 30 years...

Ballynahinch’s David Strain with his 1480cc Mini

B

ack in 1983, rallying in Ireland was not at its healthiest due to an insurance crisis at the time. There were plenty of rally cars and willing drivers around, but very few events to compete on. Bill Adair spotted the growing popularity of quarry sprints, held on private ground, and set about setting up and sponsoring the first ever Northern Ireland Loose Sprint Championship.

There were plenty of suitable venues available at that time – and plenty of prize money as well. The winner of the 1983 Moffatts Quarry sprint received £1,000, quite a sum in 1983. In today’s money that would be the equivalent of around £5,000.

The loose sprint championship attracted the top names in rallying at the time and in a wide variety of cars. “The good thing about the sprint championship is that it allowed people to build cars using ingenuity instead of money,” recalls Bill.

Some of the regular competitors included Brian Kirk in a 1600 Lotus twin cam powered Davrian, Dominic McNeill in a V8 Rover powered Mark Three Escort, Ken Irwin in a Samba (who won 14 events out of 16 entered at one point), Kenny McKinstry in a variety of Escorts, Davy Francis, George Elliott, Bertie Law in a mid engined Fiesta, Denis Biggerstaff in a Mini, Lawrence Gibson,

Cargan’s Dominic McNeill in his G3 2 litre Escort Mk 3

Keith Wray from Belfast in his 1600cc Sunbeam

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Ballyclare man Mervyn Hill with his Avenger 1600cc

SPRINTS

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Richard Parsons in his single seater

Richard Douglas, Ronnie White in a BDA Fiesta, Jackie Harris in a Metro, Alan Jardine, Norman Armstrong, as well as Fred and Noble Patterson in a 4WD Escort that had an automatic gearbox from a Capri, while Ian Rock had a 2 litre twin cam that used an Alfa gearbox.

Robert McGimpsey was also a regular winner in a wide range of cars including a supercharged NSU Prinz, a mark one Escort and a 2.3 Chevette. Bill himself competed in a Rover 3500 V8 SD1 with a limited slip diff in the back!

The venues were spread across Northern Ireland and included Moffatts Quarry, Ligoniel Quarry, Carson’s Quarry Belcoo, Tandragee Quarry, Newtownhamilton Quarry, Agnews Quarry in Randalstown, Clinty Quarry in Ballymena, Miskelly’s Quarry Ballygowan, the salt quarry near Carrickfergus, Mullans in Limavady and Clarks in Lisnaskea.

The loose sprint championship flourished for several years. “The crack used to be great at them,” recalls Bill.

“It was a great day out at one venue.

When you weren’t driving you could sit on a bank with all the other drivers and have a good laugh winding each other up.”

By 1986 the rally organisers and insurers had sorted out their problems and were back in action again and in fact it was insurance that saw the decline of quarry sprints. Many of the quarries, by their very nature, had massive fresh air drops not to mention the amount of dangerous quarry equipment and machinery that spectators used to climb up on. Public liability insurance was

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proving very hard to get.

Bill, along with friend and fellow competitor Willie Singleton decided to re-introduce the Northern Ireland Rally Championship and the all forest Adair – Singleton NI Special Stage Championship was launched in 1986. The season kicked off with the Conecrusher Rally which started in Ballymena on a Friday night and went through the likes of Cam, Springwell and Slieveanorra forests on a usually cold February night. The event was often a rally of attrition and crews were glad to see an Ulster fry on the Saturday morning. The rest of the series was mainly one day events like the Bushwhacker and Lakeland Stages as well as the Tour of the Sperrins and the season finale was traditionally Mid Antrim Motor Club’s Townparks Rally. Kenny McKinstry was the class of the field at the time and clinched the Championship on three occasions with Bill himself winning the championship in Kenny’s co-drivers seat in a G3 Escort.

The Adair Singleton special stage championship grew and grew to the extent that it attracted major sponsors like Maxol and KBB Doors and Bill resumed his sprint sponsorship. By now, loose sprints were a thing of the past and the sprint championship was a race track based series with events at Nutts Corner and Kirkistown as well as the occasional visit to the likes of Ballymena Showgrounds, St Angelo airfield and Bishopscourt.

The Adair Tyres Sprint series attracted the top names in some serious machinery. Norman and Andy Kittle competed in first a Formula Vauxhall

Terry Lindsay from Lisburn in his Dingos Hilman Imp

Charlie Irwin in his 1600cc Sunbeam

37

SPRINTS

Ballymena’s George Robinson and his 2 litre Starlet

Lotus and then a Pilbeam, Robert Morgan had a 911 and then a bi-turbo Metro 6R4 and Jackie Harris won several titles in his Ralt RT1. Kenny Colbert scored many victories in his rear wheel drive Peugeot 205 while George Crozier had a space frame Metro. Malcolm and Ronald Montgomery of Montgomery Motorsport were regular competitors in their Clan, while Jenny Kennedy lifted many titles including the Irish Hillclimb Championship in her Crosslé FF2000. Ian Johnson was another regular in his sprint Chevette HSR and Ian Rock used his rear wheel drive Cosworth powered Fiesta to great effect. Fred Crawford drove a number of very rapid mark twos with much success. Robert McGimpsey tackled the sprint series in a turbocharged Crosslé, earning him the nickname of

‘Turbo Sam.’ Dessie McCartney also competed in a variety of cars and single seaters while the Woodside family once claimed the first five places in a sprint with the names Robert, Ian, Simon, Mark and Suzanne Woodside filling the results sheet! Bill again competed in his own championship, building the first ever Westfield Seven in Ireland and at one stage Bill held every hillclimb class record in Ireland! Bill still owns the Westfield and has now fitted a BMW M5 3.8 litre six cylinder engine into it... the unit is such a snug fit that the engine, gearbox and diff are bolted directly onto each other without the need for a propshaft.

Bill hopes to have the car out soon, to continue on with his thirty years of sprint sponsorship while also competing himself.

Ballymena’s Ian Rock 1600cc Fiesta RWD

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HENDERSON AUTOSPORT & SPARES

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Minilites now available from HASS K

en Henderson of Henderson Auto Sport and Spares is well known for his rally preparation and support services for Mk I and Mk II Ford Escorts.

Keeping a wide range of mechanical components and body panels in stock, he has just expanded his supply lines with new additions. Top of the agenda is a full range of 13-inch and 15-inch Minilite wheels, stocked exclusively for the Escort and available to order for most other makes. Now manufactured

by Revolution, their full range is also available to order.

Standard panels and aluminium extension arches have always been available, but now HASS has added a full floorpan/transmission tunnel panel, contributing to the accuracy of any

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comprehensive rebuild as well as at least halving the time required when fitting individual half-floor panels.

On the mechanical side, HASS now stocks Sadev 6-speed sequential gearboxes for which they are the main all-Ireland dealership. Also available off the shelf are AVO suspension systems for the Mk Is and Mk IIs, while kits for other cars can be ordered.

For those who cannot visit his Raphoe workshops and stores in Donegal, the full range of parts can be accessed online at www.hass.ie and ordered on info@hass.ie or by phone on landline 00353 7491 44444 or mobile 00353 872707257. Communication can also be maintained on Facebook – hendersonautosparesandparts.

TITLE

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The LION Roars Again! n Loeb gets set for Pikes Peak n New 208GTi road test n 205GTi to 208GTi - the heritage

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ROAD TEST

40 ROAD TEST PEUGEOT 208GTi

208GTi

Big on the smile factor!

“Now the new 208 range has its first GTi model. Interestingly, this car is again powered by a 1.6 engine, but this state-of-the-art turbocharged unit now develops a whopping 200bhp and reaches 62mph in 6.8 seconds.�

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41

ROAD TEST

T

hirty years ago, when Peugeot launched the first 1.6 205GTi it marked a turning point in the French manufacturers fortunes. At the time, Peugeot was not noted for its performance cars, but the first 205GTi which initially produced 105bhp from a 1580cc engine soon became an icon in motoring history. The range developed and the power output was soon upgraded to 115bhp before the 1.9GTi came along. By this stage, Peugeot was building its very successful Group B 205T16 rally car and Ari Vatanen and Bangor’s Terry Harryman gave the car its first victory.

Since then, the Peugeot GTi range has continuously developed through the 206 and 207 models. Now the new 208 range has its first GTi model.

Interestingly, this car is again powered by a 1.6 engine, but this state-of-theart turbocharged unit now develops a whopping 200bhp and reaches 62mph in 6.8 seconds.

The 1.6-litre THP 200bhp engine features a reworked exhaust system coupled to a six speed close-ratio gearbo.

The engine draws the full potential from this chassis, throughout the rev range.

With its maximum torque of 275Nm and its maximum power of 200bhp, the 208 GTi’s in-gear acceleration is equally impressive, with the 208 GTi accelerating from 50 to 75mph in less than 7.0 seconds in fifth gear. This performance benefits from the improvement achieved from the light weight of the vehicle.

Springs, calibration of the shock absorbers, anti-roll bar, enhanced front subframe and rear crossmember rigidity, as well as the suspension and wheels are all specific to this latest GTi model. Fitted with 205/45 tyres, the 17” Diamond Carbone wheels, with Storm paint and

matt varnish, house 302mm ventilated discs at the front and 249mm at the rear. The front subframe is reinforced to offer rigidity of the front suspension in line with the performance potential of its engine.

The ride height is lowered by 8mm, the tracks are wider at the front (10mm) and the rear (20mm), due to longer wishbones, and the front struts and rear torsion beam are thicker, helping deliver a great balance for ride and handling.

The 208GTi has been developed to be

driven with a smile on your face all day and every day – that’s the GTi spirit.

The 208GTi features the latestgeneration ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) which includes ASR (AntiSkid Regulation), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) and CBC (Cornering Brake Control). The ESP also includes intelligent traction control, which improves the vehicle’s dynamic ability by authorising more or less wheel slip on each of the front wheels. Fortunately for us, the

“It’s really good fun. The car is nimble, light, agile and so well balanced it’s quite amazing. The GTi just oozes of heritage and performance yet it’s elegantly packaged.”

snow had cleared for the launch in Wales, but Craig Breen had been there the week before us and had to put up with Swedish Rally amounts of snow on the Snowdonia mountain passes above Betws-y-Coed.

Breen professed himself to be very pleased with this latest street racer from Peugoet. The works driver told us: “All hot hatchbacks should be judged by how big a smile they put on your face and the 208GTi puts a big smile on mine!

“There is a faint whistle from the turbocharger when you come off the throttle, it’s really good fun. The car is nimble, light, agile and so well balanced it’s quite amazing. The GTi just oozes of heritage and performance yet it’s elegantly packaged. It’s amazing how precise it is on the road, the positive feedback from the steering, it’s so fast yet easy to drive.”

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PEUGEOT

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Peugeot prepares for

Pikes Peak

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43 the test team’s basecamp to the summit to understand why this barren mountain has become such a huge legend among cycle racing fans. The steep slope and numerous turns do not permit the slightest respite as it strikes out towards the summit. The reward is a stunning panoramic view of France’s Provence region, while the vegetation becomes much sparser and the landscape more lunar as you approach the barren peak at an altitude of 1,909 metres.

The last six kilometres – which Peugeot Sport used for the test – are simply breathtaking! It’s little wonder that ‘Le Ventoux’ is seen as one of the Tour de France’s most prestigious stages, and it comes as no surprise, either, to learn that it provided the backdrop to one of the most famous hill climb events in the pioneering days of the automobile industry. In 1902, even before the Pikes Peak Hill Climb was organised for the

first time, the most advanced vehicles of the day would compete here, and the venue is perfectly suited as the location for Peugeot Sport’s last run ahead of the showdown in North America.

After the team’s previous test work in the more secure context of several circuits, it was time at last to unleash the beast in its natural environment. “This is an important run because Pikes Peak is very different from a nice, smooth race track,” noted Sébastien Loeb. “It is vital for us to evaluate the car on a terrain that is more like what we will find in the States. This road will give us a reasonably accurate idea...”

The world champion was visibly pleased to be back in the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak car, now sporting its aggressive livery: “It’s not the power that impresses me anymore; I’ve got used to it,” he reported. “It’s the speed at which the corners leap out at you which is more striking than round a circuit where there’s always a ‘100-metre’ board to show you where to brake. Here, you can be in fifth or sixth gear and you suddenly see mountainside ahead of you; you have to work out for yourself where you need to brake...”

With a power output of 875 horsepower, this car is no ordinary beast. “The steering is still very, very responsive, so it can be a little hairy keeping your foot to the floor though the fast portions,” observed the French driver. “On wide slicks like this and at the sort of speeds I am getting up to, the slightest imperfection in the road surface really unsettles the car.” A switch to softer Michelin tyres and revised calibration for the steering helped to improve the situation.

Peugeot Sport’s Jean-Christophe Pailler, who is in charge of the project’s technical aspects, saw the open-air session as a dress rehearsal both for the team and the 208 T16 Pikes Peak car: “The mechanics and engineers need to familiarise themselves with working on the car in real-life conditions. They are getting an increasingly better grasp of how it responds to set-up changes and are analysing the tiniest detail or piece of feedback from Seb to refine its settings.

It’s a learning process for everyone...”

The visit to Mont Ventoux also provided the team with the possibility of running at altitude. “Okay, the altitude isn’t as extreme here as it is at Pikes Peak which reaches 4,301 metres, but it’s a valuable intermediate step,” added Jean-Christophe. “It allows us to see the differences in the way the engine functions, although we hope to suffer less from altitude-induced power-loss than our rivals because of the turbochargers we have chosen.”

PIKES PEAK

T

he ‘beastlike’ 208 T16 Pikes Peak got a chance at last to stretch its legs for the first time outside the confines of Peugeot Sport’s factory or a closely guarded circuit due to a recent test in the south of France. For Sébastien Loeb and the team alike, the run provided an opportunity to perform a dress rehearsal before the trip to the USA for the 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado.

Mont Ventoux in the south of France is famous as a stage of the Tour de France cycle race. It has long been one of the event’s truly classic climbs; one which ‘sorts out the men from the boys’.

“You’ve got a much bigger chance of seeing me drive to the top in a car than on a bike,” quipped the reigning world rally champion Sébastien Loeb before the test, however.

You only need to drive a couple of kilometres up the road which leads from

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PEUGEOT HISTORY

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HISTORY PEUGEOT 205GTi

205GTi

PHOTOS: TREVOR FOSTER

Where it all began...

Terry Kaby in action on the 1987 Circuit of Ireland.

Louise Aitken-Walker and Ellen Morgan produced some giant killing results in her 205GTi.

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Castlederg Peugeot dealer Robin Lyons on the 1986 Ulster Rally with Gordon Noble on the notes.

Garry Jennings in the works Peugeot 206.

PHOTO: ROY DEMPSTER

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PEUGEOT HISTORY

T

he 1.6 GTi was launched in 1984, and came with a XU5J engine, producing 105 PS. It’s potential for motorsport was immediately spotted and the 205GTi was soon a regular sight on special stages around Ireland in the hands of top competitors including Louise Aitken-Walker, Terry Kaby and Robin Lyons.

For the 1987 model year the XU5J received the cylinder head with larger valves from the 1.9 GTI’s XU5JA engine thus becoming XU5JA. The new engine was quoted for 115bhp. The 1.9 GTI came with an XU9JA engine producing 126hp, although later models with a catalytic converter produced 120hp.

Internally these engines are very similar, the main differences on 1.9-litre versions being the longer stroke, oil cooler, and some parts of the fuel injection system.

The shorter stroke 1.6-litre engine is famed for being revvy and eager, while the 1.9-litre has more torque. Outside the engine bay the main differences between the 1.6 GTi and the 1.9 GTi are half-leather seats (1.9 GTi) vs. cloth seats (1.6 GTi); and disc brakes all-round Donegal’s Shaun Gallagher in action in his Skip Brown Cars 206.

(1.9 GTi) vs. discs at the front and drum brakes at the back (1.6 GTi); as well as the 14-inch alloy wheels (1.6 GTi) vs.

15 inch alloys (1.9 GTi).

The main aesthetic difference between the GTi versions and other 205 models were the plastic wheel arches and trim, beefier front and rear bumper valances.

The shell also underwent some minor changes, including larger wheel arches (to suit the larger wheels on the GTi), and the suspension was redesigned and sat lower on the GTi with stiffer springs, different wishbones and a drop-linked anti-roll bar.

Peugeot had great success with the 205 in rallying and started the first of a series of one make Peugeot series. Louise Aitken-Walker was a Peugeot works driver for several years and Richard Hall bought one of her ex-works Group A cars to rally successfully in Ireland. Robin Lyons of Castlederg also campaigned many Peugeot rally cars while many of the top rally drivers earned their stripes driving for Peugeot with the likes of Mark Fisher, Rory Galligan and Richard Burns also producing giant killing acts in

GTi Peugeots. Sadly, none of these three drivers are no longer with us.

Other drivers noted for their success behind the wheel of a Peugeot include Garry Jennings who became a works Peugeot driver as well as Kris Meeke who started his career in 2001 driving a Peugeot. Gareth MacHale who went on to World Rally Championship success also started his career driving a 206GTi.

Kris Meeke went on to become Inter Continental Rally Champion (2010) in a 207 while he is currently working for Peugeot developing the new 208 rally car.

Irvinestown’s Gerry McGarrity is an acknowledged Peugeot expert and has set up many of the countrys rally cars, while Skip Brown Cars in Cheshire still supply many GTi rally parts.

Philip Morrow cutting his teeth on the 206 Cup.

Gareth MacHale competed in the 206 Cup before progressing onto the WRC.

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NEW ARRIVAL

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‘29’ edition 208GTi available from Hursts

A

special edition Peugeot 208GTi, one of only 29 built for the UK, is now available at Charles Hurst Peugeot, Boucher Road, Belfast.

Hurst’s car is number 10 in the series and represents an opportunity to invest in a future classic.

The 29 units for the UK mark one for each year since the original 205GTi launched in 1984. Each of the special editions will come with a higher specification over the standard 208GTi. This special edition comes with satnav and DAB digital radio. Each will be painted in pearlescent white, be fitted with 17 inch Carbon Onyx Black alloy wheels and have a Union Jack painted on the lower grille.

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47

PREVIEW LURGAN PARK RALLY

RALLYING

On the Gass in Lurgan Park

Darren Gass on his way to victory in 2011

T

he picturesque surroundings of Lurgan Park will again echo to the sound of turbochargers and anti-lag systems on Saturday 10th August when the Orchard Motorsport Lurgan Park Rally comes to town.

Reigning Irish Tarmac Champion Darren Gass has confirmed his entry and is expected to drive his Subaru Impreza WRC S11 in the Park. Darren has won this event twice before and

will be hoping to score his hattrick this year; he had to pull out of last year’s event at the last minute due to a cracked gearbox casing on his Impreza. He will face stiff opposition from Kenny McKinstry who has won this sprint event eleven times before and will be hoping to make it a dozen victories. Kenny has recently celebrated his 60th birthday but is certainly not showing any signs of slowing down!

Garry Jennings is another regular visitor to the park. In previous years he has driven Group N cars and in 2012 he drove his Forestry Championship winning Group A Impreza 555 machine to the runners-up spot, this year he will be out in his Killarney Rally of the Lakes winning S12 Impreza WRC and will definitely be aiming for victory.

In overall terms, Lurgan Park, which is supported by Craigavon Borough Council as well as Orchard Motorsport, is about more than motorsport and rally action. It provides the opportunity for a great family day out in the lovely environment of one of the most beautiful parks in Ireland. The natural amphitheatre of the park with the lake, the rolling topography and the social central paddock makes for a unique day out. As sponsor Brian Stinson, from his Armagh-based Orchard Motorsport business commented: “The Lurgan Park Rally is special. I jumped at the chance to become involved four years ago, and

I haven’t regretted a moment of that involvement.”

Regulations for the rally are now available on the website. There will once again be a centralised service paddock. Eight special stages, two stages run three times, will provide the meat of the action. The final loop of two stages in the iconic natural amphitheatre of the park is to a new design. This should add extra interest for the drivers as well as the anticipated 10,000 spectators.

The rally is organised by North Armagh Motor Club. As well as sponsorship from Orchard Motorsport, Craigavon Borough Council also fully supports the rally. The Event Director is the vastly experienced William Fullerton.

The Clerk of the Course is Barry Taggart and event secretary is Keith Somerville.

For further information Keith can be contacted at 07745 959141 or by e-mail at ksomerville@namcc.com or at www.namcc.com.

Kenny McKinstry at a mere 60 years of age will be out trying to win the event for a twelfth time

Darren with his sister Kerrie celebrate their 2011 win

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NEW ARRIVAL KIA PRO_CEE’D GT

NEW ARRIVAL

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Drives like a Pro C alendar AUGUST 2013 3 Craigantlet Hillclimb (UAC) 3 Shackleton Dogleap Stages (Maiden City MC) 3/4 Adare House Festival of Speed, Limerick 4 Banbridge Motor sport and Car Show, The Outlet 10 Orchard Motorsport Lurgan Park Rally 11 Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally 17 Garron Point Hillclimb (Mid Antrim MC) 18 Jim Walsh Cork Forestry Rally 23/24 Todds Leap Ulster International Rally, Fermanagh 31 Racing, Kirkistown (500 MRCI)

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BY PAT BURNS

Crozier in control at Superdrive

J

im Crozier has taken over the Superdrive Rally School outside Portadown.

Jim is well known in motorsport circles as he has been an instructor at the school since it opened and has competed since the 1970’s. Jim has rallied everything from Minis to Escorts to Manta GTEs and 4WD Sierra Cosworths.

He has achieved numerous class and outright event wins over the years, and is a senior BARS instructor at Superdrive.

Superdrive Motorsports Centre is home to some of

fastest outdoor karting and rally tracks in Northern Ireland, offering groups and individuals the opportunity to push their driving skills to the limit inside real rear wheel drive, Group N rally cars and super fast outdoor karts.

Superdrive Motorsports Centre is also the only rally school in Ireland offering junior rally driving experiences for young people age 13-17. No previous experience is necessary to take part in the junior driving as instructors provide all instruction necessary.

Former Champion Vatanen to appear at Paddy Hopkirk Gala

F

ormer World Rally Champion Ari Vatanen is the latest star name to appear at the Paddy Hopkirk Gala which will be held at the Titanic building on 22nd February 2014.

Vatanen won the World Rally Championship in 1981 driving a Rothmans Group 4 Escort.

Previously, Ari had been a regular visitor in Ireland competing on both the Circuit of Ireland and Donegal rallies in the late seventies and has a massive fan base here. He currently holds the position of ‘Club Patron’ to the Donegal Motor Club since 2002. Despite having no roots in Estonia, in January 2013 Vatanen was named as the first foreign president of the Estonian Autosport Union.

More details on the event are available on the website, www.PaddyHopkirkGala.com.

K

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NEW ARRIVAL

ia’s grasp on the local car market looks set to extend even further with the launch of their first sports coupé, the Pro_Cee’d GT. Powered by a 1.6 petrol turbo engine, the high specification new car produces 200bhp and drives through a six speed gearbox.

For five years Kia has been pursuing a design-led revolution which has transformed its image, public perception and sales performance. The Sportage has already featured in Northern Ireland’s top ten best seller list. While Kia are not expecting volume sales for the GT, with looks similar to that of the VW Scirocco, a seven year warranty and priced at £19,995, the Pro_Cee’d GT is certainly a strong contender in the performance market. The new GT is designed and built in Europe and has some big names on board including Recaro who supply the leather sports seats while Michelin Pilot 3 tyres are standard fit on the 18inch alloys.

Powered by a turbocharged version of the ‘Gamma’ 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine, the Pro_Cee’d GT is designed with everyday usability and civility in mind. It can accelerate from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of 143mph. One of the impressive features is the wide torque band available. The launch was held in the French Alps above Nice covering some classic Monte Carlo rally stages such as Digne les Bains and St Paul de Vence which have more than their fair share of uphill hairpins. The turn-in, handling and traction out of corners is impressive and for a turbocharged engine, the power delivery is very smooth.

The T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct injection) engine develops its 201bhp at 6,000rpm, but what really gives the GT its instantaneous response and rapid acceleration is the 265Nm of torque available without interruption from 1,750rpm to 4,500rpm. More than 80 per cent of maximum torque is available from less than 1,500rpm.

Performance benefits from the integration of the twin-scroll turbocharger into the exhaust manifold, a design which improves responsiveness – eliminating the ‘turbo lag’ – while simultaneously improving gas flow and reducing heat losses. The GT may be first and foremost a performance car, but it offers a very respectable combined fuel consumption of 38.2mpg, while CO2 emissions are 171g/km.

The GT has completely revised steering, suspension and anti roll bars which greatly improves both turn in and traction out of corners. The steering

has been tuned for a more direct and sporting feel and the Flex Steer function – which allows drivers to select from three levels of power assistance in other versions of the Pro_Cee’d – has been removed in the GT. The already sporty lines of the Pro_Cee’d have been embellished with performance-car additions which give the GT a unique look, and it is the same story for the high-quality interior. Two trim lines – ‘GT’ and ‘GT Tech’ – are being offered, both extensively equipped in typical Kia fashion.

The unique front-end treatment introduces a lower, broader bumper and air dam and a wide central lower air intake to supply additional cooling to

the turbocharged engine. This is flanked on either side by high-gloss black inserts housing the GT’s unique ‘ice-cube’ LED daytime running lamps and foglights.

From the rear, the broad stance of the Pro_Cee’d is further emphasised by a diffuser section in the lower edge of the rear bumper, separating the twin sports exhausts. The sporty side profile of the Pro_Cee’d is given even greater sense of purpose by side sill mouldings and special graphite grey ground-effect 18inch alloy wheels covering the red brake calipers front and rear.

Inside the all-black five-seat cabin are power-adjustable lumbar support Recaro seats in part leather and part suede. Kia’s three-dial instrument layout is enhanced by a TFT LCD multi-function high-definition display which allows the driver to switch between analogue-type or GT performance digital information.

The latter shows the car’s speed, engine torque, turbo boost pressure and engine coolant temperature as well as important trip information. It can display speed in miles per hour or kilometres per hour. A ‘GT’ button on the steering wheel allows the driver to change the display without taking a hand off the wheel.

Providing driver comfort and convenience are a host of standard items, including air conditioning, cruise control and speed limiter, automatic lights, cornering lights, reversing sensors, Bluetooth phone connectivity with music streaming and voice recognition, a six

speaker radio/CD player with iPod connectivity, a unique ‘GT’ TFT LCD dash binnacle display, electric windows, electrically operated and heated folding mirrors with puddle lights and privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate.

The comprehensive safety specification includes Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BAS), six airbags with a cut-off switch for the front passenger’s seat, a seat-belt reminder warning, impact-sensing door unlocking and ISOFIX child-seat mounting points.

The ‘GT Tech’ adds a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, European mapping and full UK postcode recognition, a reversing camera display integrated into the navigation screen, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, an engine start/stop button with a smart entry system, exterior door handle illumination, rain-sensing front wipers, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with an ioniser, an automatic defog system, an automatic-dimming rear-view mirror and xenon adaptive headlights with headlight washers and automatic levelling, in place of the cornering lights on the GT. The Pro_Cee’d GT, like every Kia, comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile transferable warranty.

CarSport

GROUP Peter O’Kane in Killarney

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PPP Tyre Recycling Tel: 028 2582 2066 PPP Salvage Auction Tel: 028 2582 2066 79 Gortgole Road, Portglenone, Co. Antrim BT44 8AN Tel: 028 2582 2066 Web: www.ppp-group.co.uk

Peter O’Kane in action on the Rally of the Lakes in an Evo X

T

he name PPP is a familiar sight on many rally cars throughout Ireland.

The man behind the company, Peter O’Kane has been a regular competitor and event sponsor for many years having rallied in a number of Peugeots, Hondas and more recently in an EvoX in the Killarney Rally of the Lakes. PPP also sponsored the recent Tour of the Sperrins rally and has sponsored Marty McCormack for several years.

Peter’s company Portglenone Peugeot Parts (PPP) has invested in a new tyre recycling plant that is one of the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland.

Peter started the company back in 1990 as a specialist Peugeot dismantler just outside Portglenone. Over the years PPP has expanded and now offers a tyre recycling service, End of Life Vehicle (ELV) disposal, metal recycling and is an agent for Copart online damaged repairable auctions.

The PPP Tyre Recycling division started operating in 2001 and processed used tyres, many of which were from PPP’s own dismantled vehicles. These tyres were broken down into crumbs and were used for playground and leisure surfaces as well as for ground cover in gardens to

PPP

Major expansion at PPP

51

PHOTO: ESLER CRAWFORD

Would like to wish PPP continued success...

Waste can be a significant cost to any company. RiverRidge Recycling offer an efficient and environmentally friendly commercial waste collection service which can be up to 50% less than council rates. All sizes of wheeled bins catered for. Don’t make waste management a waste of money.

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CarSport

PPP

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prevent weeds. In summer 2010 one of PPP’s tyre recycling sites suffered an arson attack and after the fire the decision was taken to centralise all tyre recycling at PPP’s eight acre site and headquarters on the Gortgole Road, just outside the picturesque town of Portglenone.

PPP Tyre Recycling offers a unique recycling and waste management service that enables waste producers from all industrial and business sectors to manage and report their waste, from collection to recovery regardless of the type, volume or location. From the new state of the art multi million pound recycling facility, PPP Tyre recycling has introduced to Ireland the latest in tyre shredding technology, allowing PPP to process waste tyres into an innovative 100% recycled line of products.

PPP’s tyre recyling is now centred on landfill engineering, a process that forms the basis of landfill waste sites.

Tyres are collected from around Ireland and brought to the PPP site where they are shredded. This shredded rubber is eventually laid on top of a plastic liner at the bottom of a rubbish tip.

The plastic liner has drains connected to it to collect any contaminated water which is collected in tanks for purification. This ensures that the local water table is not affected by any seepage. The rubbish is then dumped on top of the shredded tyres. The thick layer of shredded tyres prevent any damage to the liner and allows the water to seep away.

CarSport

With PPP managing waste tyres, motor traders, tyre fitters and garages can have peace of mind that their waste stream is fully documented from collection to disposal insuring the company fulfills its responsibility by disposing of its waste tyres at an approved and fully licensed facility. Full documentation is supplied for any consignment that PPP accepts or collects.

As well as the investment in tyre recycling, PPP is now the Northern Ireland agent for Copart. Covering around 80% of accident damaged cars in Northern Ireland, Copart is an online auction site for all categories of accident damaged cars, be it Category B (licensed breakers only), C and D (damaged repairable) and stolen/recovered cars (Category X).

PPP collects all Copart covered accident damaged cars in Northern Ireland and brings them to their site where they are cleaned, photographed and stored.

Copart operates an online auction for PPP’s vehicles every other Tuesday.

These auctions are open to both trade and public but membership of Copart is necessary beforehand. Vehicles are bought and paid for online before collection at PPP’s site.

Metal recycling is another important part of PPP’s business and the company buys in all types of scrap metal.

The combination of the tyre recycling plant and the storage of vehicles for Copart makes PPP one of the biggest and best facilities of its type in Ireland and the company has more development plans for the future including expanding its car dismantling operation.

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PHOTOFILE

A Colin McRae Focus WRC was the lead attraction Roy Brown with his award

Ford Fair at Portrush PHOTOS: WILLIAM NEILL/NEILLPICS

F

ord fans flocked to the Portrush seaside, as they do annually, to create a display of cars on the grass banks of the Dunluce Centre. The lead attraction this year was a genuine Ford Focus WRC as driven by Colin McRae, and owned by Seamus Heron. Over 300 cars formed the show organised by Lindsay Ford, many of which were Ford Escorts, be it in the shape of a Mk I, Mk II, Cosworth or van. Lisburn’s Roy Brown picked-up an award for his Ford Escort Mk I. The organisers are hopeful the tenth anniversary event next June will top all their records.

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The new transporters are more streamlined and sportier looking but also have increased security and privacy.

TRAILERTEK

Trailertek appointed Official Southern Ireland Brian James Trailers Importer E stablished just over three years ago by Clive Latimer, Trailertek has been appointed the Official Southern Ireland Importer for Brian James Trailers. The business, located just off the Banbridge Road in Lurgan, offers a complete sales, service and parts back up for the full range of Brian James commercial trailers and vehicle transporters.

The world of vehicle transporters is continually evolving with the use of new production techniques, lightweight but stronger materials and the new range of Race Transporters reflect the very best in car transportation.

“The name of Brian James Trailers is very highly respected when you mention vehicle transporters,” says Clive Latimer.

“The trailer range is well known and the public awareness of the range has grown here greatly.”

The new Race Transporter was launched at the Autosport Show in 2012 and Clive has sold a number of them already. Such is the success of his company that Brian James Trailers

approached Clive directly and asked him to set up satellite dealers around Southern Ireland. Running in conjunction with the current Trailertek set up in Lurgan Clive hopes to initially establish a dealer for each province.

Two of these, Murphy Transport in Cork (021 491 6500) covering the Munster area and Leroni Trailers in Dublin (046 905 2101) covering the Leinster area are already in place, with an opportunity currently available for an agent in the Connaught province.

The latest range of enclosed car transporters is the RT4, RT5 and RT6. There are different sizes and specifications depending on the type of vehicle and the amount of space required with this range being introduced to replace the ageing RS5 and Motor Shuttle models.

The new technology used in building the RT range means that there are lots of options available inside the transporter including a tyre rack, work station, belly lockers, daylight roofs as well as different length and width options. A tilt bed

The RT5 is one of a range of new enclosed car transporters

version of the Race Transporter with assistor ramps is also available for race cars.

The new manufacturing process means the Race Transporters are lighter than before, weighing around 1100kg unladen making it much easier to tow and park.

“The new Race Transporters are more streamlined and sportier looking with increased security and privacy.

It also means many customers no longer need a van as well as there is so much more storage space in these new models.”

As with all Brian James Trailers, the new Race Transporters come with a five year warranty and full EC type approval for competitors who travel in Europe.

Clive can be contacted on 0044 (0) 7702 400 450 or by emailing info@trailertek.net.

Clive Latimer founded Trailertek just over three years ago

CarSport

sprints and hillclimbs

56

VXR – Very Xciting Racing!

BY David Finlay

A

s the motor industry awards ceremony gradually lost its early formality and, as these things do, eased into a more comfortable state, a chap from Vauxhall engaged me in conversation and made an offer that only a sterner and more hard-hearted fellow than myself could have refused.

There was, on the one hand, the 275bhp Astra VXR hot hatch which had been launched in the summer of 2012. There was, on the other hand, the Avon Tyres/TTC Group MSA Leaders Hillclimb Championship, consisting of fourteen events at eight venues in mainland Britain. And there was, on the third hand, me. Would I, the chap from Vauxhall wanted to know, consider driving the VXR in the Championship?

I considered it. This took about half a second. Another half a second after that I had agreed to become a works Vauxhall hillclimb driver - not the first, because that was Percy Kidner way back in 1908, but certainly one of the very few.

Any hope of collecting trophies was squelched at an early stage. Vauxhall’s idea was to show that the Astra VXR could be used both as a normal car during the week and as a competition car at weekends. This meant that everything on it had to be available to the general public either as standard or as an optional extra.

In the latter category were the 20” wheels (19s are standard), various aerodynamic add-ons and satellite navigation, all of which Vauxhall insisted on, plus the metallic blue paint which we simply thought would look nice. But the engine, transmission, suspension and brakes, all of which can be modified in the Championship’s Road-Going Series Production class, had to remain unchanged because of Vauxhall’s policy.

My goal for the season is therefore not to win but to see how close a showroom-condition Astra VXR can get to much more potent machinery.

All this was agreed before Christmas 2012. But you know how things can drag on. If you’re expecting an account of pre-season testing at this point, forget it. My first drive in the car was from the paddock to the start line at Prescott, venue for the opening round of the Leaders Championship. The red light went off, the green light came on, and eight seconds later I was careering

CarSport

sideways across the grass towards a rather solid-looking earth banking.

I missed it, but this was no way to begin a motorsport campaign. It turned out to be my fault rather than the car’s.

I’d never been to Prescott before, but I’d watched a lot of video footage online, and I wondered why absolutely everyone seemed to be taking the wrong line through the Orchard lefthander. I chose what I thought was a much better line, not realising that this took me on to a bumpy and awkwardly cambered piece of tarmac which the back end of the Astra quite reasonably refused to deal with. For the rest of the event I picked the more conventional line, not without some grumpiness.

Prescott is a very twisty course and I’d thought beforehand that this would work to the Astra’s advantage. What I hadn’t realised was the full implication of the two very tight hairpins. The Astra went round them very well, and the standard Drexler limited slip differential meant there were no traction problems on the way out. Unfortunately, because it had the lowest power to weight ratio in the class, it then lost a second to the opposition accelerating out of each of them.

There were similar difficulties elsewhere, but the car partly made up for them thanks to its phenomenal braking ability and superb lateral grip.

In the circumstances, finishing sixth wasn’t bad, and if I’d been able to find another six tenths of a second I’d have leapfrogged a Porsche 911 and a 550bhp Ford Sierra Cosworth into fourth.

The next round was at Barbon in Cumbria, the shortest national Championship hillclimb in Britain. Do I have to talk about Barbon? Really?

The short story is that it rained so heavily overnight and created so much mud that transporters had to be towed INTO the paddock first thing in the morning. And it kept on raining to such an extent that I was sure the meeting would be cancelled. But we did a practice run, which showed us where the really slippery bits were, and after a very long delay we did a competition run.

Despite driving very tentatively I was third in class after this, half a second behind a modified Porsche Boxster. In hillclimbing, that can be a very large

gap, but I reckoned I’d lost more than that on at least two parts of the hill. It wouldn’t be difficult to sort that out as long as I spent a long time concentrating and visualising the final run, which I started to do. Then the organisers announced that, in order to ensure the much delayed meeting didn’t run into the evening, they were abandoning the final run!

I was infuriated - not about the Boxster driver, who of course had won fair and square, but about having been denied a second chance, and I suppose also about not having driven well enough on what turned out to be the only competition run.

Still, there wasn’t much time to dwell on this, since Round 3 took place the following day at Harewood on the other side of northern England. This time there were no modified cars to worry about, but the entry list included another 911 driven by one of the Harewood school’s instructors, who also happened to be the class record holder.

On the plus side, Harewood suited the Astra very well. Unlike at Prescott, you don’t have to keep stopping the car for a really slow corner and then accelerating away again, and you can get away with really driving on the ragged edge because, in hillclimb terms, there isn’t much to hit if you get things badly wrong. Well, a few farm buildings and things like that, but nothing serious.

The Astra enjoyed Harewood so much that it was under the existing class record right from the start. Things became interesting when light rain started falling before the first competition run. I had to switch on the wipers but hoped that there wasn’t enough moisture to affect the track, only to find, as I came round the first corner with an armful of opposite lock, that there was.

I didn’t want to lose the advantage I’d gained in practice, though, so I kept on driving as if the track was dry and dealt with the tail slides as and when they came. I couldn’t match my practice time, but it was the best run anyone in the class managed during the afternoon, and it was also - tra-la! - under the old record. The chap from Vauxhall was surprised but very pleased. I was quite chuffed myself.

After a weekend off the Championship headed off to Wiltshire

for a round at Gurston Down. Now this is an odd one. Uncharacteristically for a hillclimb, it starts with a big downward plunge, allowing you to build up more speed than seems wise for the right-left at Hollow, where a very large banking sits ready to punish the careless or foolish.

Never having competed at Gurston before I took some time to get used to this. The Astra waited patiently and, when I worked up the nerve to take Hollow as quickly as it wanted to, responded by setting the best sector times in the class through the more challenging parts of the course.

It was significantly quicker in these sections than a modified Subaru Impreza WRX on super-sticky rubber which nevertheless won the class, largely because it was more than half a second quicker than the Astra over the first 64 feet. Still, I should have been runner-up, and I would have been if only I’d made a decent job of Ashes, a slow lefthander which is by a long way the easiest corner on the course.

But I never got Ashes right, and as a result I was pushed into third by my colleague Alisdair Suttie, who has been sharing the Astra with me in the opening rounds of the Championship, and who suddenly came almost from nowhere to beat my best time by a measly 0.06 seconds.

I’m determined - and he knows it that that won’t happen again when we go back to Gurston in August for one of the ten rounds that are still to come in what is shaping up to be an exciting, sometimes infuriating but always fascinating season’s motorsport.

BMW 5 Series Twin turbo 518 now available

2014. To this end, the diesel models come with nitrogen oxide-reducing BMW BluePerformance technology as standard.

In addition to Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start-Stop function (also fitted in conjunction with the eight-speed automatic gearbox), Optimum Shift Indicator and ECO PRO mode, the suite of standard-fitted BMW EfficientDynamics technology now also includes a coasting mode (which disengages the powertrain), Proactive Driving Assistant to adjust the car’s speed ahead of a change in speed limit, and the ECO PRO Route function, which can be selected via the optional Navigation system Professional.

Meanwhile, extensive optimisation of the cars’ aerodynamics – the drag coefficient (Cd factor) of the 520d, for example, has been reduced to 0.25 – is one of the key factors in the latest advances made by the engineers in the area of efficiency.

The model range now also includes

the 520d xDrive in both saloon and Touring guises. This increases the number of models equipped with the intelligent all-wheel-drive system to seven (in the case of the 5 Series Touring) and eight (for the BMW 5 Series Saloon). Four engine variants of the new 5 Series Gran Turismo can likewise be combined with xDrive.

The top-of-the-line engine available for all members of the new BMW 5 Series model family is a new V8 unit with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology developing 450 hp. The range of power plants available for the new 5 Series now comprises four petrol and six diesel units, and also encompasses two BMW M Performance Automobiles – the M550d xDrive Saloon and Touring.

Customers opting for the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo can choose from two petrol power plants and three diesels.

Further improvements have also been made to the intelligent

NEW ARRIVAL

T

he market launch of the new BMW 5 Series model family also heralds an expansion of its engine range. For instance, the BMW 518d has been added to the line-up as a new entry-level diesel variant. Its fourcylinder diesel with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and 143 hp can be ordered for both the new 5 Series Saloon and the new 5 Series Touring. Like the 520d, the 518d records impressive average fuel economy in the EU test cycle of 62.8 mpg and CO2 emissions of 119 grams per kilometre.

Faster, more economical, cleaner: all the variants of the BMW 5 Series come with a raft of optimised details.

The result is reduced fuel consumption (in some cases significantly), yet with no drop-off in sporting ability. Indeed, some models actually offer improved performance. Plus, all the engine variants already meet the stipulations of the EU6 exhaust gas standard not due to come into force until September

57

energy management of the BMW ActiveHybrid 5. The full-hybrid Sedan now comes with a specially tweaked version of the Proactive Driving Assistant, whose talents include adapting the interplay between the combustion engine and electric motor to the route ahead.

The cars’ chassis technology – which includes a double-wishbone front axle, integral rear axle and Electric Power Steering with standard Servotronic function – has been further honed to deliver an unrivalled balance between sporting performance and ride comfort.

The 5 Series Touring and Gran Turismo come as standard with air suspension, including automatic self-levelling at the rear axle. The Driving Experience Control switch on the centre console is standard on all models. Dynamic Damper Control, M Sport suspension and the Adaptive Drive and Integral Active Steering systems unmatched by any rivals can be specified as options.

CarSport

APPRECIATION

58

One of Winston’s most memorable results was on the 1982 Circuit of Ireland when he finished ninth overall in his distinctive yellow Escort

An Appreciation: Winston Henry

BY SAMMY HAMILL

I

Photos BY FERGUS McANALLEN (WWW.RALLYRETRO.COM) & ROY DEMPSTER

t was a long walk back from the stage end to where I had been ‘permitted’ to park my car. Trudging through the forest on a dank Fermanagh Saturday afternoon.

Up the track behind me came a raucous Mk II Ford Escort in bright yellow colours. It was Winston Henry.

He stopped, we had a brief chat and then he said: “Do you want a lift?”

I looked at him sceptically but he insisted. “Come on, get in.”

And I did, climbing on top of his codriver – John Hunter I think it was – and we roared off, laughing, up towards the main road where I had left my car.

That was Winston, always ready to do anyone a favour, give them a lift, even if it was in the middle of a rally.

I was aghast when it emerged later that evening that he was under threat of exclusion for breaching the rules – three people in a rally car isn’t allowed!

But good sense prevailed and the misdemeanour was waived.

Whenever we met after that it was always the same – me with my thumb out and him shouting “Do you want a lift.”

How sad it was to hear of Winston’s untimely death following an illness.

He was a rally enthusiast through and through, a privateer who put his heart and soul, and no little money, into the sport he loved. And he was good, too, a flamboyant driver who put the tools at his disposal to the best possible use.

An Escort man to the end, he built,

prepared, modified and drove his cars himself, firstly in a Mk I but most notably BIB 8888 which he drove from the 80s through until the Circuit of Ireland and Ulster Rally of the recent past.

The Circuit was one of his favourite events and he was a regular down the years but perhaps his most famous appearance came in 1982, the year Jimmy McRae won for a third time in an Opel Ascona 400 from Russell Brookes (Vauxhall Chevette) and Henri Toivonen (Ascona).

After five tough days and 63 (yes 63!) stages, Winston, teamed with Ronan McNamee, was the highest-placed local finisher in ninth in BIB 8888, not far behind the Audi quattro of Hannu Mikkola and the ‘Black Beauty’ Ford

Winston was a regular on the Circuit of Ireland in his BIB 8888 Mark II Escort

CarSport

Escort of Ari Vatanen.

What a result to have on your CV and he was rightly proud of it.

But it was typical of him, the tougher the rally the better he performed with his gritty determination and his mechanical know-how.

Being a Co. Armagh man, Winston was a big supporter of the Loughgall Motorsport Festival which is where I last saw him, laughing and smiling and still flinging the Escort around in familiar fashion.

To his family and friends, sincere condolences. Winston was part of a great era of Irish rallying and will not be forgotten by the many people he met, competed against and helped along the way.

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Paddy Heron

APPRECIATION

Paddy in his Honda N5X at Magny Cours Mixing with the legendary Roger Clark

Paddy at one of the race tracks

An Appreciation: Paddy Heron Photos BY TOMMY mcKENNA & seamus heron

Paddy Heron’s friend and engineer, Tommy McKenna, pays tribute to the Draperstown racer and car collector...

I

knew Paddy from the early sixties.

Back then he was a keen gaelic footballer and played for his club, college and at County level. He was also interested in politics and was Chairman of Magherafelt and District Council.

Paddy also got his flying licence and had his own Piper Cub and did quite a bit of

flying, but when it came to motor sport Paddy was in his element. I got involved with him when he drove a Ford Anglia which was prepared for autocross. Paddy won the 1300cc class in the Anglia and was to represent Northern Ireland at Silverstone that year in the Players Cigarettes Autocross Championship

but he could not go. A Ford Cortina GT followed in which he successfully completed the Circuit of Ireland; back then it was a navigation event.

An MGB GT came on the scene and was used for Production Car events at Kirkistown, Bishopscourt, Mondello and Phoenix Park. This was followed

by a Brabham BT23C single seater and then a Brabham BT30. The highlight of any season was the weekend event in Phoenix Park. In 1975 in a star studded field of competitors Paddy finished in fifth place in a 50 lap race. This was quite an achievement for Paddy and the Brabham which competed against

Some of the Heron family trying Paddy’s cars for size

CarSport

APPRECIATION

60

March, Chevron and Lolas, the modern Formula Atlantic at that time.

After the single seater days Paddy went into historic racing and used a Roesch Talbot and a Lagonda Rapier.

Sprints and hillclimbs were also fitted into the racing schedule, travelling all over Northern Ireland to events such as St Angelo, Cairncastle, Craigantlet, Eagles Rock, Syonfin and Gortin Glen as well as Ingliston in Scotland and Knockalla in Donegal.

In the early nineties Paddy purchased a Honda NSX and this took him to events all over Europe, driving at circuits in Germany, Belgium, France, England, Spain and Italy. Paddy soon realised that competing in the Honda all you needed was petrol, tyres and brakes, quite a difference from some of his earlier cars.

A typical racing event could take from seven to ten days going from Larne to Stranraer, driving down through England to Dover and crossing over to Calais and on from there. Apart from being a very keen motor sport competitor Paddy had a great sense of humour and wit. Stopping at a roadside station for a snack, Paddy admired the lovely apple tart on display. At the cashiers desk he was taken aback at the price and quickly worked out that from the price of one slice of tart that the cost of the complete tart would be £30! He turned round and said: “We are in the wrong business, we should be making apple tarts!” Mind you, he never once questioned the price of a gallon of petrol.

Over the next five years Paddy went to track events around Europe, driving at places such as Croix en Ternois, Magny Cours, Circuit de Ledenon, Grand Sambec, Paul Ricard, Nogaro, Circuit de Catalunya, Circuit de Ledenon, Monza, Val de Vienne, Venturi car factory track, Circuit of Nantes, Mas du Clos, Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans, Spa in Belgium and both the Nurburgring circuits in Germany.

All these track events had notable drivers in attendance such as Roger Albert Clark, Derek Bell, Eddie Jordan and Willie Green.

In the late nineties and early 2000’s, Paddy spent more time at his restoration projects, getting some of the many vehicles he had purchased in earlier days back on the road. Some of the many cars he owned were various Rolls Royce, Jaguars, Hispano Suisse Bugatti, Alfa Romeo and the pink Cadillac from the film Pink Cadillac.

Paddy was a frequent entrant on the Gordon Bennett rally and Erne Run, he never missed a chance to take part in any motoring event and even cavalcades in his home town.

Towards the end, when Paddy was in a hospice a conversation was going on at his bedside and Kirkistown was mentioned. Paddy opened his eyes and asked what was on at Kirkistown. He was told it was Kirkistown Golf Club that was being talked about. “Golf – that game,” said Paddy and went back to sleep.

A true motoring sportsman to the bitter end. Rest in peace Paddy.

Alyn competing on the 2012 Mourne Stages with his 106GTi

Appreciation: Alyn Spiers M

On the grid at Kirkistown

Paddy also flew his own Piper airplane

CarSport

arkethill’s Alyn Spiers had a long and successful rally career driving a variety of front wheel drive cars over a thirty year period.

He started his career behind the wheel of a Mini which was used on road rallies before progressing on to the stages in a Mazda 323. This was followed by a Talbot Samba in the late eighties and he had Ian Porter co-driving for him. In the early nineties he progressed on to an Astra GTE, competing on the Irish Tarmac Championship with many class wins before progessing on to a Suzuki Swift GTI in the late nineties. In more recent times he rallied a Peugeot 106GTi. Trevor Agnew co-drove for Alyn on a number of occasions and commented: “I found out recently that Alyn Spiers had passed away having lost his battle with cancer. I was in my mid-teens when I first met Alyn over 30 years ago. I had started to navigate on local road rallies, and he was very much a part of our Markethill gang, who competed around the country on Friday nights in the early 80’s.

“He always built his own cars which were ultra reliable. Back then he had a Mini which he also used on the odd stage rally. His main focus in those early days was on night navigation events. He was very consistent and very successful, with class wins on events and in Championships. He then bought a Mazda 323, complete with it’s high revving rotary engine, before buying a Talbot Samba which he used regularly and successfully on International events. Other cars I remember were a Suzuki Swift, and latterly a Peugeot 106.

“I navigated and co-drove Alyn on a few occasions, and it was always a pleasure. He was very quiet and unassuming, but a real rally fan through and through. He regularly travelled to the Swedish Rally, and I saw him there on two or three occasions when I was competing. He has left this world far too early, and his family must be devastated. My thoughts are with them. We did have some great times all those years ago, the competition, the craic and the cheer. Those are the memories that will stay with me.”

Alyn’s 106 ran as ‘00’on the recent Mourne Stages as a tribute to Alyn with Alyn’s son Treyan driving.

61

APPRECIATION

An Appreciation: Mark Copeland

BY PAT BURNS

M

PHOTOS: JP McKAY & DESSIE McCARTNEY

ark Copeland was a regular contributor to CarSport magazine and his passion was Porsche, particularly the period in the seventies when the 911 was the car to have in Irish rallying. Mark worked in the family business, PF Copeland Ltd, metal fabricators and PFC Rainwater Systems Ltd in Mallusk but his spare time was spent researching and writing a book about Porsche rallying in Ireland. Mark had just finished writing the book and was in the process of preparing it for print when he died suddenly at his home in south Belfast on 20th May at the age of just 58.

Mark had spent the last few years interviewing his Porsche heroes about their rally careers and had spoken at length with the likes of Cathal Curley, Dessie McCartney, Reggie McSpadden, Brian Nelson, Ken Shields and Jack Tordoff. Despite not yet being printed, the book has already attracted much interest not just from Ireland, but also the UK and Germany. He was deeply knowledgeable about the complete history of Porsche cars as well as the Porsche family and had been asked by the Northern Ireland Porsche Owners Club to give a talk on the history of the marque.

In between times he wrote articles for both CarSport and Porsche Post, mainly covering the cars and drivers of the seventies. Mark was one of a small number of writers who attended the world celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 2.7 Carrera RS in Stuttgart last September where he was invited to drive Porsche’s own museum car at the Bosch test track. He was also a regular visitor to the Essen Motor Show and was a friend of the legendary Walter Röhrl whom he met quite often at Porsche events in Germany. Mark had just completed his photos and report on this year’s Essen Show for CarSport before his untimely passing.

At a previous Essen show Mark had got talking to a distinguished English gentleman who happened to know the whereabouts of one of the Rothmans Porsches. Mark was straight on the phone to his friend car dealer John Mulholland and this meeting triggered a search around the globe to find an original Rothmans Porsche 911SC RS. When John Mulholland got married 25 years ago he had been working for the Agnew Group at the time and Reggie McSpadden had lent John an ex-Bernard Beguin Rothmans car for his wedding day. A few weeks after the meeting at Essen, a Rothmans Porsche was on its way to Randalstown where it is currently undergoing a complete rebuild. Mark had hoped that both the Rothmans 911 and his book would be ready for a launch evening later this year.

Paying tribute to his friend, John Mulholland described Mark as ‘a true gentleman, both a good talker and a good listener. You could go to Mark if you had any kind of problem knowing he would offer good advice and do anything he could to solve it. His death is a terrible loss to his family and the motor sport community.”

Mark was also a great friend and admirer of Cathal Curley. Cathal commented: “On hearing the news I was absolutely devastated. I had been working with him in conjunction with the book on the 911, especially on their success in competition in the early to mid seventies and in particular my pleasure in having achieved eight international wins.

“My total and sincere sympathies to Rosemary and his daughters, my heart goes out to them and I look forward to maintaining my relationship with the Copelands in the future.”

Dessie McCartney said of Mark: “He always had that very welcoming smile and was always ready for a chat and a cup of coffee. I first came to know him about ten years ago when he rang me

up to talk Porsche cars and rallying in Ireland. He was a mine of information about Porsche 911s.

Many times when he called in to our home he would stay for hours and talk Porsche and Irish rallying and quote many rally results.

“He had so much information and he had the results for everyone who rallied 911s in the 70s He would quote RJ (Ronnie), CB, Brian Nelson, Derek Boyd and many more off the top of his head, who won what and when! I for one will miss our many chats and discussions. I was so sorry to hear the sad news of his passing. He was a good guy and will be sorely missed.”

Mark owned a number of 911 Porsches over the years and was currently building a 1973 2.7 Carrera RS replica to be finished in white and blue.

He also previously held a helicopter pilot’s licence and was a close friend of Harold Hassard.

Harold commented: “Mark’s untimely death was a shock to his family, many friends and colleagues and I extend my sincere sympathy to Rosemary, Rachel, Claire and his family circle.

I was privileged to enjoy 39 years of friendship with Mark and have many happy memories of our visits together

to aviation and car shows including Goodwood 2012. He was a man of integrity – humorous and knowledgeable – a great friend and will be sorely missed.

His book will be published and dedicated to his memory”.

Through his company he had manufactured a number of statues around Northern Ireland including the “Beacon of Hope” and the new statue of Harry Ferguson at Hillsborough.

Mark had a wonderful selfdeprecating sense of humour, often describing himself as the company ‘office boy and dogsbody’ when he was in fact the managing director and was responsible for the company’s success not just in Northern Ireland but throughout the UK. Writing in CarSport in April 2012 in an interview with Jack Tordoff, Mark wrote, “For a man who has won countless rallies, taken the JCT600 Motor Group to the height of the motor retailing premier league and received an OBE, he remains today the same grounded Yorkshireman that mixed happily with the Irish rally fans almost 40 years ago. I know – I was that fan.”

To his wife Rosemary and daughters Rachel and Claire, everyone at CarSport extends their sincerest condolences.

CarSport

ESSEN TECHNO CLASSICA 2013

EXHIBITION

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A restoration project from Porsche Classic workshops.

Essen Classic Show

BY MARK COPELAND PHOTOS: PJ McKAY

M

ost people with an interest in cars would likely stop on a street if they came upon a car they liked, and would take time to have a good look around it. So imagine what it’s like when you enter any of the twelve halls at the Techno Classic exhibition of classic cars in Essen, Germany. A kid in a candy store is the phrase that comes to mind. You just don’t know where to begin. Now in its 25th year this exhibition just goes from strength to strength and the business of classic cars gets more and more serious. This is not just an exhibition in which to view

the best of classic cars but provides the opportunity to acquire the car of your dreams. Buying and selling in this market is not for the faint hearted as the stakes are very high and any misjudgment could easily run you in to a six figure sum.

However the serious business is usually done on the two opening days of this five day event with the rest of the time is for the dreamers and tyre kickers.

The difference in pricing of these classic gems between Ireland/UK and mainland Europe is becoming more pronounced. The euro price tags are just huge and obviously the left hand

market place is much bigger and can attract a wider, more affluent customer base. For example, an F series Porsche Carrera from the late eighties, in perfect condition, could expect to reach £25,000-£26,000 in the UK but a similar car in Germany would be selling in the region of €50,000. The cars are largely sold from Germany dealers who cover Austria and Switzerland almost as an extension of the home market but generally the cars are sold all over the world. With bank rates for depositors being so low at present, it is clear that the investor and speculator has moved

back in to the classic car market. One dealer spoke of a number of cars being bought by Chinese customers but at present China doesn’t permit the importation of classic cars but that does not stop the Chinese customer spending his new found wealth. Cars are bought and stored off shore in the hope that one day the law will be changed and the cars can be brought home.

Porsche was celebrating fifty years of the 911 and as usual had a great display of cars with some exhibited as a work in progress from the Classic restoration department. Just about anything “air

There is no excuse for not bringing home at least one car.

This 1973 Dino attracted a lot of attention.

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63

A rare collection Carrera RSs’of 964.

EXHIBITION

A “barn find” may not always be a bargain such as this 1974 Aston Martin DBS.

“Its impossible to gaze upon a Silver Birch DB5 and not have the memorable James Bond theme play in your mind with visions of 007 driving down the Furka Pass.” cooled” from Porsche has entered the classic stage. I spoke to a Swiss doctor who just had his mother’s 1972 911S completely restored by Porsche. The car was acquired new by his family and he recalled being driven in the car as a boy and always loved its classic styling. It had become a family heirloom and his investment will be passed to the next generation. When asked how much the restoration project cost, he passed on that, and said he chose not to think about the cost but preferred to just enjoy the car. The expected cost can be in the region of €200,000! Having noted that, it’s not a dangerous investment as the pre-1973 Porsche 911S is becoming very desirable now that the Carrera 2.7 RS has become totally unaffordable to most.

Today is a big change from the days when you could exchange your Porsche on a yearly basis for very little.

One dealer advised that owners of the current Porsche 991 could be faced with a drop in value of 30% plus in the first year of ownership.

It’s no surprise that Mercedes Benz would feature strongly at this show.

For those who know the Kings Hall in Belfast, the floor space of the Mercedes stand would equal that entire hall. The display budget must run in to millions with grand hospitality and cars from all decades in just perfect condition.

Mercedes have, for years, prided themselves as motor manufacturers with products that can sustain for a long time and again this is evidenced by the beautiful cars on show. They also operate a restoration workshop for bringing your old Mercedes back to its full former glory.

Another birthday boy is the Aston Martin DB5, again celebrating 50 years.

The demand for these cars is staggering and the prices have followed in an upward motion to match. Depending on who you talk to, production of the DB5 is only 1,000 -1,100 cars including left and right hand drive models. Quite a number of the right hand drive cars

have been converted to left hand drive to service the demand in mainland Europe. The cars on display were true works of art and whilst they may not be the most pleasing car to drive they are simply beautiful to look at. It’s impossible to gaze upon a Silver Birch DB5 and not have the memorable James Bond theme play in your mind with visions of 007 driving down the Furka Pass in Switzerland. However the true DB5 fans generally avoid the silver cars as they wish to be distinguished from the novo rich and their attempts to look like James Bond.

A dealer was showing a “barn find” 1974 Aston Martin DBS. Up until recent times these cars would not have been considered desirable but as with an incoming tide, all boats rise and this old car is now in demand. It reminded me of a similar car owned by an elderly Belfast business man back in 1974.

He had owned a DB5 and needed an upgrade to get him to Waterville Golf Club in County Kerry, much quicker. The DBS used to sit in a Belfast back street during the week and at weekends it was the race to Kerry. That was just before national speed limits were introduced and there were tales of the old gent touching 130mph on his trip south. I am glad I only heard of it and never had the experience! It was some years later I came upon the car, still owned by the same gent, in a much used and abused state. Amongst the many scrapes and dents was a line of duct tape around the sunroof seal to prevent ingression of water. He obviously saved his emotions for golf and the Aston Martin was only a means to an end.

Displays are not limited to road cars but there is an increasing number of rally and sports cars to be seen. Cars of a rare or “one off” construction are brought out of hibernation to give the public a chance to gaze upon. There is truly something for everyone including a vast selection of models, booksellers and the car parts.

The works Peugeot of Michele Mouton and Ulster’s Terry Harryman.

The Carrera 2.7 RS continues to be the star of the show.

Ari Vatanen’s classic MK 2 Escort – STW 202R.

CarSport

RACING

64

Kirkistown Big 60 a hit WORDS & PHOTOS: IAN LYNAS

Classics brought the memories flooding back

K

irkistown burst into carnival mode as the 500 MRCI organised a bumper race meeting to celebrate its 60th birthday. One of the largest crowds for many years turned out at the County Down venue and the Red Arrows delivered a flypast reuniting the RAF with the former airfield.

There wasn’t only a variety of racing cars from the past and present but a number of drivers who have featured down the years turned up to join in the celebrations.

Two Classic races with the bulk of the entry coming from Australia, New Zealand and the UK reminded everyone of earlier racing times at Kirkistown.

Martin Bullock from Western Australia with his F2 Chevron took the honours in both Classic races pursued by top local Paul McMorran, the new owner of Crosslé, in a 22F F2 car. Both races saw Lance Carwardine complete the podium positions albeit a lap down in his Brabham.

Formula Fords did not disappoint with two entertaining and incident packed races with Ivor McCullough missing the podium in both, a very unusual occurrence. He suffered a retirement in the opening encounter and recovered to just nip inside the top ten in the second.

Race one went to Stephen Daly who came under the close attention of Kevin O’Hara and Noel Robinson.

Race two saw Jonny McMullan seize

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his opportunity late on and kept Adrian Pollock and Niall Murray at bay to score.

In Formula Libre the centre of attraction was the appearance of James Hagan in the ex-Amon F1 Ensign, fresh from a race victory at Dijon in France.

Outright circuit lap record holder Philip Shields set the pace in qualifying with his GP2 car, but failed to finish in both races.

Single seaters were somewhat outgunned in race one and almost in race two by Eamon Matheson as he powered his ES sportscar to victory ahead of Hagan.

Race two and it was Matheson who slowed in the closing laps in a race which was something of a Formula Renault benefit with Martin Daly winning from Cian Carey and Formula Ford regular Noel Robinson guest driving.

Back at his home circuit and first time out in a GT car was former Formula Ford Champion Wayne Boyd and he proved to be the man to beat in both.

In race one and Philip Shields briefly led with his SEAT Supercopa, but was quickly reeled in by Boyd. An even smaller line-up for race two saw another high speed demo courtesy of Boyd.

James Turkington maintained his unbroken run in Ford Fiestas with an easier win than usual and in the two Sportscar races, made up entirely by the Mondello-based Strykers, with Alan Watkins taking the spoils in both.

Former F2 driver Brian Cullen returned to compete James Hagan in his ex-Amon F1 Ensign was the centre of attention in Formula Libre

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Darwin Smith in the Smith Ford

RACING Jonny McMullan powers past Sean Doyle to score a popular win in Formula Ford

Words of wisdom from Arnie Black for Ryan Templeton

Wayne Boyd back to his home circuit and two race wins

Starters Fel McIlroy and Trevor McIlroy

RESULTS: FORMULA FORD 1600 RACE 1 (12 laps) 1. Stephen Daly (Ray GR11) 12m 37.77s; 86.20mph 2. Kevin O’Hara (Van Diemen RF01) 3. Noel Robinson (Van Diemen JL012)

FORMULA FORD 1600 RACE 2 (12 laps) 1. Jonny McMullan (Mondiale M89S) 13m 09.20s; 82.76mph 2. Adrian Pollock (Van Diemen DP08) 3. Niall Murray (Van Diemen RF99)

FORMULA LIBRE RACE 1 (6 laps) 1. Eamonn Matheson (E5 Hayabusa) 5m 45.59s; 94.50mph 2. James Hagan (Ensign) 3. Stanley Watson (Lola F3000)

FORMULA LIBRE RACE 2 (12 laps) 1. Martin Daly (Tatuus F Renault) 13m 09.89s; 82.69mph 2. Cian Carey (Tatuus F Renault) 3. Noel Robinson (Tatuus F Renault)

STRYKER RACE 1 (11 laps) 1. Alan Watkins 12m 15.58s; 81.40mph 2. Alan Auerbach 3. Des Bruton

STRYKER RACE 2 (9 laps)

The Red Arrows joined the celebrations

1. Alan Watkins 11m 05.69s; 73.59mph 2. Alan Auerbach 3. Dave Griffin

CarSport

PIT TALK

??

Vettel wins in Canada as tyre troubles hit F1

BY MAURICE HAMILTON

S

ebastian Vettel had never won in Canada before. On 9 June 2013, he crossed that one from a diminishing list. And, as ever, he did it in style, crushing the opposition from the moment he took off from pole position.

After just five laps, the Red Bull was 4.6 seconds clear of fellow front row starter, Lewis Hamilton. Given Mercedes’ tyre problems in recent races (except, of course, Monaco – see below), that might have been expected. But, in truth, the absence of really quick corners on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve helped Mercedes out of their current dilemma – added to which, Vettel was simply in a league of his own.

The only thing likely to impede the German’s progress would be a wrong call on tyres and strategy. This was a concern for every team after two days of practice and qualifying run in dank and dispiriting conditions. It meant the 22 drivers went to the grid with very little information on how the Supersoft and the harder Medium tyre would last. The only thing certain was that both tyres would run quite a distance on this comparatively smooth but bumpy surface.

Pre-race intelligence said a three-stop

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strategy would be six seconds faster but no one wanted to entertain that because of the risk of becoming involved in traffic. Two stops were favoured; one would be even better – but would anyone take that chance?

Paul di Resta would. It was worth the gamble because a tactical error by Force India had seen the engineers working on a gearbox glitch at the only moment during first qualifying when the track was actually at its quickest. A furious di Resta started from 17th but an excellent drive would carry him into the points and all the way to lap 56 (of 70) before making his stop without losing seventh place.

Meanwhile, at the front, Vettel and Red Bull had the luxury of stopping twice, their only worry being when the World Champion ran wide at Turn 1 and, later, brushed a wall at Turn 4.

Otherwise, he was flawless and fast.

Hamilton did well to hang on to second place until lap 63 when relentless pressure from Fernando Alonso finally paid off after a tense fight between these two. By then, of course, Vettel was 19 seconds up the road and had lapped everyone bar the top five.

“A fundamental problem is that Lotus and, to a lesser degree, Ferrari have made the 2013 tyres work. Red Bull and Mercedes have not. Red Bull have been loud in protest.”

Among those suffering the ignominy of standing aside for the blue car was Kimi Räikkönen, who would finish ninth after losing the place to Felipe Massa’s Ferrari coming through from 16th on the grid (he crashed out in Qualifying).

Lotus claimed this track did not suit Räikkönen’s car but at least the result gave Kimi his 24th consecutive points finish to equal Michael Schumacher’s record.

If Jean-Eric Vergne scored a welcome and well-earned sixth place for Toro Rosso, the most disappointed teams were McLaren and Williams, neither scoring points. The story of qualifying had been a stunning third place for Valtteri Bottas as the Finn, on his first visit to Montreal, made the most of the tricky conditions with an inspired lap.

Come the race, the dry track exposed the weakness of the Williams as Bottas quickly went backwards in such competitive company.

That, perhaps, was expected. The McLaren garage, on the other hand, was a subdued place as the team’s all-time record points streak of 64 Grands Prix came to an end. The McLaren-Mercedes was simply not quick enough. And just to rub salt in the wound, the record run ended on the 45th anniversary of Bruce McLaren taking the team’s first win at Spa on 9 June 1968.

For Vettel and Red Bull, on the other hand, 9 June 2013 is a date they will want to remember.

Pirelli, meanwhile, could not be blamed for wishing to wipe 2013 in its entirety from the memory following a

Sebastien Vettel finally achieved his first victory in Montreal.

Alonso and Hamilton completed the podium positions.

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PIT TALK

then, there have been more complaints about the need, among some teams, to stop four times in Spain.

Pirelli suggested readjusting their rubber, possibly going back to the specification used in 2012. A simple solution? Think again. This is F1 we’re talking about, with the accompanying paranoia, suspicion and massive pressure to win.

A fundamental problem is that Lotus and, to a lesser degree, Ferrari have made the 2013 tyres work. Red Bull and Mercedes have not. Red Bull, as reigning champions, have been loud in protest while Lotus have pointed out that you can’t change tyre specifications midseason at the drop of an energy drinks can.

The FIA responded that change is permitted if safety is the reason; a claim backed by more than one instance of a 2013 rear tyre shedding its tread.

While that does not look good on television, the counter argument says that it’s actually safer because the driver major row over a so-called ‘secret’ tyre test with Mercedes following the Spanish Grand Prix. As I write this column, Pirelli and Mercedes have been called before the FIA to explain their actions. I won’t try and second-guess the reason behind this until we know the outcome of the tribunal, except to say that Pirelli were pretty desperate to have their tyres testing following some poor but illconsidered publicity.

The irony for Pirelli is that, despite being the sole tyre supplier for F1, it appears that the Italian tyre company can only lose. I’m not talking about the usual generalisation in which a sole supplier is taken for granted and only gets mentioned if there is a tyre failure or a problem that costs a driver victory and he doesn’t mind acquainting the world at large with his grievance.

I’m talking about Pirelli doing what was asked; namely, making their tyres less durable in order to prompt vagaries in performance and the spicing of races with pit stops. The trouble is, Pirelli have got their sums wrong on occasion and gone too far. We had the disastrous Chinese Grand Prix in April, when tyre wear totally dictated the race pace. Since

can still drive on the tyre while getting back to the pits whereas, with previous specifications, the tyre would have punctured and/or collapsed with the obvious perilous consequences.

When Red Bull team principal Christian Horner criticised these tread failures, Pirelli’s spokesman, an increasingly exasperated Paul Hembery, said Horner didn’t know what he was talking about because the trouble had been caused by track debris and had nothing to do with the integrity of the tyre.

Things were becoming fraught – but this was to be a mere ripple on the pond compared to the storm breaking over the Monaco harbour. Word spread like wild fire that Mercedes had been involved in that ‘secret’ Pirelli tyre test that no one seemed to know anything about. When I remind you that circuit testing is forbidden during the season and strictly controlled outside the racing calendar, you can imagine an outrage which would be exacerbated when Mercedes, previously engaged in a Tyres have been the main talking point of the season so far, with several teams complaining over a ‘secret’ tyre test involving Mercedes.

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68

PIT TALK

Nico Rosberg took victory in Monaco 30 years after his father Keke triumphed at the same event.

FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 australia (aus)

17 March

driver...

KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN team... LOTUS-RENAULT

MALAYSIA (MYS)

24 march

driver...

SEBASTIAN VETTEL team... RED BULL RENAULT

CHINA (cHn)

14 April

driver...

FERNANDO ALONSO team... FERRARI

BAHRAIN (BhR)

21 April

driver...

SEBASTIAN VETTEL team... RED BULL RENAULT

SPAIN (Esp) driver...

12 May

FERNANDO ALONSO team... FERRARI

Monaco (MCO) driver...

26 May

NICO ROSBERG team... MERCEDES

desperate struggle to make their tyres last, should then go and lead every lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Let’s cover that last point straight away. Monaco is like nothing else in the 19-race season. Nico Rosberg was on pole (as he had been for the previous two races) but the difficulty of overtaking at Monaco meant he could look after his tyres without losing the lead, coupled with handily timed Safety Cars and then a Red Flag making tyre changes tactically safe. Nonetheless, the sight of the silver car crossing the line first did nothing to pacify the disgruntled opposition.

Once the race was over, Mercedes and Pirelli were called before the FIA to explain the test which the FIA had sanctioned (because of Pirelli’s tyre problems) on the understanding that the other ten teams agreed. The other ten teams claimed to have been in the dark and were further incensed when it was revealed that Mercedes had used their current car.

Pirelli say the rubber being tested was for 2014 and Mercedes received absolutely no technical advantage.

Pirelli also pointed out that the choice of chassis was between Mercedes and the FIA. And then we heard that in the weeks preceding the Spanish GP, Ferrari had also ‘helped out’ Pirelli with a test – but used the more acceptable option of a 2011 car.

When Pirelli called a press conference on 31 May to defend themselves, there was a thought that the tyre company was about to announce they’d had enough and were leaving F1 on its rims for 2014. Frankly, I wouldn’t blame them if they had.

Meanwhile, back on the track...

This had been a typical Monaco Grand Prix. As chaos reigned throughout the field, Rosberg drove with supreme serenity and authority at the front. The Mercedes driver led every single lap and, to round off a superb victory, Rosberg did it 30 years almost to the day after his father Keke won the same race for Williams.

When Rosberg took his third pole position in succession, there was the possibility this time that the tyre disasters

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“As chaos reigned throughout the field, Rosberg drove with supreme serenity and authority at the front. The Mercedes driver led every single lap.” in Spain and Bahrain might not be repeated. Monaco is a very different proposition on the tyre front to either Sakhir or Barcelona.

Saying that, while the street surfaces of Monte Carlo are unlike any other F1 track from a tyre point of view, they present a unique series of challenges that could prevent Rosberg from scoring his second GP career win.

Having held off Lewis Hamilton into the first corner, Rosberg left his Mercedes team-mate to deal with Vettel as the Red Bull driver immediately attempted to make up for a mistake during qualifying that, Vettel felt, had denied him pole.

But this was Monaco. Vettel, try as he might, could not find a way through.

The overriding strategy seemed to be making the tyres last. Computers showed that the fastest race would be run by stopping three times but no one in their right mind wished to risk getting stuck in traffic on a circuit where overtaking is extremely difficult.

By running between two and three seconds slower than back-markers who had stopped for fresh tyres, the leaders showed a one-stop strategy was the aim.

Failing that, tactics might be changed by the intervention of a Safety Car. And the chances of that were high on the narrow streets.

Sure enough, on lap 30 Felipe Massa had an identical accident to one during practice as he dumped his Ferrari into the barrier at Ste Devote. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber, third and fourth, had just stopped for tyres but the Mercedes pair came in immediately. Rosberg retained his lead. Hamilton, who was slow to arrive in the pit box, immediately lost two places to the Red Bulls – and he wasn’t happy about it.

The worry about making these tyres last for the remaining 48 laps would be answered not long after half distance

when a collision between Max Chilton’s Marussia and Pastor Maldonado sent the Williams into the wall at Tabac, spraying the crush-proof barriers all over the road.

There was no alternative but to stop the race. Happily for the leaders, the rules allowed tyre changing while waiting on the grid.

Now Rosberg had to deal with a restart – which he did with ease, keeping the Red Bulls at arm’s length as the pace picked up noticeably. Indeed, drivers were into attacking mode, sometimes with disastrous results.

Sergio Perez was the most ‘active’ as he became involved in a number of incidents, mainly at the Harbour Chicane. Just before the Red Flag, Perez had got alongside Fernando Alonso as they fought for sixth place. The Ferrari, running wide to stay ahead, was forced by officials to eventually concede the place, a move which seemed to demotivate Alonso who was to finish an uncharacteristically lacklustre seventh.

That might have been even lower had Perez not collided with Kimi Räikkönen (yes, at the chicane!) and punctured a rear tyre on the Lotus (Räikkönen making a storming recovery on fresh tyres to claim a point for 10th on the last lap). Meanwhile, the damage to Perez’s McLaren was enough to lead to his retirement from fifth place.

Rosberg was untroubled by such disorderly behaviour as he scored a popular and well-deserved win. Vettel was happy with second, particularly as he extended his championship lead on a day when his closest title rivals, Räikkönen, Alonso and Hamilton, had succumbed to the usual vagaries of this extraordinary Grand Prix.

Job done, Rosberg, who has lived most of his life in the Principality, was off to join his proud dad at a beach party.

Only in Monte Carlo.

canada (can) driver...

9 June

SEBASTIAN VETTEL team... RED BULL RENAULT

GREAT BRITAIN (gbr)

driver...

30 June

NICO ROSBERG team... MERCEDES

germany (dEU) driver...

7 July

team...

hungary (hun) driver...

28 July

team...

belgium (bel) driver...

25 August

team...

italy (ita) driver...

8 September

team...

singapore (sgp) driver...

22 September

team...

South korea (KoR) driver...

6 october

team...

JAPAN (jpn)

driver...

13 October

team...

INDIA (IND) driver...

27 october

team...

ABU DHABI (uAE) driver...

3 November

team...

UNITED STATES (uSA) 17 November driver... team...

brazil (bRa) driver... team...

24 November

Racing on a budget... it can be done!

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RACING

Richard Livingston, at the age of 39 and a half decided to join the budget Fiesta Zetec race series for his 40th... Here he gives us a breakdown of the costs involved in racing for fun on a budget... Life begins at 40!

W

hilst my 40th birthday approached, my wife suggested that her and the boys would get me an old car to restore to its former glory. I had just stopped smoking and had saved over £500 in the first two months. I suggested a 1996 Ford Fiesta Zetec for racing, and got the nod to get started in my quest to be on the track for the most recent meeting at Kirkistown at the end of May. I have always enjoyed racing but could never afford it, until via facebook, I discovered a couple of friends were racing in the Kirkistown Ford Fiesta Zetec Cup, and I had seen something that caught my attention and it looked like lots of fun on a budget.

With about 15 cars already registered in the KFFZC I thought it would be fun to join and have plenty of competition, so now I had to get geared up, and this when things didn’t look quite so affordable!

Costs involved in preparing for a race debut 1996 Ford Fiesta Zetec with Roll Cage: Seat, Harness, Fire Extingusiher etc: MSA introductory pack: Medical: MSA Licence test: MSA Licence Fee: Race suit: Helmet: Race Boots: Decals: Tyres: Total:

£1,100 £500 £64 £60 £295 £58 £255 £115 £30 £250 £450 £3,177

Before paint

Fiesta starting off

Richard’s diary of events 26 February 13: Hypnotised to stop smoking.

30 April 13: Medical – passed fit to race.

2 May 13: MSA licence practical and exam – passed fit to race.

11 May: Turned 40.

24 May: First practice session.

25 May: First race day – panic stations!

Having witnessed Jamesy Hagan’s fairly big accident at Bishopscourt earlier in May I was more than a little anxious coming up to the first race.

The first race meeting was, as far as I was concerned, a success. I qualified in 9th place out of an 11 car entry and finished 8th in race 1. I started from 8th in race 2 and finished 7th. With me and the car home in one piece, result! An improvement in my lap times by almost 1.5 seconds from practice through qualifying and in both races showed I’m learning the intricacies of the track.

Roll on the next race meeting!

After paint

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KARTING

70

Stuart Coey, Victoria and Zara Price launch the Try Kart Racing day at Nutts Corner Circuit

A close race in Mini Max with Reece Barr holding off Jack McGaughey

UKC launch Irish Kart GP

WORDS & Photos BY JOHN BELSHAW

T

his years Irish Kart Gran Prix will be on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th August at Nutts Corner Circuit and once again will be Ireland’s largest race meeting of the year with drivers visiting from all over the UK to try and take the prestigious GP plates.

This year’s Ulster Karting Club promoted meeting will also have something of an environmental involvement as the event will be supported by L’Derry’s Power Chron Energy.

At the GP launch, Mark Barr from Power Chron commented: “Power Chron Energy are pleased to join with RB Motorsport as main supporter to the 2013 Irish Kart Gran Prix. Power Chron Energy are leading the way in Renewable Bio-mass Energy in Ireland and have supported karter Reece Barr in his rookie Cadet year and his recent move into Mini Max for the 2013 season.

“Our business provides professional management services to the renewable energy industry and the scope of our services include project planning, project development, project design and project construction.

“The Power Chron Energy focus is to maintain high standards in every respect of their business and to that end we are very happy to be involved in the Irish Karting Gran Prix 2013 and we see our relationship with RB Motorsport as a strategic partnership as Reece continues

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his development plans to race at the top of world motorsport.”

As an indicator of how the GP may pan out, the June meetings in the UKC’s Ulster Championship and the Northern Ireland Championship, promoted by the North of Ireland Karting Association, have been providing close racing.

The Ulster Championship meeting at Nutts Corner Circuit in particular showed progress towards the GP. In Cadets, relative newcomer Sam McDonnell was in storming form and led from start to finish. Defending GP champion in Clubman Cadets Shay Burns started in second but pressure from Tom Edgar and defending Northern Ireland champion Dylan Tuite saw him drop to fourth by mid race. Edgar fared out the better of the three and came home second with Burns managing to claw back to third with three to go.

In combined Junior Rotax and Mini Max classes, Junior Rotax drivers Conor McPolin and Jack Graham stormed off the take first and second respectively after Nathan Leonard, also on a JMax, suffered after the opening lap.

Significantly though, the top five in Mini Max were very close but first over the line was Daniel Harper who managed to hold off Jack Young and Michael Owens, the latter waiting till late on to snatch third in the class from Reece Barr. Young Barr, supported by the sponsoring Power Chron Energy will no

doubt be especially keen to get onto the podium at the GP. World Formula continues to be the largest non gearbox class and no doubt Robert Devenney will be all out at the GP to defend his title.

The June meetings however saw a big return to form by team mates David Lilburn and Kyle Price. Both drivers have had mixed results of recent but they really nailed it in June with start to finish dominance with Lilburn holding on to win by just over a second. Neville Bell capitalised on the demise of Stephen

Stewart early on and came home a comfortable third, albeit well back from Price and Lilburn.

Peter Caldwell and Stewart rounded out the top five and with Devenney down in sixth then he will no doubt be assessing carefully his strategy if he is to retain the GP with such strong competition around.

The 125 Rotax Max class is holding firm in numbers and Daniel Burgoyne, the defending GP champion, is also one who will be taking stock of the opposition after the June Ulster

David Irvine in Rotax Max

The 125 Gearbox class is producing close racing

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Richard Dewart took 250 Superkart success at Nutts Corner Circuit

KARTING

Championship meeting.

The off saw a tussle between pole man Douglas Reid and Darragh Cormack but when Cormack made it to the front he stayed right there and surged home with a comfortable margin. Third was a real hotbed of activity with Daniel Conlon first getting swamped by Burgoyne only for both of them to see the strength of David Irvine who stormed through to third by midfield after starting right at the back. In the closing stages Conlon got back to fourth but Irvine was well away and took third. In the end Burgoyne settled for sixth and will no doubt treat the race as a one off blip.

Superkarts will for sure be one of the big spectacles of the GP meeting and have returned to Nutts Corner more regularly to provide a superb watch for anyone who has never witnessed the 125 and 250cc classes.

The 125 Superkart class has had its numbers boosted by some non-gearbox

drivers who have moved into the class.

On the day it was Brian Jones that led them off. When second off the grid, and ex-World Formaula driver Jonathan Bell, dropped back after the opening lap it looked like Jones was going to head off into the distance. However, defending GP champion Matt McGaffin was on form and by mid-race, after storming past Bell and ex-Rotax Max driver Stuart Coey, was up to second.

With just a lap to go, McGaffin made his move into the lead and in the dash for the flag hung on to win by only seven hundredths of a second. Jones took second by a comfortable margin from Coey who is continuing to show improving form in the class.

The 250cc Superkarts also saw loads of action up front in the June Ulster Championship meeting by the 250 National and Division One machines.

Hopefully that sort of close racing will be shown at the GP.

Sam McDonnell and Stephen Tosh from CDMC Young Guns help Amy Long launch the Irish Kart GP

From the off it was 250 D1 driver Richard Dewart that set the pace and when Alan Witherow’s race ended after a lap it was up to defending GP and Northern Ireland champion Liam Fox to put on the pressure. Not being that used to not being out in front, Fox piled the pressure on hard and the final five laps saw the lead change hands many times in a high speed chase that had the spectatators on the edge of their seats.

In the end, Fox made a last lap move stick properly which took him to yet another win but only by 0.55 seconds from Dewart who was clearly putting out his stall in the run up to the GP. Third on the day was Warren Deery ahead of the National machine of Jonathan Adams.

The 250 Nationals saw Louis Wall steal the show at last year’s Irish Kart GP from none other than Trevor Roberts and Catherine Foster so it will be interesting to see if the locals can put up the same challenge this year.

In the case of Adams, he also has plenty of big sights in store over the summer when he plans to take on the British Grand Prix at Snetterton in July so by the time the Irish GP comes around he should be very much in race fitness.

Further information on the Irish Kart GP and the sport in general can be found at www.ulsterkartingclub.co.uk or www.nikarting.com.

CDMC Launch Summer Series Coleraine and District Motor Club (CDMC) Karting Section will once again host summer races at the paddock of the famous NW200 circuit at Portstewart.

The rounds on 27th July and 7th September are also Northern Ireland Championship rounds. The Club in association with Rally Storm are giving drivers the chance to win a Rally Experience day on their private rally

stage, this prize is open to one Junior (11 years up to 16 years of age) and one senior driver. All drivers finishing any race in the top three will be eligible for their names to go into the hat for the draw.

The Club Championship is supported again this year by McDonnell Motors Coleraine, Nutt Travel, Lindsay Ford and Culbertsons Spars. The Club will be announcing further prizes closer to the event to make them fun for all competitors.

CDMC – “Young Guns” Coleraine and District Motor Club Kart Section have been very busy over the past twelve months. The Club set out to develop a youth section and soon discovered that new drivers coming into the sport did not have the support required to make progress and keep them interested.

As a result, the CDMC “Young Guns” race team was formed to help deliver a completely free service to provide some technical assistance and coaching for new drivers. A big aim of the team is to help develop drivers and parents to understand the technical aspects of the sport and to provide assistance and support at race meetings without any additional cost to the parent or competitor.

Junior driver Sam McDonnell joined the team in October 2012 and they set about a winter testing and training programme which has developed Sam as a driver and he has made steady progress taking his first race win in December 2012 and finishing second in the Kirkistown Winter series. Sam has continued this good form into the summer season with the team and he is currently leading both the NIKA and UKC Championships.

SeOg Martin also joined the team in

CarSport

The Try Kart Racing day will see drivers progress to full race machines

KARTING

72

the Parilla cadet class and he is starting to see results with a class win in his last two outings. The CDMC “Young Guns” team also support female junior driver Melinda Tosh who is making progress towards her race licence, Dean Gray in Senior Max and Stephen Tosh Junior in World Formula.

To show it’s never too young to start, TJ McDonnell at only seven years of age is the latest to join CDMC ‘Young Guns’ and is in training on a Bambino machine and training for his race licence for when he is able to start in Cadets in December.

in the sport a chance to drive real race karts, two Karting Experience days have been organised to date.

Those involved have built their confidence on corporate karts at the start to full race machines of recent. This initiative is proving hugely popular and the next day will be Sunday 18th August, a week ahead of the Irish Kart GP. Anyone genuinely interested in starting the sport should contact Stephen Tosh on 07718 876385, Richard Dewart on 07767 656619 or Paul Fullerton on 07785 518131 to book your place.

NORTHERN IRELAND Karting Experience Update

BKC Update

With the closure by the MSA of the Let’s Go Karting Scheme, the clubs that make up North of Ireland Karting Association (NIKA) did not want to let the idea go so NIKA have taken things over under the banner of the Northern Ireland Karting Experience. Launched earlier in the year to give anyone interested in starting

Bishopscourt Kart Club next big meeting will be on 28th September at the incredibly fast Co. Down circuit. The circuit is also set up for both nongearbox and gearbox machines with the Superkarts being the big spectacle with speeds nearing 150mph on the straight to show off the capabilities of these machines.

Three generations of the Wilkinson family (left to right): Terry, Keith, Jonny and young Nicholas in the hot seat

Three Generations

T

he recent Ulster Karting Club (UKC) promoted Ulster Championship round also included a special celebration of over 50 years in the sport to Terry Wilkinson.

Terry has been involved in every aspect of the sport from the start of the UKC and the North Of Ireland Karting Association (NIKA). Since then Terry has competed in both the class one and class four classes, marshalled, been a clerk of course, organised races, organised the Ulster Karting Show and in recent years has helped manage and mechanic for his son Jonny and Keith.

This tremendous achievement did not go unnoticed by the clubs that make up NIKA and a crowd crammed the parc-ferme area at Nutts Corner Circuit to see representatives from across the sport make a number of presentations to Terry as a token of appreciation for his vast support to the sport.

Terry’s brief address to the crowd confirmed his appreciation to all involved and his hopes to keep up his team effort, especially now there is a third generation of the family also taking a keen interest in the sport.

Eastwood’s flying start

F

resh from his sensational triumph in the Florida Winter Tour, Strawberry Racing’s Charlie Eastwood got his European and UK Rotax campaigns off to a superb start with victory in the opening round of the Euro Max Challenge and the runner-up spot in the first race of the Super One championship.

His victory in a thrilling and hard-fought run to the chequered flag in Genk, Belgium not only gave him the early points lead, but also confirmed his position as one of Irish sport’s most exciting prospects.

Soon afterwards, the globetrotting youngster was back at the wheel of his Tony Kart EVK, aiming to put points on the board in the opening fixture of the Super One Championship at Three Sisters near Wigan.

Despite a tough and sometimes bruising weekend, Eastwood returned home third overall in the Championship table, with ten points-scoring races remaining until the season finale in October.

“It’s been a great past few months,” said Charlie. “Winning the Grand Finals was a dream come true and to do it wearing the colours of Ireland was extra special. Consequently, I was invited to take on nearly sixty other drivers in America off the back of my victory in Portugal which was an amazing experience. Everyone knows the connection that exists between Ireland and the USA but I was still surprised by the response I got in Florida. It was like being a rock star! Everyone was so welcoming, enthusiastic and helpful. Even when I beat their top drivers they kept on cheering for me.”

Eastwood – whose family appropriately run’s Northern Ireland’s premier karting circuit, Nutts Corner at Crumlin – is targeting a successful defence of his world crown and winning the Euro and British titles for the first time.

“It would be nice if I could do the treble. Winning the Euro Max, Super One Championships and retaining my world title would be awesome, as these are three of the hardest karting championships anywhere in the world. So far, I’m in a strong position and have a great team behind me, plus lots of support from my family and friends. It’s all to play for!”

CarSport

73

RODS & STOCKS

All roads lead to Ipswich for Hot Rod World Finals S o far in 2013 the short oval racing has been fast and furious at Tullyroan Oval, with the culmination in recent weeks of the World Championship qualifiers for both the National Hot Rods and 2.0 Hot Rods. Both big races take place this year at the Ipswich Spedeweekend in early July.

The Wash ‘n’ Dash World Series NI for National Hot Rods came to a thrilling climax, and in the end current World, National and Irish Open Champion Glenn Bell from Portadown topped the chart and was crowned Northern Ireland Champion for 2012/13. Whilst we had six qualifiers for the World Final, for 2013 the top two finishers in the qualification series were guaranteed a World Final start in the top four rows of the grid. This made sure the on track action was superb right through to the end of the campaign, with things going right down to the last race of the last meeting.

Former European Champion John Christie was the man who finally grabbed the second slot with both hands, narrowly pipping former double British Champion Stewart Doak from Portadown. Doak still goes forward to the Championship of the World race, along with fellow Portadown duo Gary Woolsey and Mark Heatrick, and veteran Keith Martin who will line up for his 21st crack at the World race.

Crumlin’s Adam Maxwell was one of the most consistent performers during the series, but a technical exclusion at one round meant he just narrowly missed out.

He will race in the support races at Ipswich, hoping to gain one of the two ‘wildcard’ places for the rear of the World Final grid which are up for grabs for the first time this year.

Also at Ipswich, the 2.0 Hot Rods, the smaller brothers of the Nationals, will contest their World Championship. Our local aces were out of luck at last year’s big race in South Africa, but they will be hoping for better luck at Ipswich, a track they all know very well. We will have ten qualifiers on the grid for this one, headed

by British Champion Shane Murray from Randalstown. Shane will have high hopes for the gold roof race, having just narrowly missed out on defending his European title at the same venue back in April.

Irish Champion Derek Martin is another

who will put on a great showing at Ipswich, whilst former double World winner Wayne Woolsey can’t be discounted despite a recent suspension from racing for the Portadown man. Adam Hylands is another rapid competitor who has already shown in 2013 that he is ready to land his first major win, whilst the other Ulster qualifiers Mark Madill, Adam Heatrick, Gary Wilson, Philip Beatty, Adam Best and David McMenemy will be all hopeful of a good run in the big race.

In our domestic racing, the action has been excellent with big grids providing big entertainment for the growing masses of race fans. The budget ProStocks limited contact formula continues to attract huge numbers of upwards of 40 drivers at each meeting, with Allen Cherry the current form man of the class. The Lightning Rods will contest their World Championship final at Tullyroan in September, and their racing has been nip and tuck all year. A number of cars are very evenly matched, which will hopefully result in a fantastic big race later in the year.

The Ninja Karts for the 6-11 year olds have been a sensation, and Jake Woolsey and Adam McFall have already been on their travels and taken race wins at Lochgelly in Scotland. It has been a great investment in the future of the sport by the promotion, and it is paying off with handsome grids and some classic racing from the youngsters. Another new class for 2013 is the Superstox, and slowly but surely the numbers are rising in the open wheel class. World Champion Stuart Gilchrist paid us a visit from Scotland in May, whilst early June National Points Champion and former double World Champion Jason Cooper travelled from England to encourage our boys as we get the formula established once again in Ulster.

Ipswich last season, and he will start as a hot favourite to retain the crown. He can expect stiff opposition from the likes of Adam Hylands, Irish Champion Derek Martin, former World Champion Wayne Woolsey and a host of other local drivers.

There will also be a strong visiting challenge, and English star men Mark Paffey, Mark Willis, Charlie Jowers and Chris Crane are expected to travel from England, alongside top Scottish stars Willie Hardie and Kenny Purdie. Over 40 Hot Rods are expected to do battle for the coveted British crown across the two days, leading

to some superb race action indeed.

Heading the support cast is the Lightning Rods Irish Open Championship. With the World Championship being staged at Tullyroan in September, locals and visitors alike will be hoping for some valuable track time in a championship situation.

The National Bangers will also contest a huge ‘North v South’ grudge match on the Sunday to finally decide just where the best bangers drivers come from!

There will be a full race programme on both Saturday and Sunday for what is one of the jewels in the crown of Ulster oval racing.

We have a Speedweekend warm up on Saturday July 20th, with other racing scheduled for August 10th, 17th and 25th with the latter featuring the second of our entertaining Caravan Destruction Derbies of the season. For more details visit www.tullyroanoval.com.

British Championship Headlines Speedweekend Festival The annual July Speedweekend takes place at Tullyroan Oval on Saturday and Sunday July 27th and 28th. Across the two day festival of oval racing our full selection of oval racing formulae will be in action, headlined by the British Championship for the 2.0 Hot Rods. Randalstown’s Shane Murray will defend the title he won in

CarSport

CLASSIFIEDS

74

CarSport

to adver ti se cal l our s ales t ea m t od ay

028 9078 3224

Isaac Agnew Audi Belfast & Portadown www.belfast.audi.co.uk www.portadown.audi.co.uk

Tel: 028 9038 0000 Tel: 028 3833 3633

ROADSIDE MOTORS Tel: 028 9038 1721 www.charleshurst.belfast.jaguar.co.uk

Tel: 028 9038 3600 www.lexus.co.uk/belfast

Tel: 028 7052 5813 www.roadsidegarages.com

Tel: 0044 (0)28 9068 6000

www.bellscrossgar.com Tel: 028 4483 0468

Tel: 028 9038 3527 www.charleshurstnissan.com

Tel: 028 8674 8631 www.roadsidemotors.com

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Tel: 028 9038 3535 www.charleshurst.com/renault

SPECIALIST DIRECTORY

76

ALLOY WHEELS

CAM SHAFTS

COMPETITION RACEWEAR

FLOCKING

NOEL COCHRANE CAR SPARES Alloy Wheels, car parts new and used, fitting available. Tuning Box stockist.

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TYRE SAFETY CENTRE LTD 2-4 Dungannon Road, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone The Most Extensive Range of alloy wheels available in Ireland.

Tel: +44 (0)28 8676 2528 Fax: (0)28 8676 6634 Email: info@alloywheelsni.com

ALLOY WHEEL REFURBISHING

LESTER ENGINEERING CO.

Ireland’s longest established wheel repair business. Refurbishment/Repairs.

Lissue Industrial Estate, Moira Road, Lisburn Tel: 028 9262 1681 Web: www.alloywheelslisburn.com Email: info@alloywheelslisburn.com

AWNINGS

With the most up to date CNC grinding centre in the world! and a dedicated motorsport technical centre it’s easy to see why ‘Kent’ is Europe’s No.1 choice!

Kent Performance Cams Ltd Units 1-7 Military Road, Shorncliffe Ind., Est. Folkestone, Kent CT20 3UJ Tel: 01303 248666 Web: www.Kentcams.com Email: info@kentcams.com

CARBON HYDRO DIPPING

CARBON HYDRO DIPPING NOW AVAILABLE

Web: www.eurom-sport.com Email: info@eurom-sport.com Tel: 028 8076 0775

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Race, Rally, Drift, Kart, Track Day. Whatever your interest we have the equipment. Visit our shop, order online or call for a catalogue.

Unit 21 Beechlawn Industrial Complex, Green Hills Road, Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (1) 4500555 Email: info@murraymotorsport.ie Web: www.murraymotorsport.ie

COMPETITION TYRES/ WHEELS

Web: www.revolutionwheels.com Email: revolution@scp-uk.com Tel: +44 (0) 1827 64111/54422 Fax: +44 (0) 1827 63911

www.flockeddashes.com Dashes flocked from £40.00 Door Card, Pillar Pods etc.

Collection and Return Courier Service. Covering UK, Ireland and Europe. Exchange dashes in stock, Evo, Honda, Escort.

CARBON HYDRO DIPPING AVAILABLE

Web: www.eurom-sport.com Email: info@eurom-sport.com Tel: 028 8076 0775

GEARS & TRANSMISSIONS

6 Speed Sequential Honda B & EP3 195 ft.lbs torque. 6 Speed Sequential Inline RWD 600 ft.lbs torque. Atlas Solid & Gun Hole Half Shafts or to specification.

High torque Starter Motors, Red Top, Millington, RX8. Crack testing gearboxes/steering parts etc.

W: www.saenztransmissioneurope.com E: saenztransmissioneurope@gmail.com Tel: +353 (0)87 9708700

LEXUS & TOYOTA PARTS

OFFICIAL BRIAN JAMES TRAILERS IMPORTER FOR ALL IRELAND NOW AVAILABLE FROM...

Irish Distributor for Surf & Turf Instant Shelters 6x4m and 8x4m.

From Clubman to WRC styles.

Web: www.eurom-sport.com Email: info@eurom-sport.com Tel: 028 8076 0775

BMW PARTS

BOUCHER ROAD, BELFAST Tel: 028 9038 2100 Web: www.lexus.co.uk/belfast

Clive Latimer Mobile: 07702 400450 Email: info@trailertek.net Web: www.trailertek.ie Unit 21 Beechlawn Industrial Complex, Green Hills Road, Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (1) 4500555 Email: info@murraymotorsport.ie Web: www.murraymotorsport.ie

CLASSIC CAR RESTORATION

and

TMG DISTRIBUTORS LTD 25 Main Street, Fintona, Co. Tyrone BT78 2AA Tel: 028 8284 1277

Web: www.yokohama.co.uk

JKC SPECIALIST CARS

1-9 Millburn Road, Coleraine Tel: 028 7035 5222 Web: www.jkcbmw.co.uk Delivery throughout Ireland.

BRAKES

BELFAST Tel: 028 9066 1122 CRUMLIN Tel: 028 9442 2880 Web: www.crumlinip.co.uk Email: quote@crumlinip.co.uk

DIESEL UPGRADES

Restoration & Parts for most Makes and Models.

Contact: William Wilson.

William Wilson Motors, Cullybackey, Ballymena Tel: 028 2588 1214 Mobile: 07860 480785

MOTORSPORT SALVAGE

Euro Auto Salvage Ltd

RESTORATION Main distributors, Huge stocks.

Next day delivery.

Unit 21 Beechlawn Industrial Complex, Green Hills Road, Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (1) 4500555 Email: info@murraymotorsport.ie Web: www.murraymotorsport.ie

Competitve Motor Traders Insurance • On event accidental damage.

• Road Insurance for competition cars & support vehicles.

• Modified, Imports & Classic Insurance.

BALLYCLARE Tel: 028 9332 3646

ROYLES ROYCE SPECIALIST Internationally Recognised.

Restoring all makes of Classic cars.

2B Old Road, Ballinderry, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT28 2NJ E: james@jamesblackrestorations.com W: www.jamesblackrestorations.com Tel: 028 9265 2800

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MOTOR INSURANCE

WISHART AUTOMOTIVE Custom Remapping, Rolling Road, ECU Upgrades, Turbo Diesel Specialists. Cars, Vans & Commercial remapping. Dynapack HubDyno.

131 Liminary Road, Kells BT42 3HZ Tel: 0044 (0)28 2589 8458 Mob: 07734 235815

Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Honda and many more... and breaking all popular 4x4s.

Unit 4, Aughavey Business Park, Aughavey, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone BT80 0DX Trevor: 07710 080887 Barry: 07786 136752 E-mail: info@euroautosalvage.co.uk Website: www.euroautosalvage.co.uk

,

77

RALLY HIRE ...cont’d

Karkraft (NI) Ltd Nexa Autocolour, Glasurit, Debeer, Lechler Selemix, Maxmeyer

2 Longlands Road, Newtownabbey, Belfast BT36 7LZ Contact: Joe Gillan T: 028 9085 5555 Email: sales@karkraftni.co.uk Web: www.team.ie

PANELS

RALLY SPARES & EQUIPMENT...cont’d

Micra 1400 GpA Mitsubishi Evo 6 & 9 Arrive and drive package available at competitive rates.

Contact Raymond Mason: Tel: 028 9044 8111 / 07788 453742

RALLY PREPARATION

Rally Car Preparation

Specialists in historic and contemporary motorsport equipment and accessories.

Quality motorsport products at competitive prices – including all major brands such as Sparco, OMP, Recaro, Peltor, Stack, TRS and many more...

Tel: 028 8554 9851 E: sales@montgomery-motorsport.co.uk W: www.montgomery-motorsport.co.uk

2+4 WD Clubmans to WRC & Rally Car Hire

Corolla WRC RHD, 2 Mini WRC RHD/LHD N12 Subaru – Gravel or Tarmac

Balmoral Road, Belfast BT12 6QA Tel: 028 9066 6077 Email: conor@motoglass.co.uk Web: www.motoglass.co.uk

SUSPENSION SYSTEMS ...cont’d

Contact Derek Mob: 07803 124379 or Tel: 028 7962 8479

ROY HASLETT

PREPARATION

M.O.T. Servicing, engine reconditioning & tuning.

Tuning all makes of cars and 4x4’s.

Saintfield.

Tel: 028 9751 0003

Irish importers and distributors for Proflex Shock Absorbers. Authorised service agents. In house SPA Damper Dyno.

Unit 21 Beechlawn Industrial Complex, Greenhills Road, Dublin 12 Tel: +353 (1) 4500555 Email: info@murraymotorsport.ie Web: www.murraymotorsport.ie

ROLLING ROAD TUNING RACING CAR MANUFACTURE & HIRE

New Builds. Restoration of Classics, Historics & Modified rally cars.

Grp4 Fabrication & Body Shop.

Tel: 07787 570170 Email: sknrallyservices@live.co.uk Web: www.sknrallyservices.com

Competitive Formula Vee and Formula Sheane Cars for Sale or Hire

Blainroe, Co. Wicklow Tel: 0404 67189 Web: www.formulasheane.ie Email: sheanecars@eircom.net

RACING FUELS

Proven Championship-winning engine mapping and setup. Sales and support of DTA ECUs/Jenvey throttle bodies.

Contact Steven on Mob: 07752 753460 or Alan on Tel: 028 2766 3191

TRANSMISSIONS

Vehicle Services Motorsport

Contact David at:

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9 Cardy Road, Greyabbey, Newtownards BT22 2LS Tel: 0044 (0)28 4278 8854 Email: info@plrsuspension.com

Unit 3 O’Neil Court, Campsie Ind., Estate, Eglinton, Derry BT47 3XX Tel: 028 7181 3797 Fax: 028 7181 3797 Email: info@vsmsport.com Web: www.vsmsport.com

E.C.C. Powerwriter. Dyno-met 4X4 rolling road.

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RALLY SCHOOLS/FULL GRAVEL TESTING

• RALLY • RALLYCROSS • RALLYRAID • HISTORIC Gearboxes, Gearshifts, Diffs, Shafts, Gears Tel: 01782 280136 Web: www.eliteracingtransmissions.com Email: rob@eliteracingtransmissions.com

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All Fuels in Stock. Car, Bike & Kart.

Next Day Delivery Available.

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RALLY HIRE

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GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE Web: www.rallystorm.co.uk Email: rally@rallystorm.co.uk Tel: 028 8076 0077

RALLY SPARES & EQUIPMENT

Evo 6,7,8 & 9.

Honda Civic R3 and C2R2 Max Citroën.

For more information contact us on Tel: 07885 443496

SUSPENSION SYSTEMS

• sales • service • set-up advice

HASS

DMS 2&4 way, adjustable suspension with precision adjustment for optimum performance

The Tops Demense, Raphoe, Co. Donegal, Ireland Tel: 00 353 (0)7491 44444 Mobile: 00 353 (0)872 707257 Email: info@hass.ie Web: www.hass.ie

Competition Turbos, fast road & motorsport developments Owen Developments (UK) Ltd 28 Kingston Business Park, Kingston Bagpuize, Oxford OX13 5AS England Tel: 01865 821062 Fax: 01865 821076 Web: www.owendevelopments.co.uk Email: sales@owendevelopments.co.uk

Specialist in Ford Escort MK1

Mk 2 parts for road and rally cars.

Motorsport

2 & 4 Wheel Drive Rolling Road Tuning, ECU Upgrades & Remapping Cookstown Tel: 028 8675 1000 Email: Triple.7@btinternet.com

Frank Kelly, Sole Agent.

44a Rhone Road, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone BT71 7EN Tel: +44 (0)7771 727803 Email: kellymotorsport@btconnect.com

Tel: +44 (0) 1604 705050 Fax: +44 (0) 1604 769668 Web: www.turbotechnics.com Email: enquiries@turbotechnics.com

SPECIALIST DIRECTORY

PAINTS

78

PHOTOFILE

Frank Kelly and Eugene Donnelly

Rally Storm stand

TMG Custom Shop stand

Low and Live T

PHOTOS: FERGAL KELLY

he Low and Live Show at Ecclesville, Fintona attracted some of the top drift, custom and performance cars in the west of the country. The Lakeland Tyres Twin Cam drift team put on a great show and were joined on the track by some of the best drift car and bike riders around. Inside the hall was a massive selection of all types of cars including the very popular Frank Kelly and his Escort. A wide range of modified cars were on display as well as trade stands from Euro M-Sport, Rally Storm and TMG Custom Shop, Fintona.

Former Tarmac Rally Champion Eugene Donnelly was also in attendance who told CarSport of his hopes to return to rallying again soon.

Euro M-Sport girls

CarSport

Report and Photos: Kirk Graham

D

2.

3.

ungannon Motor Club hosted their annual Spring Fling Lanes Rally recently. The event would not have been possible without the main sponsor Mercedes Benz Truck and Van and without the generosity of the land owners. The event was based at Killyman Church Hall, who kindly let the club use as a base.

Stage one started at 10.33, Rhone Hill; a tarmac lane approx. a mile long!

With such good conditions and weather it was well worth while for the long distances travelled by many of the crews, some as far as Wexford.

All sixty entrants completed the test successfully and travelled a short distance to Stage two, Cohannon; a long grassy lane with slippery conditions that gave the crews great focus. A short distance to the next stage, Tamnamore; a short but challenging lane proved to be a popular test amongst the competitors.

The crews completed a short autotest at Star Plan before special stage six, Syrlea; a loose surface which provided plenty of sideways action!

Finally stage seven, Moy; a long concrete lane which could have easily allowed the speed to build up if it were not for the efficient marshaling and ingenious method of the cars having to stop midway to collect a playing card and return the same to the time control upon completing the stage.

This ensured a safe passage and reduced the risk of accidents.

The series of seven tests were completed once more in the morning and twice in the afternoon but in the opposite direction!

The overall event was won by Robert Woodside Jnr and Dean Beckett in their Mazda MX5. At the prize giving ceremony Robert said “Dungannon Motor Club have raised the bar in regard to the high standards set for hosting such an event”, and thanked the club on behalf of the competitors.

Robert’s positive comments were reiterated to the Clerk of the Course [Eric Patterson] by the other competitors adding that the strategic use of both code boards and playing cards coupled with chicanes resulted in a safe, but yet highly competitive and thrilling event.

Dungannon Motor Club would like to thank the marshals who gave up their time to help ensure the event was successful and passed off without incident.

Lanes Rallying is proving to be one of the most popular forms of motor sport, perhaps due to the fact that any car can compete providing it is legally roadworthy. The cars ranged from a 1958 Austin 35 to the ever popular Mazda MX5 due to it’s rear wheel drive. A full set of results is available on the Dungannon Motor Club web site.

79

PHOTOFILE

Spring Fling!

1.

7.

4.

5.

6.

8.

9.

1. Neil and Laura Fletcher in their Mexico 2. Ted Gaffney and his wife Karen 3. Tommy Hood and Mervyn Williamson 4. Neil and Mark McCance 5. Martin Nugent 6. Sean Devlin and John Nicholl get plenty of sideways action 7. Simon and Jack Brien 8. Winners Robert Woodside and Dean Beckett 9. Dermott Carnegie

CarSport

80

PHOTOFILE

‘Maiden’ wins at Cultra PHOTOS: ESLER CRAWFORD

C 1 2

3

4

ultra Hillclimb Event 2013, ‘Celebrating Women in Motorsport’, at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, certainly lived up to the pre-event reports of significantly increased interest in what is now dubbed ‘Northern Ireland’s Motoring Garden Party’, at the award-winning North Down visitor attraction. Not only did the Thoroughbred Sports Car Club (NI), organisers of the Cultra Speed hillclimb competition, have a the huge jump in competitor numbers but the Museum experienced an increase of almost a third in its visitor numbers for the day, compared to the partnership’s 2012 4WD celebration.

Whilst the weather certainly helped, the increased variety of displays laid on by both organisations provided a ‘Grand Day Out’ for all the family, enhanced by an impromptu visit from Holywood Fire Brigade, answering a false alarm, and a spectacular ‘Ride-In’ by Chopper Club Ireland on their fabulous customised motorbikes. Concenus is, that despite this being primarily a car orientated event, the 6 to 16-year-old kids from the Jonny Hagan Junior Trails Academy at Movilla, Newtownards stole the show as they wandered effortlessly around the steep-sided Glen at the rear of Cultra Manor on their motorcycle trials machines.

There can’t be many N. Ireland club level motoring events that can boast the patronage of former World and World Cup Rally champions, an Irish Hillclimb Champion and a current World Motocross Championship competitor, but Cultra 2013 attracted all those, and they were all ladies. Respectively, Louise Aitken-Walker, Irish legend Rosemary Smith, Jenny Kennedy from Crossgar and Natalie Kane from Loughbrickland were joined on the Official Opening Drive by the Museum’s latest restoration – the McCandless ‘Dorothy Car’ driven by the head of NMNI Collections Care, Siobhan Stevenson. Ten times and reigning British Womens Racing Drivers Club Hillclimb Champion Jo Hodgson was competing and so had her own Official Opening Run every time, as the first competitor on the hill for each of the five sessions. With the formalities out of the way the small, highly experienced, TSCC hillclimb team lead by Clerk of the Course Fel McIlroy and her seemingly inexhaustible Deputy, Mark Goudy, delivered an enthralling competition with their now familiar aplomb.

Appropriately, the headline contest was the inaugural Ladies Handicap competing for the new Gabriel Konig Trophy raised in memory of the late Irish race legend, who died in January this year. The fastest time was set by Suzanne Woodside in 30th place in the overall hillclimb competition. The Dunadry woman was returning to competitive driving after a lengthy lay-off while her Crosslé racer was being rebuilt. The recorded times by cars with a 74 year age range returned a spread of almost 11 seconds between Woodside and the 1936 Riley Special of local woman Sheelagh Glover. The spread of experience was equally impressive as Hodgson is partway through her 26th consecutive year in speed eventing and young Sophie Byrne, from Naas, was contesting her first ever hillclimb. When the handicap was applied it became a very different story as the whole Ladies Class was covered by just 8/10ths of a second.

Cultra veteran Glover won by what was a relatively massive 21/100ths from Hodgson, who’d travelled all the way from Devon and pipped Jennifer Mullan from Sallins, Co. Dublin by just 15/100ths. The latter borrowed CoC McIlroy’s MX5 road car, for the day, when her rapid single-seater Sheane developed problems earlier in the week. Closer still had been the third podium spot, with Mullan just edging out the slightly less consistent Woodside by a mere 7/100ths. Cultra regular Becky Cherry, in fifth, had an even closer battle with NI Rally Championship regular Lucy Whitford to prevail by just 6/100ths. Behind these two was former NI Rally Championship event winner Lorraine Irwin, out of retirement to guest drive the SERC Motorsport Team’s Sierra, who avoided the wooden spoon by only 7/100ths from the inexperienced Byrne.

Banbridge man Mark Crawford opened up with what would turn out to be his first ever event-winning time and was the only runner to dip below the magic 32 second target for a good Cultra time, all day. Runner-up Andy Hawthorne, from Finaghy, got within 5/100ths, twice, in his ex-Formula Lotus Reynard, but the nimble Jedi hillclimb car of Crawford was never headed. Reigning NI Hillclimb Champion Graham Thompson had a rare off-day but still managed to post an impressive 32.56 run to keep the irrepressible Rudi Gage off the last podium slot. The Maguire Mini pilot from Ballymoney maintained his unbeaten run of Saloon car victories at Cultra with an even bigger margin this time over the leading visitor, Neil Dugan from Monaghan in his Peugeot 205RWD, who was the leading rally car. The top three sports cars of Jack Boal (Locost GTR), Trevor Allen (RAW Striker) and, former Cultra winner, Jimmy Dougan (GMS) somehow squeezed into the 2/10ths gap between Gage and Dugan, whilst Mike Todd (Mondiale 84S) and Wesley McCreary (MK Indy) completed the top ten.

Cultra 2013 RESULTS SUMMARY

5

CarSport

Vintage/PVT: ANDY JOHNSON (1932 Alfa Romeo) UVCC Handicap: SHEELAGH GLOVER (1936 Riley Special) Class 1: ROBERT DAVIDSON (1973 MGB GT) Class 2: PETER WALKER (1992 Honda CRX) Class 3: IVAN McCULLOUGH (2009 Nissan GTR) Class 4: GORDON BUCKLEY (1972 Escort Mk1) Class 5: AARON JENNINGS (1997 Saxo) Class 6: MARK LANCASHIRE (2000 Subaru) Class 7: JACK BOAL (2011 Locost GTR) Class 8: RUDI GAGE (1972 Maguire Mini) Class 9: MARK CRAWFORD (1999 Jedi Mk6) Ladies Handicap: SHEELAGH GLOVER (1936 Riley Special) TSCC Members Handicap: SIMON BRIEN (1973 MG Midget) FTD: Mark Crawford (31.98 secs)

81

7

PHOTOFILE

6 1. Andy Johnston with Liz and Brian Patterson.

2. Jim Vermeulen, Loek Vermeulen, Plum Tyndall and Huub Vermeulen.

3. Jimmy Dougan enjoys a break.

4. Jimmy Dougan spins his GMS. 5. Adrian Smith gets his Locost going again after a spin.

6. The good weather helped attract a large number of spectators.

7. Mark Crawford.

9

8. Jenny Kennedy with her four legged friend Teddy the retriever.

9. David McKimm in his Jedi.

10. Gerard O’Connell.

11. (l-r): Mark Brien, John Kelly, Francis Rhatigan and Simon Brien.

12. Chris Watson and Michael Adams.

13. Andy and Dermot Johnston.

14. Suzanne Woodside set the fastest time in the Ladies Handicap race.

8

10 12

15. Mervyn Johnston in his Porsche.

13

11 15

14

CarSport

82

DRIVER’S SEAT

PHOTOS: TREVOR FOSTER

Dan in action on the ALMC Rally Dan on the 1986 Donegal Rally

Dan Daly AGE: 60 LIVES: Belfast What was your best moment?

My first overall win in Longford in 1985. It was a round of the Irish Tarmac Championship and the opposition was good. There were no pacenotes or recce allowed. We had a good run and I was very contented with the result.

What was the one that got away?

It has to be Killarney 1986. We were lying second overall behind Billy Coleman and we went clean off the road and couldn’t get back on.

What was your worst moment?

Killarney 1987. I was trapped upside down in a Nissan 240RS with my left foot jammed in the foot rest.

Which event do you look forward to?

Always and without doubt it is Killarney. I did it for the first time in 1980 and competed there 13 times and finished 11.

You’ve won the lottery. What car do you rush out and buy?

Possibly at this moment in time it would be a Ferrari, but tomorrow it could be something else.

Dan on the 1985 Circuit of Ireland

C

ar dealer Dan Daly started rallying in 1980 and competed for 14 years. He started out in a Hillman Avenger and progressed to a Group 2 Datsun, then on to a Group 4 Datsun Violet and finally a couple of Nissan 240RS’.

What was your best rally car?

My best rally car was a Group 1 1600cc Avenger. It had an Andy Dawson engine in it and I had several class wins in it. The worst was a Datsun 160J SSS 2 litre.

What car do you regret selling?

In 1978 I sold a 10 year old Morris Minor for £280. It was Old English White and had only covered 5,000 miles. What it would make today I don’t know.

What was the most entertaining car you’ve ever driven?

This has to be an 2002 Subaru Legacy Turbo, the first in Northern Ireland when it came to our dealership. It was great fun to drive, four wheel drive and 190bhp.

What is your most effective or personal asset?

My wife Marie, children and grandchildren.

What advice would you offer a young driver?

To listen to others and heed their advice, remember you have to walk before you can run.

Who has been your greatest motoring inspiration?

It has to be Walter Röhrl in the short wheel base Audi quattro Sport.

CarSport

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