Donagh Kelly & Kevin Flanagan in their Focus WRC recorded a comprehensive victory in the Dooley’s Hotel Raven’s Rock Rally in Waterford, Round 5 of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship; this latest win has put the pair to within touching distance of overall victory in the national series.Dominating all nine stages they finished a minute and fourteen seconds ahead of the S11 Subaru WRC of Welsh driver Mel Evans and co-driver Mark Glennerster. Two local crews made a worthwhile trip to the south east. Returning from the Scottish Rally on the previous day Pauric Duffy & John Higgins showed no signs of fatigue and brought the R5 Fiesta home second in Class Five. Leading Class One from start to finish David Healy and Stephen McGing in their Honda Civic showed just how much they have progressed in their first year competing in tarmac rallying with a winning margin in the class of almost one minute after the nine stages.
Pauric Duffy, John Higgins and the P1 Rally Team headed to Dumfies for the RSAC Motorsport Scottish Rally on Saturday 27th June. It was a chance not only for the crew to gain gravel rally experience while Pauric was home from Australia, but also make it round the seven challenging gravel stages and make it back to Ireland the next day for the Carrick on Suir Ravens Rock event that the team had also entered
!Speaking afterwards Pauric said “The stages consisted of so many different technical challenges We were there to get the experience in the R5, the gravel setup worked well and the car didn’t miss a beat, We finished sixth in class against some very seasoned competitors, the event helps towards ourplanning of future events.”
Four members made the trip to Ballyfeeney for the Midland Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday 28th June. With overall honours going to Clare’s Padraig Egan, three Mayo’s were among the class awards. Derek Deane in his Semog Buggy finished fourth overall and third in Class 7, Foxford’s Alan finished ninth in his Peugeot 206 and also won the award for highest placed saloon. Adrian Deane, also in a Semog was tenth, while Brian McDonnell in his Toyota Corolla won Class 3.
A superb performance from start to finish saw Garry Jennings take victory on the Joule Donegal International Rally by just over a minute from Declan & Brian Boyle.Two Mayo crews were in action over the three day event. Pauric Duffy with John Higgins on the notes brought the P1 Rally Rentals R5 Fiesta home 9th overrall and 2nd in Class 5, while Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee capitalised on those ahead not registered, picking up maximum Group N championship points finishing 14th overall and 4th in Class.A superb performance from start to finish saw Garry Jennings take victory on the Joule Donegal International Rally by just over a minute from Declan & Brian Boyle.Two Mayo crews were in action over the three day event. Pauric Duffy with John Higgins on the notes brought the P1 Rally Rentals R5 Fiesta home 9th overall and 2nd in Class 5, while Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee capitalised on those ahead not registered, picking up maximum Group N championship points finishing 14th overall and 4th in Class.
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Frank Harrington Challenge -Points after Round2
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Some action from the June Autocross courtesy of Rally Through A Lens:
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The winners of awards collecting their trophies after the June Autocross:
Ian Barrett from Maynooth achieved a long-held ambition on Sunday by claiming his maiden victory on Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s second Autocross of the year. In doing so he became the fifth different winner of the popular loose surface series in as many events, at the challenging 2.7 km circuit at Harrington’s Quarry near Swinford.
In what was another enthralling day of motorsport with an almost capacity entry, all the hard work from event COC Stephen McGing from Westport and his team paid dividend as the track held up to its reputation as one of the best in the country.
Derry’s James Cassidy in his Semog Buggy outlined his intentions from the start, setting a time of 4:09.32 almost two seconds faster than Mac Walsh in a similar machine, with Barrett just a couple of tenths of a seconds back in third in his Joule backed Buggy.
On the second run however, Cassidy failed to set a time and Barrett took full advantage by setting a 4:02.99 to see him almost 9 seconds clear of the field. Ronan Mackle climbed to third in his Semog Buggy, relegating Mac Walsh to fourth. Their machines were just many of the Semog Buggies that were flying all day and were spectacular to watch throughout the circuit.
All of this left the battle finely poised heading into the third and final run of the day. But despite Down man’s Mackle’s bettering his time by a second it was Barrett who came out on top overall, with his second run time enough to give him victory after breaking a driveshaft on the last run meant he did not set a time. Mackle’s fine final run saw him take second, while Martin Tynan managed to break into the crowd of Buggies, double driving his father’s Mitsubishi Evo and took the final podium spot, just three tenths of a second behind Mackle.
Away from the leading protagonists, competition was just as fierce in the various classes, Ruairi Maguire from Tyrone won class 1 in his Corsa, with Darren Connolly from Tyrone second and Joe Shinnors from Limerick in third both driving Novas.
Nobody could match Nineteen year old Derek Mackarel from Clones in his 1.6 Vauxhall Nova, taking a break from sitting his Leaving Certificate, not only did he win class 2 but was also top two wheel drive overall. Local competitors featured heavily in Class 2, with Stephen Doherty from Foxford in second and Westport’s Alan McGuire third, despite not setting a time on the first run in his 205. Peter McManamon from Achill and Terry Greavy from Bonniconlon finished fourth and fifth in class 2 respectively.
Alan Moran from Foxford won Class 3 in his Peugeot 206 and picked up valuable Mayo & District Young Driver’ points in the process. John Burke from Galway finished a fine second in his similar 206, closely followed by Chris Snow from Oldcastle, also in a Peugeot 206. South Mayo man and Club Chairman Matthew Murphy came home fourth in a Twin Cam Corolla, Fellow club member David Healy was fifth with Liam Healy from Achill seventh in his Civic, Brain McDonnell from Ballindine was eighth, Castlebar’s Patrick McEveny Snr ninth and the Renault 5 of Martin Hastings from Bonniconlon managed tenth in class.
Class 5 was won by Galway’s John McGeehan in his immaculate Impreza, with Michael Tynan double driving the family Evo to second. Dermot O’Hagan from Omagh brought home his Evo 6 in third. James McGreal was fourth and took home the Mayo & District Club Award in the process; despite having gearbox problems throughout the day. David Carney made a welcome return to quarry action in an Evo 7 and took fifth, with Bekan’s Sean McHugh eighth, Westport’s Ed Muldoon tenth and Killala man Padraig Roche eleventh in an Impreza.
The ultra competitive class 7 for buggies was won by Mac Walsh who had been fighting for overall honours all day, second was fellow top man James Cassidy with Michael McCrossan in third in yet another Semog Buggy.
Class 8 for Juniors was an all Mayo affair with the class being won by Patrick McEveney Jnr from Castlebar driving the family Corolla, with Crossmolina man Lorcan Moore in second in his Citroen Saxo. Patrick’s sister Shauna made it a great day all round for the Castlebar clan by taking the Ladies Award.
Two rounds of the 2015 down and with two different winners the championships is wide open. Round three takes place on July 26th.
Barrett Pic Credit: Rally Through a Lens
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Results June Autocross
