The launch of the 2015 Hotel Ballina – Kennedy Motors Mayo Stages Rally takes place next Friday, February 27th in Hotel Ballina at 7.30pm. There will be a display of rally cars on show outside the hotel and photographs will be taken with sponsors, rally championship representatives and the organising committee, along with guest speakers on the evening. The launch is open to the public and everybody is invited to come along to get into the Rally mood, ahead of the event which takes place on Sunday 8th of March.
Motorsport News
The Mayo & District Motorsport crew of Ed Muldoon and Darragh Mullen made the trip on Saturday last to Omagh, for the opening forest event for the year. The popular loose surface, clubman event based in the Fivemiletown area , used the usual format of challenging but smooth stages in the Jenkin Hill, Crocknagrally, Brown Hill and Doon forests which also included a combined start and finish venue at the Bridge Tavern, Eskra.
On the opening loop of four stages the pair felt their Mitsubishi Evo VI to be down on power and after some tweaks and retuning during the afternoon service, a much better second half of the day seen the pair finish the event in 12th place overall. A good result for the London based Westport native Muldoon and his Sligo navigator.
Elsewhere this weekend on the Motorsport scene four members braved the heavy rain on Sunday morning as the 2015 Triton Showers National Rally Championship kicked off in Abbeyleix with the Birr Stages Rally. Best home flying the Mayo flag was Shane Buckley from Ballyhaunis who steered his Class 13 Honda Civic to 4th place in class and 19th overall.
Belmullet man Shane Barry was on the notes for Donegal’s Pauric McGee, the pair claimed top honours in Class 1, coming home 47th overall.
The success story of the day had to be the Westport pairing of David Healy and Stephen McGing. In what was the first event for both Healy as driver and McGing as navigator, they came from behind and claimed second place in Class 1 by four seconds and finish in 60th place overall on the last stage of the event. It was a super performance from the pair in their Honda Civic and now have plans to go on and compete in the 2015 championships.
Thanks to Rally Through A Lens for Birr Photos
& Mark Breen for Forestry Photos
Co. Mayo
Higgins Highest In Qatar
Recent Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah confirmed a record-breaking dusty dozen wins in the QMMF Qatar International Rally, round one of the 2015 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, which drew to a conclusion in Doha on Saturday afternoon.
Qatar’s Khalid Al-Suwaidi with Kiltimagh co-driver John Higgins restarted under Rally2, after damaging a front suspension arm on day one and reached the finish in fifth overall.
After two time consuming wheel changes on Friday, Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Killian Duffy found a good pace on the first two specials of the final day. But they hit terminal engine trouble on the 10th stage and retired after moving into third place after stage nine.
Speaking after the event Higgins said “It’s a nice position to be in after the first event of the season, we were fortunate to be able rejoin after the damage on Friday and we were pushing quite hard on the second day and managed to avoid the punctures that affected the others and cost them time”.
Unlike previous years, the MERC from 2015 onwards will comprise of eight rounds instead of six after Iran and Oman were included in the regional series.
The expansion of the series means Al Attiyah will face a more serious challenge to the defence of his Middle East title this year.
Kuwait will host the second round of the championship from March 12-14.
Closer to home this weekend Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and his Derry co-driver Kevin Flanagan powered their Ford Focus WRC to victory in the Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally, the opening round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship, which was based around Gort over the weekend.
Multiple tarmac champions Eugene Donnelly & Paul Kiely were just 39.2 secs behind in second spot in a Mini WRC, after they edged out Sam Moffett and Karl Atkinson in a Fiesta WRC by just 0.7 seconds.
A three-minute road penalty imposed on Tarmac champions Declan and Brian Boyle in their Subaru proved crucial to the outcome as it dropped them well down the field.
Mayo members Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee finished eighth overall and won group N, the pair coming from behind in the class to take the top spot during the last few stages.
After holding on to seventh place and leading class five for most of the event Pauric Duffy and Kevin Glynn had a slight excursion in their R5 Fiesta which seem them drop down the leader board during the last few stages, still an excellent result for the Australian based Mayo members on their first season of top level competition.
In the junior section of the event Headford’s Justin Ryan with Ballinrobe’s Andy Walsh on the notes brought their Honda Civic home in fourth place after a steady run during Sundays foggy and slippy conditions.
Thanks to Rally Through A Lens for photos from the Galway International Rally
Some pictures from our recent co-driver training ran in the McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris.
Circuit of Ireland Rally organisers have announced that Westport man and well known rally official Tom Walsh, will take over the role of Clerk of Course for the 2015 event. Andy Gilmore, who managed the 2014 rally, has had to give up the role due to his work commitments.
Originally from County Limerick, Tom Walsh has been involved in rallying since 1969 when he took on his first marshalling role with a rally – the Circuit of Ireland. During the 1970’s and 1980’s Tom managed rally star Billy Coleman over a 14 year period helping him clinch three Circuit wins. Tom had a five year tenure as Chairman of the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA) and was Clerk of Course for the first ever Rally Ireland WRC in 2007 and Sporting Director for the 2009 Rally Ireland WRC. Tom is currently a member of the Motorsport Ireland Commission.
“I got hooked on rallying in the 1960’s when as a young lad I first watched the Circuit of Ireland close to my home in Co Limerick and later I became a marshal at the Circuit. Since then I have referred to it as my ‘iconic rally’ so when Bobby called me and asked if I could take on the Clerk of Course position I had no hesitation in accepting!” explained Tom Walsh.
Paying tribute to Andy Gilmore’s contribution to the Circuit of Ireland, event director Bobby Willis said, “As a member of the Circuit organising team and event Clerk of Course, Andy played a vital role in the management and development of the Circuit and has helped to make it such a hugely successful event which last year attracted a total of almost 74,000 spectators. On behalf of the committee I would like to thank Andy for all his hard work – it really has been hugely appreciated by competitors, organisers and all our marshals and other volunteers.
“Looking forward to early April we’re delighted to have secured Tom Walsh as our new Clerk of Course. Well-known and respected in the rallying world, Tom has a tremendous range of experience and expertise which he can bring to the Circuit of Ireland enabling us to further enhance the event for both drivers and spectators.”
The Circuit of Ireland Rally takes place from Thursday 2nd April until Saturday 4th April 2015 and will be the third of ten rounds in the 2015 European Rally Championship. The 2015 Circuit of Ireland will also be counting rounds of the 2015 Irish Tarmac Championship and the Northern Ireland Rally Championship.
Gearing Up for Hotel Ballina – Kennedy Motors Mayo Stages Rally 2015
Mayo & District Motorsport Club are delighted, under the guidance of clerk of the course Padraic Roche, to announce plans for the 2015 Mayo Stages Rally which takes place on Sunday March 8th.
It’s a mixture of old and new for 2015 as, for the third year in succession, the Mayo Stages Rally will be based in the North Mayo town of Ballina. However competitors will face the challenge of three entirely new stages, each to run three times. Offering a total distance of approximately 116 stage kilometres and 127 road kilometres, they look set to provide a challenging test for competitors.
The Club is delighted to welcome on board again Hotel Ballina and Kennedy Motors as joint main sponsors of the 2015 Mayo Stages Rally and thank them for their support.
Hotel Ballina is once again Rally headquarters for the weekend. Just off the N26, but close to the town centre and with scrutiny, trailer park and Parc ferme adjacent to the hotel, this modern four star facility is ideally situated for easy access from all locations, and has proved to be a popular location with competitors and visitors to the rally in the past two years.
Exceptional accommodation deals are available at Rally HQ, Hotel Ballina, for crews and followers alike. Bookings and information at 096-23600
After a Rally Show in Ballina town centre on Saturday, March 7th, the event proper begins on Sunday morning when the cars leave parc-ferme.
The event is round one of the 2015 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship.
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December Motorsport News Finishing off their 2014 season, Abdulaziz AlKuwari and Killian Duffy took part in the Dubai International Rally which was the final round of the Middle East Rally Championships, the pair finished third on the event and third in the championships, also competing was John Higgins who was navigating for Khalid Al Suwaidi. On their first event together, they capped off a great weekend with a fourth place finish. |
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Three members brought their cars along to the recent MEC Rally sprint in Mondello Park, best of the pack was Michael Loughney who won his class in his recently built MK2 Escort, Sean McHugh in his Subaru Impreza and Tony Langdon in his Honda Civic also put in good times during the day. Photo credit Ray Corkery – Rnc Rally Pics |
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At the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Awards Ceremony held in Dublin on Wednesday, Derek Deane from Williamstown picked up his 2013 National Loose Surface Autocross Award, a series which he dominated in his Buggy, with a run of five overall wins from the opening five rounds. |
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Also at the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Awards, neighboring Galway Motorclub member Dean Raftery was named the Young Rally Driver of the Year. He was presented with the prestigious Billy Coleman Award and will receive €50,000 worth of support for the 2015 season where he intends to compete in the Fiesta Trophy in the World Rally Championship. Mayo & District Motorsport Club would like to offer him our congratulations and wish him all the best in the coming season. |
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Duffy and Egan take home the Crystal |
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In other motorsport news from the weekend it was heart break for Kiltimagh’s John Higgins who was taking part in the three-day Wales Rally GB. The event which came to a gripping end on Sunday, seen John, who was navigating for former British Junior Champion Marty McCormack retired with mechanical trouble in their Fiesta on the very last stage of the event. Photos by P Collier |
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Closer to home five Mayo members made the trip to Ballycumber in Offaly for the final round of the National Loose Surface Autocross Championships on Sunday. Best of the locals was Derek Deane who brought his Buggy home in fifth place overall, one place ahead of his brother Mervyn., who was followed by the third Deane brother Adrian. Next best was Foxford’s James McGreal in his Subaru Impreza closely followed by fellow Foxford man Stephen Doherty, who was having his first outing in a four wheel drive car, double driving McGreals Subaru, the pair finished the day in nineteenth and twenty-seventh respectively. Photos by John Delaney |
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Motorsport Club End of Year Awards
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November Motorsport News
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In other motorsport news form the weekend a large crowd from Mayo & District Motorsport Club turned out at the Sligo Park Hotel to support Derek Bolton and Trevor O’Connell on receiving their class award at the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championships Awards night. Their first year taking part in the championships, the Ballaghaderreen/Ballina pairing were unlucky not to claim the top spot in Class 15 but after mechanical woes on the two final rounds of the championships curtailed their points scoring opportunities, they had to settle for the runner up spot in the class. |
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