Keenan heads for Netherlands = another class win!

Posted: October 2, 2003 9:23 PM

The first nine stages were ran late into the dark hours of Friday night. Weather conditions were dry on the grippy tarmac surface across the flat landscape. Dessie was leading the class throughout the first seven stages until misfortune struck on stage eight when he bent a driveshaft while cutting a corner, causing him to limp through to the end of the stage eight and stage nine. Replacing the driveshaft at final service Friday night left the car ready for Saturday morning, with Dessie still holding class lead.

Eleven stages were ran on Saturday in the dry conditions. Dessie and Seanie had no problems and took the Peugeot home to a class win and 27th overall, much to their delight! Dessie thoroughly enjoyed the rally and has already planned to return next year “ it was an excellent rally, I really enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be back!”.

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11/09/03
Keenan 6th 206 in Ulster Rally
This years Ulster Rally was held at the ‘Armagh City Hotel’. The event consisted of two days rallying with six stages on Friday 5th September and ten stages on Saturday 6th September. Once again, competitors came from all over Europe to take part in the event.
As a round of the Peugeot Sport 206 Cup, Dessie with navigator Enda Sherry took part in the event.
Friday evening weather conditions were damp with scattered showers leaving driving conditions difficult especially with plenty of mud on the stages. Dessie had no problems during the first two stages but did not get through stage three as it was cancelled. This left the young Monaghan driver at a disadvantage as after service with lamp-pods on as darkness closed in, it was difficult to visualise where the mud was lying on the road. Retiring into Armagh Friday night, Dessie was lying 8th overall in the Peugeot Cup.

Saturday morning stages were held around the town of Omagh. Road surface conditions were still damp but were drying out. Dessie increased his pace and had an excellent run on all ten stages even managing to clock third fastest time at one point.

Dessie knew that it would be impossible to close in on the front-runners due to time lost on Friday night. Bringing the 206 back into Armagh Keenan finished 6th in the Peugeot Cup and 26th overall commenting “ There was no chance of getting back the time lost, I’m still pleased to get the car back in one piece as there were a lot of casualties out there”.

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20/08/03
Keenan at NEMC Single Stage
This years Duprint North East Single Stage was based at the Fairways Hotel, Dundalk, Co. Louth. 130 Competitors were to compete in the ten-mile stage, which consisted of one practise run followed by three timed runs. Seeded 10 on the road, Dessie and team had spent all week preparing for the event, installing a new engine in the Peugeot after engine failure in the "Harry Flatters Rally" in Wales the pervious week.

After having a clean run on stage one, Dessie with navigator Enda Sherry were lying 6th overall and leading class A6. Throughout the second stage problems began to arise as the car began missing. At service it was discovered that the fuel pump was responsible and with no replacement pump available, Dessie had to continue the rally down on power, which meant loosing approx. 35 seconds on the final stage. None the less Dessie managed to finish 14th overall and 2nd in his class and commented that he was "just glad to get a finish" after being forced to retire from his previous two rallying events.

Next on the agenda for Dessie is to take part in this years Triton Showers sponsored Lurgan Park Rally, followed by the next round of the Peugeot Cup which coincidently is the Ulster Rally based in Armagh on the 5th/6th September.

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18/07/03
Clutch problems for Keenan in Sligo!
Round 5 of the Quinn Group Border Rally Championship brought Dessie Keenan to the Sligo Stages Rally, with head quarters based at the Sligo Park Hotel. With a full entry of 130 competitors and weather conditions warm and dry, the event was no doubt going to be fiercely competitive!

Four different stages based on the Sligo-Leitrim border, each ran twice, made up the eight stages of the event. The notorious fast, bumpy Sligo stages were going to prove challenging to both the driver and the rally car itself.

Dessie, ‘Billy Coleman award’ finalist with his sister Laura navigating, started no 31 on Sunday morning. The first four stages were superb for the Monaghan driver, setting some of the fastest class stage times. Service after stage four based at Manorhamilton, left the car refuelled and ready to attack the last four stages. Disaster struck however on stage 7, when the clutch failed in the Peugeot 206, resulting in no transmission drive in the car. This was irreparable and a disappointed Dessie had to retire from the rally, commenting “I’m disappointed, but once the clutch goes, that’s it – rally over”.

Preparation is now underway for the Keenan Motorsport Team as they prepare to head for the town of Brecon, South Wales to contend the ‘Harry Flatters Rally’, round 6 of the Peugeot 206 SuperCup.