Posted: November 3, 2005 9:52 PM
Unfortunate end to Rally Catalunya for Paddy White Rallysport.
Paddy White travelled to Round 15 of the World Rally Championship, Rally Catalunya, based in southern Spain, from 27-30 October. Paddy was driving his ex Prodrive works built Subaru Impreza WRC S9 and Partnered by navigator Martin Brady and Mc Kinstry Motorsport preparing the car.
After years of being based in the Costa Brava area, the rally had moved to the Tarragona region, the service area was located at the popular Port-Aventura theme park. The 15 special stages ran in the mountains around the host town Salou.
However before the rally there was a very tiring recce which covered hundreds of kilometres of the Costa Durada mountain roads, this meaning Paddy and Martin were in the car for up to 11 hours a day making the pace notes, each stage was driven twice as the notes were made and checked.
The rally began on Thursday night with a grand carnival atmosphere and approx 15 thousand fans at the start ramp on the Salou beach front. Paddy White was seeded as second privateer on the road behind South American champion Ricardo Trevino in his Peugeot 206 WRC First stage on Friday morning saw Paddy hit the ground running and take time out of Trevino in the greasy conditions. The day grew hotter and tyres began to play their part and on stage 2 as Paddy met difficulty with the tyres going off towards the end of the second stage on the tight repetitive hairpins of the mountain stages. The next 2 stages were then taken cautiously as an air lock in the cooling system brought a rise in engine temperature so Paddy preserved the car to return to service where the Mc Kinstry team could bleed the system and return the car back to the stages with all healthy for the days final 2 stages.
A change in tyre compound saw Paddy and Martin get back onto a competitive pace for stage 5 before Stage 6 was cancelled with a fire for one of the works Subaru teams.
Saturday improved further, as Paddy & Martin climbed up into the twenties finishing the day 23 rd overall, the 5 Saturday stages were twisty and demanding with fog in the high points of some stages.
Sunday dawned bright in the service area but with heavy fog on stage 13. Paddy put in a very strong performance to finish stage 13 over 32 seconds faster than the previous running of the stage, and this was in heavy fog with deceptive drops should a wheel be put wrong, in one particular 5km split Paddy made up 18 seconds alone, a brave commitment level in the conditions.
However stage 14 the penultimate test was to be the unlucky number. 2km from the end of the stage while battling with tyres gone off. The Tyres were struggling again to last the long twisty stages in the searing ambient heat the car just with no grip nosed on slightly on the entry to a tight Square Right corner, there was an Armco barrier protecting a 100 foot drop the S9 Subaru made contact with the barrier sliding under the Armco, the barrier held on with a tight grip and the car was stuck, unable to be moved. Help from spectators was unsuccessful and the rally was unfortunately over. Damage was limited to a broken wing mirror, a screen and some minor scrapes to paintwork.
A pity to end the rally so near the finish, however it had been an enjoyable challenging event to that point. Irish spectators were out in force on the stages and it was a great spectacle to see Tricolours being waved enthusiastically in certain places as Paddy and Martin passed along the stages.
Irish honour at the finish ramp was upheld by Eammon Boland/Francis Regan who had an excellent 15 th overall finish.
The Paddy White Rally team are supported by OKOHAUS Timber Frame Homes, www.okohaus.ie The Ramada Hotel & Suites Lough Allen www.loughallenhotel.com Pirelli Tyres, Goldman Securities and www.paddywhiterallysport.com
PRE EVENT NEWS
- Irish Crew White & Brady head to tackle WRC Catalunya
- Eamonn Boland and Paddy White are entered on Rally Catalunya.
23/10/05
Irish Crew White & Brady head to tackle WRC Catalunya
The penultimate round of the 2005 World Rally Championship 41st Rally RACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA takes place on based in Sunny Port Aventura Spain from 27th to 30th October 2005. Competing amongst the World Championship teams will be Irish Driver Paddy White and his Co Driver Martin Brady. Both are resident in Navan Co Meath and have plenty of Irish rally experience and previous success to draw from as they travel to Spain to compete in a round of the highest level of International rallying. Paddy White has been rallying for numerous years in many differing cars and events. In 2003 Paddy was the West European Rally Champion after competing on events in France, Holland, Isle of Man and of course Ireland. Paddy travelled to the WRC Catalunya rally last year and after being hampered with time consuming punctures achieved his goal of a finish on the gruelling event.
Martin Brady is a 26 year old co driver based also in Navan and a regular competitor notching up over 85 events as a co driver since starting rallying 4 years ago, he has competed with Paddy on 2 occasions this year on the Midland Stages rally and the recent Rally Ireland event which is the Irish aspirant event for a place on the WRC Calendar. This will be Martins first WRC event.
Paddy White will be taking his renowned S9 Subaru Impreza World Rally Car to the Spanish event. This car has an illustrious history having been the first ever right hand drive WRC car built by the Subaru World Rally team for a privateer driver. On event the car will be prepared and serviced by the Mc Kinstry Motorsport Team from Banbridge, a successful team in their own right.
The Paddy White Rally team are supported by OKOHAUS Timber Frame Homes, The Ramada Hotel & Suites Lough Allen www.loughallenhotel.com Pirelli Tyres and www.paddywhiterallysport.com
08/10/05
Eamonn Boland with Francis Regan on the notes has entered in his Ford Focus WRC
Paddy White has yet to nominate a co driver.
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