ALMC Stages Rally - 1 Jul 07

Posted: July 9, 2007 12:51 PM

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Irish 205 challenge - KEYES LOCKS UP ALMC
Kenneth Keyes stormed to a 13 second victory on the ALMC stages rally last Sunday. Heavy rain showers made the stages treacherous in places causing trouble for some, combined with warm sunny periods making it a difficult decision of choosing tyres.

Stage one saw the stage timing give trouble, leaving everyone unsure where they were placed overall. Kerrill Waters/ Ulton Mc Gowan from Sligo were first to hit trouble with the electrics getting wet causing a lost of power, so much that Barry Mahon/ Ollie O Grady passed them on the stage only to mess up on a square right near the end damaging the front of the car. Others in trouble included Donal Crooke/ Mark Feely who punctured a front tyre and had to stop and change it losing four minutes and all chance of winning. The rain would also affect Craig O Rourke/ Diarmud Murphy who aquaplaned on standing water, and holed there radiator. Some ingenious repairs at the roadside got them going again only to retire on stage three when they slid off on some mud. Stage two saw Crooke go fastest by a huge margin of 14 seconds, no doubt helped by lying poolside for a week before the event.
Keyes was next 5 seconds up on Dermot Mc Neill/ Patrick Lovebridge. Damien and Thomas Mc Guaran also showing well just 4 seconds down and 1 second up on a slow starting Paul Conlon/ Dermot Mc Dermot. Out at this point went two of the hot favourites , firstly Waters with an overheating engine and then Mahon with a broken stub axle after contact with a bridge. Stage three saw Conlon show some form going 9 seconds faster than Keyes. Norman Dunne/ Conor Callahan kept it all together through those early stages to hold fifth place behind Mc Guaran and Mc Neill who were swapping times within a few seconds of each other. Keyes arrived at first service with a slender lead of 3 seconds from Conlon.

Much debate at service centered on tyre choice and it was Keyes who chose correctly, fitting cut slicks, which was ideal for the second and third stages, but Conlon chose inters and turned the 3 second deficit into a 7 second lead on the run through the fourth stage. Conlons inters then wilted as the stages dryed out and he lost time through each stage of the loop dropping behind Keyes to the tune of 15 seconds. Crooke blasted through the sixth stage to go second quickest, but spins on the other stages hampered any progress up the leaderboard.

The battle for third was even better with Dunne, Mc Neill and the Mc Guarans separated by a few seconds after each of the stages. With second service over, Crooke set quickest time, but judging by the sweat coming from him at the end of the stage, a gym subscription would help his results. Keyes was second fastest and increased his lead as Conlon chose the wrong tyres this time losing another 13 seconds. Dunne held steady in third to the end from the Mc Guarans after a great scrap all day. Mc Neill would have been in there only for a bad stage time on the final stage and road penalties dropped him to sixth place. Crooke ended the event in fifth place after an up and down sort of day, much like the weather.

The final stage was nearly spelt disaster for leader Keyes when he spun and stalled half way through dropping 15 second.
Conlon was quickest but again had to settle for second place. A relieved Keyes and co driver Scully reached the finish delighted to have won and also score points for the fourth event in a row extending their championship lead to 18 points over their rivals. With Cork 2 day forest rally next on the calendar, a change of surface and points awarded for each days rallying, its sure to get very interesting from here.

Keep up to date on

Irish 205 Challenge

Results
1 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC) 71m 00s,
2 Sean McArdle/Gerard McMonagle (Toyota Corolla WRC) 71m 38s,
3 Andrew Bird/Reg Smith (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) GpN 71m 55s,
4 John Kelly/Robbie Shaw (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7) 72m 01s,
5 Patrick Higgins/Liam Higgins (Honda Civic 2.0) 72m 12s,
6 Maurice Moffett/Jason McKenna (Toyota Starlet RWD) 72m 45s,
7 Paul Kiely/Pat McSharry (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 72m 59s,
8 James Cassidy/Joe Cassidy (Ford Escort Mk II) 72m 59s,
9 Adrian Quinn/Alan Moran (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 72m 59s,
10 Stephen Cullen/Edward Roche (Subaru Impreza N12) GpN 73m 17s.

JUNIOR RALLY:
1 Sam Moffett/Emmet Sherry (Peugeot 106) 44m 25s,
2 Darren McKenna/Leo McKenna (Toyota Corolla) 44m 57s,
3 David Donoghue/Alan Dolan (Citroen C2 Maxi) 45m 27s.

Leaders After:
SS1 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2-3 Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4-9 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC)

Stage Winners: SS1 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2 Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Paul Kiely/Pat McSharry (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS5 John Kelly/Robbie Shaw (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7)
SS6 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC)
& Sean McArdle/Gerard McMonagle (Toyota Corolla WRC)
SS7 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC)
SS8 Patrick Higgins/Liam Higgins (Honda Civic 2.0)
SS9 John Kelly/Robbie Shaw (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7)

Full Results:
rally.connect.ie (Angus Sealy)

Photos:
crspics.com - Counihan Rallysport Pictures
Joe Lane - Action Photos.ie
Peespeed Photography

ALMC Motor Club

• 2007 Midlands East Rally Championship

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PRE EVENT NEWS

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• Updated Entry list
• Time and Distance Schedule available
• Marshals Meeting Point
• Entry Lists available
• ALMC Rally Launched
• Entries filling up fast
• Event Details
• Regulations available

Left to Right is Dawn Popahm, Bobby Macken, Trevor Burke,
Aogan Dunne, Dermot Hassett, Brendan O'Rourke,
John Carroll, Dave Popham,
Ted Gaffney and Mick Cooper.

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28/06/07
Updated Entry list & Time and Distance Schedule available on event website:

ALMC Motor Club

• 2007 Midlands East Rally Championship

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24/06/07
Marshals Meeting Points

Stage 1 ˆ Meeting at 8.00am Emo Station, Collon Road, Slane ˆ Stage Commander Eoin Longworth

Stage 2 ˆ Meeting at 8.30am, Mace, Carlanstown, Co, Meath ˆ Stage Commander Gareth James

Stage 3 ˆ Meeting at 9.00am, Centra, Nobber, Co. Meath ˆ Stage Commander Phelim Martin

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21/06/07
Entry Lists available

Top 20
No Driver/Navigator (Make Model) [Class]
1 Martin Doherty/Andrew Cullen (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
2 Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
3 Melyvn Evans/Sean Mullaly (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
4 Jack Sleator/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
5 Hugh Martin Doherty/Michael McBride (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
6 Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Ford Focus WRC) [8]
7 Pat Donegan/Lisa Roe (Ford Escort MKII) [14]
8 Michael Curran/Markie McNally (Ford Escort MKII) [13]
9 Sean McArdle/Gerard McArdle (Toyota Corolla WRC) [8]
10 Adrian Quinn/Alan Moran (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
11 Paul Kiely/Pat McSharry (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) [4]
12 Mark Courtney/Conor Foley (Toyota Celica GT-Four) [15]
14 George Mackey/Julian Russell (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [8]
15 John McKeown/Francis Kenny (Ford Escort RS Cosworth) [15]
16 John Kelly/Robbie Shaw (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7) [8]
17 Mauirce Moffett/Jason McKenna (Toyota Starlet RWD) [14]
18 Paul McEnroe/Jer healy (Subaru Impreza N12B) [8]
19 Damien Finneran/Ger Healy (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
20 Frank Wray/Joe McNulty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [4]
21 Stephen Cullen/Edward Roche (Subaru Impreza) [4]

Full Entry Lists on:

ALMC Motor Club

• 2007 Midlands East Rally Championship

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08/06/07
ALMC Rally Launched
ALMC Motor Club held the launch of their Multi Stages Rally last night at Rally HQ, City North Hotel, Gormanston.

The Rally is a round of both the Sleator Auto Rally Championship and the Peugeot 205 Challenge and all leadinfg contenders in these championships are entered The event, on 1st July 2007, will give competitors approx 125kms of challenging driving over 3 repeated stages in Co Meath.

Rally HQ for the weekend is City North Hotel, Gormanston, just off the M1 (ony 30 mins from Dublin), and Parc Ferme will also be based here.

Scrutiny and Trailer Park are both in close proximity to the Hotel Aogan Dunne, General Manager, City North Hotel, stated that the hotel is very happy to be associated again with ALMC and he and his staff look forward to a very busy weekend.

For competitors still seeking accommodation, rooms are still available at Rally HQ at special rates for the rally.

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08/05/07
ALMC are delighted to have be associated with City North Hotel, Gormanston, Co Meath again as HQ and major sponsor
Format:: 3 stages 3 times,
Closed road servicing
Round of Sleator Auto Rally Championship
Round of 205 C/ship
All stages East County Meath
Easy access from M1 motorway
Entries on a first come first served basis

Regulations now available on:

ALMC Motor Club

• 2007 Midlands East Rally Championship