Enniskillen Lakelands Stages Rally - 13 Sep 08

Video Clips

Posted: September 17, 2008 6:03 PM

Richard Cathcart lands Fisher Engineering Stages Rally victory!

Posted: September 17, 2008 5:28 PM

Enniskillen's Richard Cathcart claimed victory at Saturday's Fisher Engineering Stages Rally, round seven of the Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship!

Cathcart and navigator Martin Brady set fastest times on seven out of eight stages to win the County Fermanagh event by 12 seconds from new championship leaders, Sean Devine and Damien Duffin.

"I wasn't expecting to win," Cathcart admitted afterwards. "I just wanted to go out and enjoy a spin in the car! Apart from a puncture, everything went well from start to finish. The car did what I wanted it to do and I came out of every stage with a smile on my face! It was just pure class!"

Cathcart, who last piloted a World Rally Car in the forests two years ago at England's Bulldog Rally, immediately settled into his hired McKinstry Motorsport mount. In stark contrast to his previous experience, good preparation for the Lakeland event ensured he was in fine fettle for the stages, and it was the local man who immediately took control of the rally.

"I couldn't get to grips with Kenny McKinstry's S8 Impreza two years ago," Cathcart admitted, "and I thought I was going to have trouble with the paddle gear change again. But we tested the car before the rally and made sure we were well prepared. We watched the event video to ensure the pace notes were correct and everything just married up."

Cathcart's fastest time on the rally opener was the first of a string of quickest stage times. Despite being up against Northern Ireland championship regulars more accustomed to WRC machinery, it was the local man who was showing them the road!

Meanwhile, championship leader Conor McCloskey tied for second position with reigning champion Glenn Allen over the opening test, four seconds adrift of Cathcart. However, their time in the runner-up position was short-lived as Sean Devine and Damien Duffin moved up another gear during stage two. While Emma McKinstry and Kenny Hull retired their Impreza WRC at the end of the stage with a suspected broken steering rack, Devine pounced into second position.

In fact, it was Devine who became Cathcart's closest challenger throughout the day. He was only one second adrift of the rally leader through stage two, and both crews were awarded the same time after beating the 'bogey' on the third test. But it was Cathcart who extended his lead to 11 seconds through the fourth stage, while third placed Conor McCloskey and Francis Regan bowed their Ford Focus WRC out of contention.

"The car just stopped on stage four," McCloskey said afterwards. "We thought it was a problem with the fuel pump at first but it turned out to be a fault with the fly by wire motor. We managed to get her going again but we forgot to close one of the bonnet pins. During the road section after the end of the stage, we pulled over to fasten it. Unfortunately, the engine stopped again and refused to restart. It's going to be difficult to catch Sean in championship terms so we just have to hope for the best at the Bushwhacker Rally."

McCloskey's retirement ensured Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly moved into third position, five seconds adrift of Devine. However, Allen lost precious seconds through stage five, ensuring it was Cathcart and Devine who were locked in a battle for victory. In fact, Devine set his first fastest time of the day on that same stage, as the rally leader struggled with a puncture.

"I knew there was something wrong," Cathcart admitted. "I wondered why she was going very sideways at every right hand bend, yet she was fine on left hand corners. As it turned out, a tyre was going down but we only lost three seconds to Sean Devine."

That was to be the only stage that Cathcart finished second best to his challengers, and when each of the top three crews beat the 'bogey' through stage six, he held an eight second lead with two stages remaining. Fastest times over the final two tests ensured the advantage was extended to 12 seconds, allowing Cathcart to claim his second Pacenotes championship victory - his maiden win with a World Rally Car - at the Kesh finish ramp.

"We didn't have any big moments," Cathcart enthused. "There was a bad bump on one stage which flicked the back of the car into the air, but that was all. Everything just felt so comfortable - I'm mad to get out in her again but some financial backing would be good!"

With Cathcart taking victory, Sean Devine and Damien Duffin settled for the runner-up position as well as a healthy helping of championship points. Cathcart is not among the championship leaders as the Fermanagh event was his first Northern Ireland Championship rally this year, so Devine's result places him at the head of the standings once again.

"We were a bit cautious at the start after our accident at the Dogleap Rally," Devine admitted. "But once we got to service, we made a few changes to the car and set a fastest time."

"We couldn't afford to push too hard though," Devine continued. "The chicanes were seriously tight and there were 30 second penalties for hitting them. If you lose that amount of time on Fermanagh's rally, there's no way you are going to get it back! There was also little point in pushing too hard on the long stage as we were going to beat the bogey time anyway. I'd liked to have won but you have to watch the championship points too!"

Third overall for Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly, who were testing new suspension in their Toyota Corolla WRC, places them in second position in the series standings, just one point behind Devine. But with only one dropped score to Devine's two, it's the Impreza WRC pilot who holds the upper hand.

Sunoco Fuels production category

In the Sunoco Fuels production category, Comber's Neil McCance and Sean Ferris sealed the honours in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. They finished fourth overall in the process, almost half a minute ahead of fifth placed Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan, with Raymond Johnston and Richard Bell sixth.

Superdrive two-wheel-drive category

Meanwhile, the Superdrive two-wheel-drive category saw Adrian Hetherington and Gary Nolan take an early lead in their Mark 2 Escort. Unfortunately, their rally started going wrong on stage five, before eventually retiring in a ditch on the following test.

"We broke a shaft and part of the back axle on stage five," Hetherington admitted. "We managed to fix the axle before the start of stage six, but then we were going a bit too fast over a bumpy section, and went off the road!"

Frank Kelly and Liam Brennan had been chomping at their heels, so they sealed the 2WD honours as well as seventh overall. Aidan Caldwell and Paul Vaughan were next in line, with Conor Kelly and David Vance third.

Round 8 - McGillin Bushwhacker Rally

Round eight of the Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship takes crews to the forests surrounding Omagh. The McGillin Bushwhacker Rally, which is organised and promoted by Omagh Motor Club, takes place on Saturday 27 September, and is based at the town's Silverbirch Hotel.

Cathcart & Brady take Lakelands honours

Posted: September 17, 2008 5:23 PM

Enniskillens Richard Cathcart has celebrated a fantastic victory on home ground as he and co driver Martin Brady made their debut in a Subaru Impreza S9 WRC.

The Fisher Engineering Lakelands stages has always been a special event for Richard as it is organised and promoted by his local motor club and takes place in his home county of Fermanagh, but this year Richard put in place a deal with McKinstry Motorsport of Banbridge to hire one of their Subaru Impreza WRC machines. It was an S9 model which has previoulsy won events at the hands of illustrious drivers such as Mark Higgins and as a works car in 2003 it was driven by Tommi Makkinen and then Mikko Hirvonen in 2004.

Cathcart was cautious as he left the start of the rally from the Fisher Engineering factory in Ballinamallard, he had the benefit of a short test on the Thursday before the event but was still aprehensive about how he would adapt to the power and complexities of a WRC car. The first stage near Kesh was a real test, although short at only 3 miles it had everything to test the crews including a treachourously slippy tarmac link section. Richard & Martin attacked the test in customary fashion and despite a moment nudging a bank which felt that it would sacrafice any chance of a good time Richard still came out on top and was fastest by 4 seconds ahead of Glenn Allen in the Corolla and championship leader Connor McCloskey in the Focus. Richard continued his form on SS2 Ballintempo again fastest this time by 1 second from Sean Devine. By now Richard was settling into the car and enjoying some big slides as he settled into the increase in power from his previous Group N car s.

At just under 11miles the Carrigans test was alway the potential decider for the event, Richard drove hard but still felt he was taking no chances, the long straight of Carrigans were so fomidable and the McKinstry car was absolutely flat in 6th gear for so many of the straights. This equates to a speed of over 130mph and unsurprisingly Richard shattered the bogey time by 17 seconds. Devine was also to beat the bogey time so both were awarded a nominal time of 10:02. On the Big Dog stage then Richard was again to be fastest by 4 seconds from Glenn Allen as McCloskey was to bow out of the rally with a failed fly by wire motor for his throttle.

Richard now held a lead of 11 seconds as the event moved to Garrison for a service halt and returned to repeat the same loop of stages. On Ballintempo it was Devines turn to set fastest and he took back 3 seconds. Cathcart was to have luck on his side however as he felt the car was sliding excessivley in the last few miles of Ballintempo and when co driver Martin Brady checked the tyre pressures before the next stage they were to discover a rear tyre with a large cut and it was loosing air fast. Fortunately they had an opportunity to change the tyre but they set off into the long stage apprehensive of another puncture because now there was no spare. Regardless Richard once more shattered the bogey time, on this occasion by 35 seconds. He continued into the 2 mile Big Dog stage and again took fastest from Devine by 2 seconds.

As the rally headed to the final stage Richard was now more than happy with his wrc machine and felt he was just getting into a flow with the car but still it was time to be conservative with a ten second lead before the final 3 mile Tullycherry stage which was a reverse of the opening stage, and Richard being conservative was still suitable for one final fastest time as he stopped the clocks 2 seconds ahead of Sean Devine & Damien Duffin to take a very excitable first victory on his home event and maiden victory in a wrc car. This was to be a second victory for Richard & Martin in the N.I. Championship as they were the winners of the Down rally in 2007. This time was however a special victory on home ground for Richard and the McKinstry Subaru performed faultlessly en route to victory.

Photos:

Posted: September 17, 2008 5:20 PM

rallypics.org
Roy Dempster Photos

Results:

Posted: September 17, 2008 5:19 PM

1 Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRC) 40m06s
2 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 40m18s
3 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 40m37s
4 Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 41m22s
5 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) 41m49s
6 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) 41m50s
7 Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Ford Escort MkII) 42m08s
8 Johnny McKenna/Siobhan Cassidy (Mit. Lancer Evo 8) 42m11s
9 Colin Britton/Arthur Kierans (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) 42m21s
10 Howard Clarke/Jason Harron (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) 43m08s

Results and Stage Times

Rally action returns to Fermanagh for Fisher Engineering Stages Rally!

Posted: September 8, 2008 3:48 PM

Rally action returns to the forests in County Fermanagh this weekend with round seven of the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship. Organised and promoted by Enniskillen Motor Club, the Fisher Engineering Stages Rally sees some of the country's fastest drivers lock horns in a bid to emerge king of the Fermanagh forests.

With headquarters at the Lough Erne Hotel, Kesh, current championship leader, Connor McCloskey, will lead the field away in a Ford Focus WRC. Consistent points scoring finishes see the young Kilrea man head the tables in his maiden season with a World Rally Car, but his advantage is a slender one point over reigning champion, Glenn Allen.

Cookstown's Allen will drive his usual Toyota Corolla WRC, and he will also need to keep a close eye on Sean Devine, as well as McCloskey. It was Devine who led the championship until August's Dogleap Stages, where he rolled his Subaru out of contention. The result dropped him to third in the series standings, one point behind Allen.

The Fisher Engineering event has also attracted former Production World Champion, Niall McShea, back into action on home ground. The Fermanagh man has a Toyota Corolla Super 2000 beside his name on the entry list, and it will be the first time that one of the Super 2000 category cars has been seen in the Pacenotes series.

Meanwhile, local man Richard Cathcart has swapped his Group N Subaru for a World Rally Car, and given his past performances, he should be among the leading times. Emma McKinstry and Seamus Devine will also bring their World Rally Cars into the forests.

In the Sunoco Fuels Group N category, Raymond Johnston has returned to the production class with a Group N Lancer, and could pull a few surprises out of his hat. It was Johnston who tussled with McShea for outright victory a number of years ago - could history repeat itself?

There is another solid entry in the Superdrive two wheel drive category, with Wesley Patterson returning to the woods.
He will face stiff opposition from the likes of Frank Kelly, Adrian Hetherington, Seamus O'Connell and James Kennedy.

The action kicks off this Saturday 13 September, and rally programmes will be available from the event headquarters (Lough Erne Hotel).

More details are available from

Northern Ireland Rally Championship

Enniskillen Motor Club

Cathcart to use McKinstry S9, Niall McShea in Toyota S2000

Posted: September 3, 2008 6:20 PM

Richard Cathcart /Martin Brady are expected to use a Kenny McKinstry Subaru Impreza S9, while seeded behind Cathcart is Niall McShea in a Toyota Corolla S2000 from the Gary Emmett Stable.

Entry List

Posted: September 3, 2008 6:13 PM

Top 20
1 Conor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
2 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC)
3 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
4 Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRC)
5 Niall McShea/Marshall Clarke (Toyota Corolla S2000)
6 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)
7 Brian McFall/TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7)
8 John Walker/Dessie Wilson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)
9 Trevor Ferguson/Patrick Gallagher (Subaru Impreza N12)
10 Neil McCance/TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)
11 Ian Cochrane/Colin Harkness (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo)
12 Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Subaru Impreza WRC)
14 Seamus Devine/Marius Coll (Subaru Impreza WRC)
15 Wesley Patterson/David McIlroy (Ford Escort Mk II)
16 Frank Kelly/TBA (Ford Escort Mk II)
17 Adrian Hetherington/TBA (Ford Escort Mk II)
18 Seamus O'Connell/TBA (Ford Escort Mk II)
19 James Kennedy/John Rowan (Ford Escort Mk II)
20 Vivan Hamill/Paul Hamill (Ford Escort)
21 Colm McBride/TBA (Mitsubishi Evo 9)

Full Entry list on:

Enniskillen Motor Club

Regulations available

Posted: January 28, 2008 10:43 PM

Enniskillen Motor Club

• 2008 Northern Ireland Rally Championship