Donegal Mini Stage Rally (Closed) - (Sat) 16 Feb 13

Video Clips

Posted: February 1, 2014 7:56 PM

In Car

Posted: February 1, 2014 7:53 PM

Joseph McGonigle & Ciaran Geaney - Renault Clio R3 SS3


Gary McElhinney & Paddy McCrudden (Ford Escort Mk II) SS1


Barry McKenna / Emmet Sherry (Ford Escort) SS2

Report

Posted: February 1, 2014 7:50 PM

The Donegal Motor Club concluded their successful Ballyliffin Hotel Mini Stages Rally on Saturday 16th February, after 9 challenging stages. The clear winner of the event was Martin Doherty and Damien McCauley in a Mitsubishi Evo 9 who dominated from start to finish.

However, Martin did not have it all his own way, as Daniel Barry and Gordon Noble in a Mitsubishi Evo 10 pushed the pair to keep their lead, while 2 wheel drive local ‘kids’ Daniel Doherty and Michael Doherty from Carndonagh started well out of the blocks in an MkII Escort, keeping the 3rd position within their grasp for the remainder of the day, despite the 4 wheel drive of the Japanese ‘twins’ up front overwhelming the ‘non aspirated 2 wheel drive’ from a by gone era. Spectators and residents alike, watching the event, were thrilled by some of the best rally action to be seen at this top sporting event, and the organisers had to be commended for their slick running of the event, which ran faultlessly and on time, with a finish back at the Ballyliffin Hotel, at the planned ‘champagne spray’ finish time of 5pm.

While the Ballyliffin Hotel hosted the rally for the week-end, Carndonagh was the focus for the two Service halts, chosen by Clerk of the Course, Brendan McElhinney and his team of experienced organisers, completing all the stages within the planned time schedule. The Club ran two of the most iconic rally stages in Ireland, if not in Europe, Malin Head and Coolcross. This terrain with its most famous rally stages in Ireland, has been used most recently by the Donegal International Rally and in the past by the Circuit of Ireland. Both favourites with the competitors, spectators and residents alike, the stages provided spectacular driving for all concerned. Martin Doherty in his victory speech at the finish ramp of the rally, said,
“I want to pay tribute to the Donegal Motor Club and the team of people who organised and made the event possible today.”

Clerk of the Course, Brendan McElhinney, speaking after the event said,
“I want to thank my team of officials who helped me organise this event, and in particular the members of the team who helped me to get me to this position of Clerk of the Course since I began this journey last year. I wish to thank the marshals and other officials who made this event possible before the event and on the day. Finally I wish to thank the Ballyliffin Hotel for their kind sponsorship and support in hosting this event.”

Photos

Posted: February 1, 2014 7:46 PM

KG Rally Pics

Results on Line

Posted: February 1, 2014 7:38 PM

1 Martin Doherty/Damien McCauley (Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 48m 11s,
2 Danny Barry/Gordon Noble (Lancer Evo 10 GpN) 49m 12s,
3 Daniel Doherty/Michael Doherty (Ford Escort) 50m 18s,
4 Patrick McHugh/Pauric O’Donnell (Ford Escort) 50m 27s,
5 Joe McGonigleCiaran Geaney (Clio R3 Maxi) 50m 37s,
6 Raymond Conlon/Darren McCauge (Toyota Corolla RWD) 50m 46s,
7 Conor Watters/Gerry Hughes (Ford Escort) 51m 08s,
8 Arthur Kierans/Mac Kierans (Ford Escort) 51m 17s,
9 John Ward/Gary McNern (Toyota Corolla) 51m 18s,
10 Gary McElhinney/Paddy McCrudden (Ford Escort) 51m 23s.

Leader After
SS1-6 Martin Doherty/Damien McCauley (Lancer Evo 9 GpN)

Stage Winners
SS1-6 Martin Doherty/Damien McCauley (Lancer Evo 9 GpN)

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Results on Line (Donegal Mini Stages 2013) | Results by: RallyScore.Net

Donegal Motor Club Closed Mini Stages – Press Release 2

Posted: February 9, 2013 10:37 AM

Preparations are well under way for the Donegal Motor Club’s Closed Mini Stages Rally, sponsored by The Ballyliffin Hotel, Ballyliffin, Inishowen, Co. Donegal. On Sunday 10th , the Motor Club will be busy with a sign-on for the 55+ crews to reconnoitre the twin stages to be used at the top of Inishowen peninsula, one of which is Ireland’s most northerly point, the scenic and iconic Malin Head. Later on Sunday 10th there will be a Marshal’s Training session for this and other Motorsport events, where Motorsport Ireland officials will prepare and train-up marshals to cater foe the strict safety requirements of an officially sanctioned event. Motorsport Ireland Marshals Trainer, Gerald Hunter said, “I would encourage anyone interested in this, to make their way to the training session in the Ballyliffin Hotel for 6pm on the Sunday evening. This session will give members of the public a great insight into the workings and responsibility required to run such an event, and if you want to begin a career in Motorsport without competing, this is the event for you!”

The Clerk of the Course for the event will be Brendan McElhinney, invites everyone along to Ballyliffen on Friday night(15th February) to see the Mechanical Scrutiny (safety and eligibility checks) that will take place from 4pm until 8pm, based at McLaughlin’s Top Filling Station. The paper scrutiny will take place at the Ballyliffin Hotel, Ballyliffin.

Saturday 16th will see the main action for the event, with a early start, where there will be a Competitor Safety Briefing with first car away from the Hotel at 10.42 am. The competition will take the format of 2 special stages, repeated 3 times, with a finish is expected to take place around 5pm on the Saturday afternoon with provisional results published shortly afterwards.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: February 9, 2013 10:31 AM

Donegal Mini Stage Rally (Closed) - (Sat) 16 Feb 13 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

Ballyliffin Hotel Closed Mini Stages Rally - Press Release 1

Posted: January 22, 2013 9:37 AM

Saturday 16th February will witness the return of Donegal Motor Club’s Closed Mini Stages Rally. The Ballyliffin Hotel, Ballyliffin, Inishowen, Co. Donegal are sponsoring this February 2013 event, promising entrants 6 stages (2stages x 3)for a special value €375.

Entries are now open for this event, planned to be based in the Ballyliffin Hotel, on the Inishowen Peninsula, taking in 2 of the most iconic special stages on the spectacular Northerly coast of Ireland.

The Clerk of the Course for the event will be Brendan McElhinney, backed up by the team that brought the Ballybofey based Mini Stages event late in 2012.

Brendan said that he was delighted to run this first special stage event of 2013 for the Donegal Motor Club, and promised entrants a very special event for all involved on this mid-February event.

Brendan went on to give some details of the event, for competitors and spectators alike. For the competitors one week before the actual event, there will be a reconnaissance run taking place on Sunday 10th February.

The following Friday night(15th February) the Mechanical Scrutiny (safety and eligibility checks) will take place from 4pm until 8pm, based at McLaughlin’s Top Filling Station, followed by Paper Scrutiny at the Ballyliffin Hotel, Ballyliffin.

Early on Saturday morning, 16th of February, before the start, there will be a Competitor Safety Briefing with first car away from the Hotel at 10.42 am. The competition will take the format of 2 special stages, repeated 3 times, with a finish is expected to take place around 5pm on the Saturday afternoon with provisional results published shortly afterwards.

Details on Regulations below:

Regulations

Posted: January 18, 2013 8:59 PM

Donegal Mini Stage Rally (Closed) - (Sat) 16 Feb 13 - REGULATIONS

Flyer

Posted: January 11, 2013 4:56 PM

Club Website

Posted: January 11, 2013 4:55 PM

Donegal Motor Club