Eddie 'Powers' to Suirway Group South East Stages Rally Championship Glory
Posted: October 27, 2016 2:36 PM
There was joyous celebration's at the end of the final stage in this year's Wexford Stage Rally as Co. Waterford entrepreneur Eddie Power clinched the Suirway Group South East Stages Rally Championship Driver's Title. At the Riverbank House Hotel finish ramp an elated Eddie said "I'm absolutely delighted to win the championship. It's been a great year for me and when we encountered problems we've worked really hard, so it's brilliant to achieve this win at the end of the season."
The South East Stages is a true club competitor championship with two unique features that sets it apart in rallying within Ireland. Number one it's based on both gravel and tarmac surfaces and more importantly number two the points scoring system is class based, meaning the championship a level playing field irrespective of the machinery a competitor is at the wheel of.
Eddie's winning campaign got underway last February with full points at the Carrick Forest Rally and having nominated the event as his double score 30 points were netted. 12 were accumulated on his second outing on the Moonraker Forest Rally in April and these two results were made extra sweet as it was Eddie's first time to complete on a loose surface.
The championship switched to tarmac in May for the Carlow Stages Rally and the change brought a reversal in fortunes and with his Toyota Corolla WRC was out of action Eddie decided to rent another car but a gearbox problem lead to retirement and a non-finish.
The title assault got back on track with his home event in June on the Ravens Rock Rally with an 18 points haul. This was backed up with another 18 points score on the penultimate round the Clonmel based Stonethrowers Rally in August.
The championship was delicately poised going into the only two day event of the season in Wexford. Mick Conlon held the upper hand on 82 points, three ahead of Eddie but Conlon still had to select his worst score from the season (Five best scores from the six round championship). With both scoring a total of 12 points, Conlon elected to drop his lowest from the Stonethrowers (9 points) and Eddie already nominated Carlow as his lowest it was he who was crowned 2016 champion driver.
It wasn't plain sailing as the usually reliable Toyota Corolla was suffering from an intermittent electrical gremlin during Saturday's nine stages. This however was rectified for the final push on Sunday. There was as Eddie describes it, "A close call with a ditch on stage eleven" but after recomposing himself both he and his faithful steed had a clean run to the finish to bring the trophy back to Dunmore.
Eddie attributes much of his success to his co-driver John Rafter, "John came on board to this year and he has been the driving force behind my championship win. He is a very determined person. He was there to push me on the two gravel events early in the year. When I needed encouragement when things weren't going right or when I needed to back off, John was there with a strong controlled voice. I want to thank him very much for all his hard work."
Final Championship Points
Posted: August 12, 2016 1:21 PM
Please note points will remain provisional until 03/10/2016 at 6.00 p.m. and will then be declared final subject to any queries being resolved.
2016 South East Stages Rally Championship - Prizegiving - (Sat) 14 Jan 17
Posted: May 2, 2016 10:22 AM
Championship Flyer
Posted: February 13, 2016 11:11 AM
2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship
Posted: February 13, 2016 9:52 AM
The 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship was launched on January 24th at the 2015 Awards Night. It was, by the way, a terrific night with the majority of the awards winners present. There were some innovative changes to the 2016 championship making it one, if not, the most competitor friendly regional rally championships.
It still retains its WRC / ERC style catering for both tarmac and forestry rallies. It also has free entries that are valued in excess of Eur12,000.
But Motorsport Ireland had required the regional championships to align their classes with those of MI Yearbook, Appendix 29.1.
To maintain the close competition that has always been part of the South East Stages Rally Championship, where a competitor from any of the Main GROUPS, can aspire to be the championship victor, the SES committee have realigned the structure to maintain this ethos.
The structure will be defined as GROUPS and not classes in the championship. The classes will apply as per appendix 29.1 This will require a step from what was familiar to a much easier method of entering the correct GROUP in the SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship.
The Groups and the Classes (Appendix 29.1) are explained in the regulations for the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship.
The promoting clubs: Carrick-on-Suir; Munster; Carlow; Tipperary and Wexford will have the regulations on their websites. They are also on the SES website.
There will also be explanation boards at the rally offices of the championship rounds.
The 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship is once again the best regional championship that's favours the clubman competitor.
Round 1 Willie Loughman Forest Rally 14th February 2016 Piltown GAA Complex.
Championship Launched / Full Details
Posted: February 3, 2016 9:48 AM
The SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship has been launched. It was launched at the awards night for the 2015 Championship on Saturday 24th January at the Cahir House Hotel in Cahir.
James Coleman MD of the SUIRWAY GROUP and well regarded competitor on both forestry and tarmac stages has committed his full support for 2016.
There are 12 FREE ENTRIES for the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship (excluding insurance levies) that is 2 FREE ENTRIES per class in the 2016 championship which will carry over to the 2017 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship.
From the final round of the 2015 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship, The Wexford Stages Rally, the Winner of class 4 and the Wild Card draw winner received their FREE ENTRIES to the 2016 Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally.
The allocated FREE ENTRIES for the registered drivers to the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship are the Winning Drivers of the following classes and Wild Card Draw for the same class in the championship rounds
Carrick Forestry Class 6 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies)
to the Munster Moonraker Forest Rally
Munster Moonraker Class 5 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies)
to the Carlow Tarmac Stages Rally
Carlow Class 4 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies)
to the Ravens Rock Tarmac Rally
Ravens Rock Class 1 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies)
to the Stonethrowers Tarmac Rally
Stonethrowers Class 3 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies) to the Wexford Stages Tarmac Rally
Wexford Class 2 2 Free entries (excluding insurance levies)
to the Carrick Forestry 2017*
(*or first round of the championship in 2017
This is a terrific incentive that is unheard of in Irish Rallying. As can be seen from the above, the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship consists of six rounds, two forestry and four tarmac. With a little imagination it is similar to the WRC and ECR (loose and tarmac over 4 seasons) and just as challenging.
The 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship has 7 classes. It is a class based championship which allow the competitors from any of the 6 classes (except Juniors) to become the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship winner. Coincidentally possibly since the South East
CLASSES:
Class 1 - All Cars up to 1450 c.c.
Class 2 - All Cars from 1451 c.c. to 1700 c.c., with two valves per cylinder.
Class 3 - All Cars from 1451 c.c. to 1700 c.c., more than two valves per cylinder.
Class 4 - All Cars from 1701 c.c. to 2500 c.c., with two valves per cylinder.
Class 5 - All Cars from 1701 c.c. to 2500 c.c., more than two valves per cylinder.
Class 6 - All Cars 2501 c.c. and over and all 4 wheel drive cars.
Class 7 - Junior class.
Only competitors entered in the Junior section of the events are eligible for
this class, and will not be eligible for other class awards or overall awards. For a
navigator to register and score points in this class they must meet the criteria for a
junior driver as per the 2016 Motorsport Ireland Yearbook.
What else is on offer for the 2016 SUIRWAY GROUP South East Stages Rally Championship?
Nominate one round for double points; An extra 3 points to the fastest driver and navigator in each class on the POWER STAGE (nominated by each events COC); Separate driver and navigator?s championship; Award winners receive 2 complimentary tickets to the 2016 Awards Night; Championship awards to 5th in class (except Juniors to 3rd in class); Special Junior Award ? Gift Voucher.
Championship Rounds
Posted: January 8, 2016 6:23 AM
- Carrick-on-Suir Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally - 14 Feb 16
- Munster CC. Moonraker Forestry Rally - (Sat) 16 Apr 16
- Carlow Stages Rally - 8 May 16
- Carrick- On-Suir Raven's Rock Stages Rally - 26 Jun 16
- Tipperary Stonethrowers Stages Rally - 7 Aug 16
- Wexford Stages Rally - 10-11 Sep 16
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