Co.Cavan Motor Club Autocross @ Latton - 16 Feb 03

Posted: February 17, 2003 9:52 PM

As always the class 1 cars got the first run under way, but it was the Ford Escort of Michael Conlon that was fastest on 2:17.16 and not the class leading Vauxhall Nova of Gerard Greene. As the run continued the class 2 Peugeot 205 of past event winner David Strain was first to show the level of grip with a time of 2:10.79. The ex-British rallycross championship winning Vauxhall Astra of Ronnie Coulter set the fastest time of the first run with 2:09.70. Eventual winner Cyril McCullough set a time of 2:10.52 to lay third. Robert Moffett returned with his awesome Escort 6R4 to post a time of 2:10.14 for second overall.

The recorded times got steadily faster on the second run as the loose sections of the track compacted to give a smooth driving line. Michael Conlon continued to lead the front wheel drive opposition in class 1 with a time of 2:16.34. David Strain stretched his lead-in class 2 with an excellent 2:09.82, championship class front runner Adrian Farrelly also improved by 2 seconds to record 2:11.14. Again the class 5 car of Ronnie Coulter set the pace with 2:09.46, but this was to be short-lived as 2002 champion Cyril McCullough set a blistering pace of 2:08.07, a full 1.5 seconds faster.

By the start of the third run the track surface was now a polished ribbon of pure grip, and each of the class leaders set about consolidating their positions. In class 1 Michael Conlon was again quickest on 2:14.20. In class 2 David Strain set a fantastic 2:08.86 while Adrian Farrelly set a 2:10.29 to move ahead of Shane McGirr into second in class. Robert Moffett finally matched the grip level to the awesome 300 plus horsepower of his Escort 6R4 to set 2:06.91, but it proved too late as once again Cyril McCullough found the magic driving line to record the fastest time of the day on 2:05.55.

In class 1 Michael Conlon had a faultless drive to win by eight seconds from Gerard Greene with Peter Wilson third. This moves Michael into second in the championship class behind Gerard Greene.

In class 2 a dominant drive by David Strain saw him win by 3.5 seconds from Adrian Farrelly with Shane McGirr third. The class win lifts David into a joint third behind Adrian Farrelly and Joseph Smith.

The fast Sligo driver John McKettrick won class 3 from Ollie McCormick with Jim McKenna third. This lifts John into a joint class lead with Ollie, elsewhere the father and son team of championship sponsors Brendan and Vincent McAree got their first class points finishing 7th and 8th respectively.

In Class 4 our Birr Single Stage heroes Ollie O Rielly and Arthur Kierans battled all day, with Arthur eventually winning by 4 seconds. Garreth McCullough was third to consolidate second in the championship class behind joint leaders Ollie and Arthur. Another past event winner, Gerry Smyth made a welcome return to finish fourth in class.

In class 5 a fantastic third run time by Robert Moffett was enough to edge Ronnie Coulter out of the class win by less than a second. Thomas McGovern showed his versatility by driving Cyril McCullough’s car to third in class despite never having driven a front wheel drive competition car before the event. The result also lifted Thomas past Barry McGleenon into third in the championship class behind Ronnie Coulter and Paul Burns.

1 Cyril McCullagh (Peugeot 205) 4m 13.62s
2 Robert Moffett (Escort-Metro 6R4) 4m 17.05s
3 Ronnie Coulter (Astra) 4m 17.83s
4 David Strain (Peugeot 205) 4m 18.68s
5 John McKettrick (Escort) 4m 19.02s
6 Ollie McCormack (Nova) 4m 19.29s.

Class winners:
Michael Conlon (Escort) 4m 30.54s
David Strain
John McKettrick
Arthur Kierans (Escort) 4m 23.58s
Robert Moffett.