Posted: January 27, 2005 1:50 PM
Kris Meek from Dungannon, co-driven by Chris Patterson from County Antrim driving the McRae Motorsport Kronos Racing Citroen C2 won the Super 1600 category of the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the Junior World Rally Championship which finished in Monte Carlo this afternoon.
Today’s stages have been very difficult due to the dry, wet and icy conditions. Kris was not the only driver to be caught out on special stage 12 when spectators shovelled additional snow across the road. Kris spun when trying to slow down on a downhill section. He lost some time but thanks to spectators pushing him was soon back on course. Gronholm and Solberg also hit trouble on the same section.
An emotional Kris Meek said, “It is pretty special to win your first Junior World Championship event and to win in Monte Carlo, the opening round of the season for a French team, winning their home event is something else . This memory will stay with me forever. I feel that I have now proved a point.
I would like to say a special thank you to all those that have supported me during my involvement with this championship and have helped me achieve this win today. To my mentor Colin McRae who has given many hours of his valuable time and has believed in me. McRae Motorsport and to Kronos Racing and Citroen who provided me with a very reliable car. The C2 is very new, it has lots of speed and with future planned development can only get better. I recorded fastest time over four of the stages. Citroen took eight fastest times over the thirteen stages. I am now very confident of the year ahead with my new Team.”
Following the event from Lanark Colin McRae said, “Magic, feels good even when you are not driving. This victory is long overdue.”
World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb recorded a hat trick of wins in Monte Carlo taking his Citroen Xsara WRC to outright victory finishing nearly three minutes ahead of his closest rival. A winning weekend for Citroen who are now leading the 2005 World Rally Championship and Junior World Rally Championships.
Eamonn Boland / Francis Regan
Antony Warmbold with Irish Navigator Damian Connolly before the start of the Monte Carlo Rally
Photos from Monte Carlo by crspics.com
Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan join JWRC regulars Kris Meeke & Chris Patterson for the opening round of the WRC.
Monaghan co-driver Damian Connelly is the highest seeded Irish person, co-driving for Antony Warmbold in the third works Focus. @ No 14
14 WARMBOLD Antony / CONNELLY Damien (Focus RS WRC 04)
35 MEEKE Kris / PATTERSON Chris (CITROEN C2 Super 1600)
64 BOLAND Eamonn / REGAN Francis (SUBARU Impreza WRC)
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