Enniskillen Lakelands Stages Rally - 9 Sep 06

Posted: September 11, 2006 4:24 PM

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Lynch/McNicholl win despite rolling on SS1 - Event Report
It looked as though a small chink in Kevin Lynch's armour was exposed at last weekend's Fisher Engineering Lakeland Stages Rally when the Dungiven driver overturned his Subaru midway through the opening stage. But in the style of a true champion, Lynch engaged first gear and bulldozed his way out of the undergrowth, rejoined the stage and went on to win the rally!  

Navigated by Martin McNicholl, it was an incredible display of grit and determination from Lynch, who has now been unbeaten in the Northern Ireland rally scene for two years. The KPL pilot is simply unstoppable and if his run of form continues, a third Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship title looks likely to return to Dungiven.    

"We rolled on the first stage and broke the windscreen," Lynch said. "It was all very quick, she just rolled over and came back onto her wheels again. So we didn't lose too much time but the car was pulling to the right and we were slow over the next few stages. We got the problems resolved in service and then we broke two brake discs but there's no point in making excuses. We got the job done in the end!"    

Current championship leader, Glenn Allen, simply had no answer to the flying Lynch. The Cookstown driver, with Damien Connolly on the notes, had problems of his own when his Toyota Corolla WRC coasted to a halt on stage seven. It was enough to drop him to the bottom half of the top six but he recovered to take second place championship points and fourth overall.    

"We had a problem with the fuel pump," Allen said. "The car came to a complete stop and we lost 40 seconds. Beating the bogie time on stage six didn't help us either but it was just one of those days. In the end, getting second place championship points was a miracle!"    

Sandwiched between the two championship contenders, former World Production Champion, Niall McShea, secured second position in his hired Lancer Evo 8. The local man had been battling with early leader Sean Devine for much of the day and entered the final stage two seconds in arrears. Devine, who hails from Strabane, was pushing hard and he spun his Subaru, losing one minute and plummeting to sixth position.    

"It was the same place where Kevin Lynch rolled and I just pushed into the corner too hard," Devine recalled. "I thought there was more grip than there was and when I left foot braked she just tucked in and spun backwards. I just scrubbed against some logs but the damage was superficial - then I stalled and by the time I got going again, almost one minute had passed."    

Devine's excursion allowed Niall and Noreen McShea to secure the runner-up position, while Stephen Moore and Stephen Griffith completed the top three in their Ford Focus WRC. With Glenn Allen fourth, Comber's Neil McCance and Sean Ferris were fifth in their Group N Lancer.    

"We just had a good clean run," McCance said. "We took first in Group N but Niall McShea forfeited his class position because he was in the top three. Although my trophy says first, as far as I'm concerned we were second because there's a Group N car in front of me!"    

In the Superdrive sponsored two wheel drive category, Tyrone's Frank Kelly and Aiden Friel looked set to take two wheel drive honours until an accident at the end of stage seven put the brakes on their challenge.    

"I decided to sample some 15 inch tyres on the rear," Kelly said. "Usually we run 13 inch but it was a short stage so I thought I'd give it a go. Just coming to the finish at a long left hand corner, the car was leaning on one side. And because the tyres didn't fit under the arch properly, the arch came down and locked the wheel. It was like applying the side brake in a tractor and she just spun in the opposite direction. We hit a rock which threw the car into a barrel roll and we hit a couple of trees about eight or nine feet in the air. There was absolutely nothing I could do about it but thankfully nobody was injured."    

Kelly's retirement allowed Strabane's Mark Barnett and Jonathan Charlesson to take top two wheel drive honours in their Mark 2 Escort. Barnett finished 14 seconds ahead of Draperstown's Martin McCormack and Ian Kidd, with Dungannon's Adrian Hetherington and Terry Walkinshaw third, while Aidan and Damian Toner, also from Draperstown, took fourth and third placed Superdrive prize (Hetherington isn't registered for the series).


GpN Winners and 2nd overall: Niall McShea/Noreen McShea (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8)

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Results
1 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC) 40.10
2 Niall McShea/Noreen McShea (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8) GpN 40.39
3 Stephen Moore/Stephen Griffith (Ford Focus WRC) 40.55
4 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 41.06
5 Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9) GpN 41.11
6 Sean Devine/Damian Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 41.23
7 Brian McGillin/Francis Kenny (Subaru Impreza N12) GpN 42.14
8 Donagh Kelly/Mark Cassidy (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6) GpN 42.15
9 Erroll Clarke/Martin McGarrity (Subaru Impreza WRX) GpN 42.27
10 Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6) 43.23

Leaders after:
SS1 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2-4 Sean Devine/Damian Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5-9 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Stage Winners
SS1 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Sean Devine/Damian Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Niall McShea/Noreen McShea (Mit. Lancer EVO 8)
SS4 Niall McShea/Noreen McShea (Mit. Lancer EVO 8)
SS5 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS6 Bogey Time Beaten
SS7 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS9 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)

• Download Full Results and Times

Photos:
ni-motorsport.co.uk
rallyimage.com - Eymard Brennan Photography (Includes Lynch's Roll)
Motorsport Photography by Anthony Hunter
rallypics.org

Enniskillen Motor Club

• 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Championship

First 2WD car home: Mark Barnett and Jonathan Charlesson

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• Pacenotes rally series heads to County Fermanagh!
• Event Details
• Full Entry List
• Event Details
• Regulations available

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The Fisher Engineering (Lakeland) Stages Rally promoted by Enniskillen Motor Club, Round 6 of the MSA Pacenotes Northern Ireland championship, takes place on Saturday 9th September.

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06/09/06
Pacenotes rally series heads to County Fermanagh!

This Saturday's Fisher Engineering (Lakeland) Stages sees some of the leading exponents in Irish rallying wipe the dust off their rally cars and head to County Fermanagh for the sixth round of the Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship.  

Although not registered for the Pacenotes backed series, Gareth MacHale and Paul Nagle top the entry list in their Ford Focus WRC. Fresh from finishing 15th overall in Japan, a round of the world championship, Ireland's young WRC hopeful is aiming to give the regular championship competitors a run for their money.  

Kevin Lynch and Francis Regan confirmed in August that they would complete the remainder of the championship. Although they trail series leader Glenn Allen by seven points, they start the event with number two on their door. Lynch already has four victories to his name, only missing points at the Tour of the Sperrins as a result of business commitments. But the Dungiven driver remains as the hot favourite for championship success, as his achievement record shows that he has been unbeaten in the Northern Ireland Championship scene for two years.  

Championship leaders, Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly, will be third on the road in their Toyota Corolla WRC. Allen, who hails from Cookstown, really gave Lynch a run for his money at August's Dogleap Stages Rally. Trading seconds with Lynch, the event was set to see one of the closest finishes in NI series history, until Allen punctured both front tyres with two stages remaining. Can he stop Lynch's domination this time?  

Local man Raymond Johnston will also be in the hunt with his Subaru Impreza WRC. He came close to winning the rally a couple of years ago after a tussle with Niall McShea. In the end, it was McShea who came out on top but Johnston has since moved into the WRC arena and could well pose a threat, as will Sean Devine.  

In Group N terms, former World Production champion, Niall McShea, also returns to action for his home event. The local driver will use Charlie Mavitty's Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 and he will be against current Irish Tarmac Group N champion, Garry Jennings. Also a local man, Jennings is no stranger to loose surfaces as he cut his teeth in the British Championship forests when he was a Peugeot 'works' driver a number of years ago. Johnny McKenna, Neil McCance and Stanley Ballantine also join the fray.  

Rear-wheel-drive crews are hugely popular with spectators, their sideways driving style is always very entertaining. The two wheel drive category is also sponsored by Superdrive, and James Kennedy is the top seed among these men. Frank Kelly, Mark Barnett and Andy Magee are also among the leading exponents.  

The rally starts on Saturday at 9am with spectator maps available from the headquarters in Mahon's Hotel, Irvinestown. The all-forestry event features nine special stages and 42 stage miles of competition, with the winner due to cross the finish ramp at approximately 5.30pm.

 

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05/08/06
Doubt re Gareth MacHale starting as the car may not be ready after Japan.

1st car away from Fisher Engineering Ballinamallard 10am

Stages
Ballintempo 10:54, 13:38, 16:22
Carrigans 11:13, 13:57
Big Dog 11:43, 14:27
Connagher 12:01, 14:45
all between Garrison and Derrygonelly, stages running south to north

Service Garrison

Programmes available at scrutiny Friday pm (Fisher Engineering Ballinamallard) and at start

Finish Mahons Hotel Irvinestown 17:30

No Driver/Co Driver (Make of Car)
1 Gareth McHale/Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) [8]
2 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
3 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) [8]
4 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
5 Sean Devine/Damian Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
6 Niall McShea/Noreen McShea (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
7 Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [2]
8 Johnny McKenna/Eugene O'Kane (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [2]
9 Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
10 Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [2]
11 Stephen Moore/Stephen Griffith (Ford Focus WRC) [8]
12 Donagh Kelly/Mark Cassidy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [2]
14 Brendan Connor/Alan Redstone (Subaru Impreza ) [8]
15 Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
16 Stanley Ballentine/Richard Hyland (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
17 James Kennedy/James McCullough (Ford Escort) [7]
18 Frank Kelly/Aiden Friel (Ford Escort Mk 2) [7]
19 Mark Barnett/Jonathan Charlesson (Ford Escort RS) [7]
20 Andy Magee/Gerard Callaghan (Ford Escort) [7]
21 Brian McGillin/TBA (Ford Escort Mk 2) [7]
22 Martin Cairns/TBA (Subaru NIO) [2]
23 Rodney McKnight/TBA (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
24 Eamon Mimnagh/TBA (Mitsubishi EVO 5) [2]
25 Paul McShea/Jackie Donaldson (Ford Orion) [8]
26 Conor Kelly/David Vance (Nissan Sunny) [5]
27 Andrew Trotter/Kevin Creighan (Ford Escort) [7]
28 Martin McCormack/Ian Kidd (Ford Escort Mk 2) [6]
29 Trevor Elliott/Keith Boyd (Ford Escort) [7]
30 Damien Hagan/Janice Mackarel (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
31 Vivian Hamill/Paul Hamill (Ford Escort RS) [7]
32 Erroll Clarke/Martin McGarrity (Subaru Impreza) [2]
33 John Walker/Dessie Wilson (Mitsubishi EVO 9) [2]
34 Brian Muldoon/Patsy Corr (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [8]
35 Ashley White/Barry Ferris (Vauxhall Astra) [7]
36 Aidan Toner/Damian Toner (Ford Escort) [6]
37 Paul McCarroll/Raymond Deazley (Ford Escort Mk 2) [7]
38 Geoffrey Nevin/Paul Nevin (Ford Escort Mk 2) [6]
39 Ali Burrows/TBA (Ford Escort) [6]
40 Paul Ward/Peter Ward (Ford Escort) [7]
41 Ian Cochrane/Justin Dilworth (Mitsubishi EVO 7) [2]
42 Colm McBride/Rodney Hicks (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
43 Enda McNulty/TBA (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
44 Gary McElhinney/Darragh Kelly (Ford Escort) [5]
45 Brian McKeefry/James McKeefry (Ford Escort Mk 2) [6]
46 Niall McCullagh/Hughie McCallan (Ford Escort G3) [6]
47 Brendan Cunningham/TBA (Subaru Impreza) [8]
48 Shane McGirr/Gregory McDaid (Toyota Starlet) [3]
49 Paul Flanagan/Laura Flanagan (Talbot Sunbeam) [7]
50 Irwin Craig/David Hamilton (Ford Escort) [6]
51 David Craig/Roger Laird (Ford Escort) [6]
52 Barry Greer/John Lemon (Mitsubishi EVO 6) [2]
53 Ryan McCloskey/Ronan O'Neill (Ford Escort) [6]
54 Andy Hawthorne/Martin Duffy (Vauxhall Astra Gsi) [7]
55 Howard Clarke/Jason Harron (Mitsubishi EVO 7) [2]
56 Darrell Harron/Fabian McAleer (Ford Escort) [6]
57 Thomas Coburn/Roy Lindsay (Peugeot 206) [5]
58 Alastair Fisher/Barry McNulty (Vauxhall Corsa) [3]
59 Noel Lappin/TBA (Ford Escort) [3]
60 David Kerr/Maurice Cresswell (Peugeot 205 1.6Gti) [4]
61 Gary Clarke/Alan Keys (Talbot Sunbeam) [4]
62 Liam Regan/Steven Park (Vauxhall Nova) [3]
63 Jonni McDaid/Adrian McIntyre (Peugeot 106 Gti) [5]
64 Gary Kelly/Barry McKenna (Nissan Sunny) [5]
65 Emlyn Burns/Benny Grainger (Peugeot 206) [5]
66 Ian Duff/Ian Hull (Proton Satrina) [5]
67 Derek Gurney/Jonathan Pollock (Ford Sierra RS 500) [6]
68 Ian Green/Amanda Green (Peugeot) [1]
69 Tony McKenna/Barry Donnelly (Ford Escort G3) [6]
70 Richard Mawhinney/Rodney McDowell (Ford Sierra) [6]
71 Ronnie Coulter/Kevin Trainor (Vauxhall Astra) [7]
72 Mervyn Wilson/Richard Gamble (Ford Escort Mk 2) [4]
73 Mervyn Galbraith/Chris O'Connor (Vauxhall Nova) [3]
74 John-Paul Stuart/Nigel Foster (Suzuki Swift) [3]
75 Mark McCaffrey/David Maxwell (Lada Riva) [3]
76 Damien McAleer/James Thompson (Toyota Corolla) [5]
77 Cyril Doherty/Graham Henderson (Ford Focus ST) [1]
78 William Little/Wendy Blackledge (Ford Puma) [3]
79 Richard Keown/Tony Walsh (Ford Escort Mk 2) [6]
80 Ronnie Boyd/Nigel Boyd (Ford Escort) [6]
81 Colin McFarland/Stephen Riddles (Talbot Sunbeam) [6]
82 Joe McMenamin/Martin Gallogley (Opel Manta) [6]
83 Darren McGrath/Tanya Ferguson (Peugeot 205 Gti) [4]
84 Austin Snow/Daniel Monaghan (Peugeot 206) [5]
85 Ian Thompson/TBA (Peugeot 205 XS) [3]
86 James Walmsley/Leroy Mills (Vauxhall Nova) [3]
87 Paul Cooke/TBA (Peugeot 205 GTi) [5]
88 Samuel Scollan/Bartley Downey (Peugeot 205) [4]
89 Carson Moffitt/David Johnston (Toyota Corolla) [4]
90 Aidan Curran/Liam Curran (Mitsubishi EVO 8) [2]
91 Paul Quinn/TBA (Ford Fiesta) [1]
92 Raymond Corrigan/TBA (Ford Escort) [1]
93 James McGovern/Niall Maguire (Toyota Corolla GT) [1]
94 Uel Montgomery/Leslie Hawe (Vauxhall Astra Gsi) [1]
95 Edgar Cumins/Gregory Roberts (Ford Sierra XR4X4) [2]

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25/08/06
43 Stage miles in the scenic forests of West Fermanagh some of these good enough for the original Rally Ireland.
Entry fee £250.

Start Fisher Engineering Works Ballinamallard
Service Garrison Village
Finish Mahon's Hotel Irvinestown.

Regulations and Entry Form on:

Enniskillen Motor Club

• 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Championship