Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Round 3 Preview
Posted: April 19, 2019 8:46 AM
Craig Breen & Paul Nagle will be heading to the Wastewater Solutions Easter Stages Rally this weekend knowing that a third win on the bounce would leave them in a very strong Irish Tarmac Rally Championship position. With wins in Galway and West Cork the pair holds a six point advantage heading into the third round of the series and they will be strong favourites to make it a hat trick of wins. Alastair Fisher & Gordon Noble have been in excellent form this year, with Alastair pushing Breen very hard on both rounds to date and finishing less than thirty second behind each time. Fisher is long deserving of an outright win on a TROA round, and he will be doing his best to break that duck.
Josh Moffett won this event in 2018 but this year hasn’t run as smoothly to date. Third overall in Galway and seventh in West Cork after mechanical trouble has dented his challenge somewhat, but he still holds third overall in the championship. Jonny Greer has had a couple of steady results to hold fourth place with Tom Cave who is not competing on the Antrim based event. Sam Moffett & Callum Devine also bring their Fiestas to the party and both will feature in the overall shakeup if they get a good start.
It’s been a difficult start for Declan Boyle and Manus Kelly with both finding the change to R5 machinery a challenge. Boyle was hampered by electrical problems early in West Cork but set some very competitive times in the latter half of the event. Things have been even tougher for Manus Kelly as he adapts to LHD for the first time and it’s been a difficult spell for him but with more seat time in the Hyundai he will get closer to the pace. Desi Henry and Meirion Evans are two other registered R5 drivers who will be looking to add to their points tally after a disappointing West Cork. Martyn England also makes the trip over from the UK after retiring his Fiesta on the last round in Clonakilty.
The Group N category sees William Mavitty the champion of 2017 & 2018 up against Andy Davies from Wales who has been very impressive so far this season on his first attempts on Irish tarmac. Davies took top points in Galway with Mavitty doing likewise in Clonakilty. The battle for honours is sure to be interesting in Antrim this weekend. William Creighton currently leads the R2 class and will be strong favourite to make it three from three despite Eamonn Kelly and Johnnie Mulholland likely to be pushing hard. Creighton despite his tender years has a had a head start on his rivals and is very well used to the car and its limitation and has a lot of experience over the past couple of years.
The Modified championship leader Damian Toner is closer to home territory this weekend and will be well favoured to extend his lead as closest rivals David Condell and Damien Tourish are not competing. Conor McCrossan is currently fourth in the championship and he will see this as an opportunity to gain some ground. Gerard McQuaid, his namesake Hugh and JR McDaid are three other registered drivers who can take full advantage, should Toner make any mistakes. The Historic and Junior categories are poorly represented with Andy Johnson, Ernie Graham, Craig MacWilliam and Adrian Kermode the most notable while Conor Murphy is the sole junior championship contender looking to get his first points of the season.
The first six stages take place on Good Friday the 19th April and the action begins with the Buckna stage at 10:41am. Saturday will see six more stages with the first car due back at the finish at approximately 4:30pm at the Ulster Grand Prix Pits.
Statement from Mellors Elliot Motorsport:
Posted: April 18, 2019 8:53 AM
"We are disappointed for Eugene Donnelly having to pull the entry for this weekends Easter Stages due to last minute software issues. After initial tests we are happy with the car but unfortunately a minor fault has meant withdrawing from the Rally was the best option before any damage was caused. Testing will resume in the next couple of weeks and we are looking forward to the next event."
Rally Programmes
Posted: April 12, 2019 8:14 AM
Seeded Entry List
Posted: April 5, 2019 6:50 AM
No. Driver/Co-Driver (Car) [Class]
1 Craig Breen/Paul Nagle (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
2 Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
3 Alastair Fisher/Gordon Noble (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
4 Sam Moffett/James Fulton (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
5 Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
6 Derek McGarrity/Paddy Robinson (Ford Fiesta WRC) [A7]
7 Manus Kelly/TBA (Hyundai i20 R5) [S8]
8 Callum Devine/Brian Hoy (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
9 Jonathan Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
10 Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan (Skoda Fabia R5) [A5]
11 Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson (Hyundai i20 R5) [A5]
12 Alan Carmichael/TBA (Hyundai i20 R5) [M4]
14 Eugene Donnelly/Brian Kirwan (Proton Iriz R5) [A5]
15 Mark Massey/Niall Burns (Ford Fiesta R5) [S8]
16 Conor McCrossan/David Burns (Skoda Fabia S2000) [M4]
17 Kenny McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Subaru Impreza WRC S14) [S9] (Saturday only)
18 Stuart Biggerstaff/TBA (Subaru Impreza WRC S9) [A7]
19 Daniel Cronin/Jj Cremin (Ford Fiesta R5) [S8]
20 William Mavitty/Andrew Browne (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [A4]
21 Dominic McNeill/Tommy Speers (Ford Fiesta WRC) [S9] (Saturday only)
22 Damian Toner/Michael Coady (Ford Escort Mk2) [M3]
23 Camillus Bradley/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2) [S7]
24 Keith White/Paul Hughes (Ford Escort Mk1) [S7]
25 Martyn England/Dawn England (Ford Fiesta R5) [A5]
26 Rodney White/Sam McMullan (Talbot Sunbeam) [S6]
27 Andy Davies/Michael Gilbey (Subaru Impreza N12b) [A4]
28 John Devlin/John McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [S6]
29 Simon Chapman/Peter Foy (Proton Satria Millington) [M4]
30 Alastair Cochrane/Ian Kidd (Ford Escort Mk2) [S6]
31 Alan Atcheson/TBA (Ford Fiesta) [S9] (Saturday only)
32 Michael Conlon/Martin Byrne (Ford Escort Mk2) [M3]
33 Liam McFall/Matthew McKenna (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) [M4]
34 J T Warnock/Dessie Wilson (Ford Escort Mk2) [M2]
35 Christian Cochrane/Martin Lynch (Ford Escort) [S6]
36 Alan Smyth/MacKierans (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) [S9]
37 William Creighton/Liam Regan (Peugeot 208 R2) [A2]
38 Kyle White/Sean Topping (Peugeot 208 R2) [A2]
39 Michael McGarrity/Damien Garvey (Citroen Ds3 R3) [S6]
40 Peter Bennett/Simon Jones (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [M4]
41 Nick Barnett/Martin Brady (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [A4]
42 Niall Donnelly/Dave Birt (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5]
43 James Kennedy/Heather Kennedy (Ford Escort Mk2) [S6]
44 Ross Brusby/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [S7]
45 Seamus Branniff/Barry Savage (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [S2]
46 Joe Gallagher/Alan Redstone (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [S2]
47 Eamonn Kelly/Conor Mohan (Ford Fiesta R2T) [A2]
48 Matthew McAlister/Christopher McGhee (Subaru Impreza) [S9]
49 Andrew McCormick/Chris McSherry (Vauxhall Chevette) [S6] (Saturday only)
50 William Morgan/John Henderson (Ford Escort) [M3]
51 Adrian Grant/Joe Agnew (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5] (Saturday only)
52 Nicky Caughey/Mike Gibson (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5]
53 Jonathan Mulholland/Charles Gallagher (Ford Fiesta R2T) [A2]
54 Richard Somerville/John Nicholl (Ford Escort) [S6]
55 Gerard McQuaid/Gary Quinlan (Ford Escort Mk2) [M2]
56 Will Graham/TBA (TBA) [A2]
57 Ernie Graham/Karen Graham (Ford Escort RS) [H5]
58 Adrian Kermode/Paula Swinscoe (Porsche 911) [H5]
59 Andy Johnson/TBA (Vauxhall Chevette HSR) [H5]
60 Joe McAteer,/John Magilton (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5] (Saturday only)
61 Cecil Minford/Ash Boulton (Subaru Impreza) [S2] (Saturday only)
62 William McClurkin/Damian McCann (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5] (Saturday only)
63 Andrew Bushe/Ivor Lamont (Vauxhall Chevette HSR) [H3]
64 Lee Morelli/Robert Harold (Ford Escort) [S6]
65 Hugh McQuaid/Declan Casey (Ford Escort Mk2) [M2]
66 James Boland/David Manley (Ford Fiesta R2) [A2]
67 David Craine/Stuart Sayers (Ford Escort RS Cosworth) [M5]
68 Simon Michael/Jimmy Graham (Ford Escort Mk2) [S5]
69 John Adams/Noel Watt (Ford Escort) [S10]
70 David Walsh/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [S7]
71 Eamon McLaughlin/Hannah Johnston (Ford Escort) [S3]
72 John McCullough/Rachael McCullough (Ford Escort Mk2) [S10]
73 Jr McDaid/Liam McIntyre (Ford Escort) [M2]
74 Thomas Lowry/Johnathan Magee (Ford Fiesta ST) [S1]
75 Craig Macwilliam/Trevor Hamilton (Ford Escort RS1600) [H2]
76 Marshall Kennedy/Wendy Blackledge (Peugeot 306 GTI) [S6] (Saturday only)
77 Dean McDowell/TBA (Vauxhall Nova) [S4]
78 Malcolm Johnston/Sam Magill (Skoda Felicia) [S3]
79 Conor Murphy/Keith McCarthy (Honda Civic) [J2] (Saturday only)
80 Malcolm Pedlow/Billy Regan (BMW 2002tii) [H2]
81 Michelle Morelli/Ben Teggart (Honda Civic) [S4] (Saturday only)
Entries Open
Posted: February 18, 2019 2:28 PM
Available at:
Wastewater Solutions to sponsor Easter Stages
Posted: November 27, 2018 6:23 AM
Nigel Hughes, Clerk of the Course, Philip Johnston, Managing Director of Wastewater solutions
and Event Director, Graeme Stewart, 'shaking hands on the deal' for the new sponsorship,
Tom Allison, UAC Club President.
Photo: Bill Swann
Wastewater Solutions in conjunction with the UAC would like to announce its sponsorship of the Easter Stages Rally for the next 3years.
The Easter Stages Rally, formerly known as the Circuit of Ireland, will be held on 19th/20th April 2019 and is a round of the prestigious TROA Irish Tarmac Championship.
Wastewater Solutions Managing Director Philip Johnston has been involved in Rallying on and off over the last 30 years and is very pleased to be in a position to 'give back' to the sport. According to Philip
‘It’s a great honour to get involved in one of the oldest and most iconic events in the county as title sponsor. Our business operates nationwide with offices in Cork and Bangor and this provides us with a great platform, we are very excited about the next 3 years.’
Event Director, Graeme Stewart, stated
‘It’s a fantastic boost for our event to have Wastewater Solutions on board for the next 3 years; our intention would be to make this one of the best events in the country. The compact nature and cost friendliness of the event is designed to attract the top international and clubman drivers in Ireland and the UK. We look forward to driving this on for the next 3 years.’
The event will be based around the Antrim/Lisburn area with Rally Headquarters in the Chimney Corner Hotel, Newtownabbey and service will be centralised in the Dundrod Motorsport Centre. The Rally covers 100 stage miles and 200 road miles over classic and new stages with 3 stages twice on Friday and 4 stages twice on Saturday. The event is designed to be competitor and cost friendly.
For further information about the event please check out www.uaceasterstages.com or our Facebook page.
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