Kildare Heartbreak Night Navigation - 10 Jan '99

Posted: January 12, 1999 8:42 AM - 3110 Hits


Round 4 RIAC National Night Navigation Championship
by Fergus Casey

Michael O'Conor / Paul Phelan (Toyota Corrolla) managed a clean sheet on Saturdays "Heartbreak" Rally despite the arctic conditions. Air temperatures dipped to -5C and provided competitors with hazardous conditions including black ice and frost. However the former National Champions set a steady pace throughout to emerge worthy winners.

Posted: January 12, 1999 8:42 AM

Frank Fennell / Frank Hussey would also have posted a clean sheet were it not for a timing error which saw Frank clock in two minutes early at the final control. The pair were giving their newly built Volvo a shakedown prior to the Monte Retro. Frank hopes that he has now shaken off his timing errors too.

A disappointing entry of 17 starters faced a route of 90 miles in Counties Kildare and Wicklow which concentrated on lanes not seen in the National Championship for many years. However the difficult conditions facing marshals saw two crucial second half Time Points go unmanned.



     Pos     Driver  /Navigator      Class           Car                     Mins    
                                                     
      1 Bones O'Connor/Paul Phelan   Expert          Toyota Corolla TC       0       
      2 Matt Hume/Doug Corrie        Semi Expert     Avenger GT              3       1st Class
      3 Martin Nugent/Colin Dwyer    Expert          Peugeot 205 GTi         3       1st Class
      4 Frank Fennell/Frank Hussey   Expert          Volvo                   4       2nd Class
      5 Damien & Aiden Courtney      Expert          Vauxhall Astra GTE      4       3rd Class
      6 Pakie Duffy/Harry Bleakley   Expert          VW Golf GTi             8       
      7 Gerry Kelly/Richard Howard   Semi Expert     Opel Kadett GTE         11      2nd Class
      8 Fintan McGorman/Sandy Mills  Expert          Vauxhall Nova GSi       19      
      9 Kevin Lunt/Eoin Longworth    Semi Expert     VW Golf 1.4             34      3rd Class
     10 Vincent & David Fagan        Novice          Nissan Terrano II       104     1st Class
     11 A Reid W Fitzpatrick         Novice          Mini                    229     2nd Class
     12 Patrick Moran/Andrew Hill    Novice          Opel Kadett GTE         325     3rd Class

     Excluded                                                
             Andrew Mackarel/Liam Higgins    Expert  Opel Ascona             



     Retirements                                             
             Raymont O'Neill Stephen O'Neill         Expert          Sunbeam Ti              
             John Carroll    Vincent Coughlan        Expert          Escort 2.0              
             Karl O'Donoghue Frank O'Donoghue        Semi Expert     Sunbeam Ti              
             Simon Evans     Damien Connolly         Semi Expert     Mini            

The night saw the return of some crews after long layoff and the regular competitors must have wished they stayed at home. Doug Corrie teamed up with Matt Hume (Avenger GT) for his first competitive outing on the maps in 18 months and was surprised to find himself second overall at the finish. Following a two year layoff Expert crew Martin Nugent / Colin Dwyer debuted their newly acquired Peugeot 205 GTi to a fine third overall.

Father and son team Vincent / David Fagan were another to see off the regular Championship crews in taking the Novice Class honours. While Vincent has been a stalwart on Navigation rallying for many years he changed seats to give 16 year old David his first ever Championship outing.

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