Fisher Engineering Summit 2000 Rally - 20 May '00

Posted: May 23, 2000 10:39 AM

The organising committee of Enniskillen Motor Club, led by event Director Austin Frazer, and very ably assisted by significant tangible support from Fisher Engineering and the Sean Quinn group had worked tirelessly to put on this event and what a show they made of it.

A pre event Motor Sport Show, featuring a chat show, exhibition, displays and a barbecue staged at Fisher Engineerings premises in Ballinamallard was a resounding success with the charity auction raising a staggering £30,000 for local charities.

Karen Richards, wife of Prodrive boss Dave Richards took a keen interest in the auction and paid the magnificent sum of £5,500 for a surprise birthday present for husband Dave - a day long test session with former employee Colin McCrea in the Ford Focus WRC. Rumour has it that Ford boss Malcom Wilson is fitting a tape recorder to the Focus just in case Richards and McCrea open 2001 contract negotiations.!!!!

The bright sunshine of Friday was replaced by rain and low cloud on Saturday and competitors faced a very daunting early morning run over Slieve Rushden mountain on the Cavan / Fermanagh border. The organisers had permitted an even earlier reconnassince run and the leading Championship contenders joined by former world championships Hannu Mikkola and Stig Blomqvist were familiar with the Challenge which awaited them.

The bright sunshine of Friday was replaced by rain and low cloud on Saturday and competitors faced a very daunting early morning run over Slieve Rushden mountain on the Cavan / Fermanagh border. The organisers had permitted an even earlier reconnassince run and the leading Championship contenders joined by former world championships Hannu Mikkola and Stig Blomqvist were familiar with the Challenge which awaited them.

The predawn forebodings about the low cloud and slippy weather conditions were well founded with both James Cullen and Niall McShea retiring as a result of first stage accidents. One of the main contenders for overall honours, Frank Meagher also fell foul of the conditions and took a stage maxium time dropping to last place after rolling his escort on the mountain top.

After a day of high speed drama in constantly changing weather conditions Andrew Nesbitt emerged the winner after setting fastest times on four of the eight special stages. However Nesbitt, who had initially been in second place on stage times was only declared the winner after Derek McGarrity had been removed from the results following an alleged infringement of the technical regulations. The Subaru WRC was deemed to be underweight by the eligibility scrutineers, McGarrity has not accepted the decision of the organisers and has may lodge an appeal with the MSA.

As a consequence the overall and class 8 results are still provisional subject to the outcome of the appeal.

In the interim Nesbitt has scored 15 very valuable Championship points following his embarrasing departure from Killarney after running out of fuel.

Second placed Austin McHale was another to score valuable points to open his Championship challenge after also non finishing in Killarney.

Third place went to Daniel and Micheal Doherty, this was considered by many to be the drive of the day. The Donegal brothers set two fastest overall stage times and showed that they can now mix it with the best.

Former world championship Stig Blomqvist entertained the crowds with his car control. Co - driven by local man Mark Crowe he finished in fourth place in a McKinstry Motorsport Subaru.

Fresh from four days of testing with the World Championship Peugeot team Mark Fisher showed that he is also a very versatile young driver. Switching to a Mitisibushi EVO5, Fisher won the group N category and finished a very creditable fifth overall with a string of more powerful machines behind him.

Carlow man Stephen Murphy was one of a number of drivers not to adapt to the changing consditions and finished in sixth position. However Murphy has the satisfaction of leading the Championship and being in a strong position to add the Toshiba title to his former National success.

Championship newcomer Hugh Dunne, despite the conditions not being quite to his likeing, put on a fine display of driving talent in the slightly ageing Legacy to add to his Championship tally with seventh overall.

Defending Champioship Ian Greer incurred 1min. 30 secs. road penalities as a consequence of early arrival at a control and despite having been as high as second overall finally finished in eigth position.

Car preperation expert David Greer swapped his service barge for a Toyota Celica and after eight runs over Slieve Rushden netted ninth place.

Hannu Mikkola the second of the former world Championships invited to the event completed the top ten.. Accompanied by his son Juha who was competing on his first event, Mikkola thrilled the large crowds of spectators with a masterly display of driving skill. But for an unfortunate timing error by his young novice co- driver, Mikkola would have finished five places further up the order.

Provisional Results*

 1. A. Nesbitt/J. O’Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)....45:14.8
 2. A. McHale/B. Murphy (Toyota Corolla WRC)......45:20.8
 3. D. Doherty/M. Doherty (Subaru Impreza 555)....45:21.4
 4. S. Blomqvist/M. Crowe (Subaru Impreza 555)....46:02.4
 5. M. Fisher/G. Noble (Mit. Lancer EVO V)..Gp N..46:17.2
 6. S. Murphy/M. Morrissey (Subaru Impreza 555)...46:39.6
 7. H. Dunne/G. Shinnors (Subaru legacy RS).......46:48.2
 8. I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica GT-Four)...46:54.8
 9. D. Greer/M. Reid (Toyota Celica Trubo 4WD)....47:06.3 
10. H. Mikkola/J. Mikkola (Subaru Impreza WRC)....47:15.9

Excluded: (Underweight)
D. McGarrity/C. Patterson (Subaru Impreza WRC)....44:57.9

EVENT CLASS WINNERS

CLASS 1 ALAN MAHON  	SUZUKI SWIFT GTI
CLASS 2 ROBERT REILLY   HONDA CIVIC VTI
CLASS 3 AIDAN LONG  	OPEL ASTRA GSI
CLASS 4 MARK FISHER 	MIT. LANCER EVO 5
CLASS 5 KEITH COLTON    FORD KA
CLASS 6 MAX McKILLEN    PEUGEOT 106 GTI
CLASS 7 DEREK JOBB  	NISSAN SUNNY GTI
CLASS 8 ANDREW NESBITT  SUBARU IMPREZA WRC*

*Overall and class 8 results are provisional 
subject to the outcome of any further possible appeal
Derek McGarrity.

P.S. The three local charities who were the benificaries from the proceeding of the Fisher Engineering Summit 2000 Rally had their coffers swelled further following the announcement at the prize giving that Kieran Mc Anallen of Toughmac fame had agreed to sponsor the food bill at the Friday night barbecue. Given that six professional chefs were on hand to cater for the several hundred guests this was a very generous gesture from Kieran. Well done big man !