Tom Hunt Motors/Sligo Park Hotel Stage Rally - 9 July '00

Posted: July 24, 2000 7:26 PM

The fourth win of the season for the Donegal star the result and the failure of title rival Niall Maguire to score points after spending 10 minutes in a ditch sees the gap at the top of the championship table reduced to just seven points with three rounds remaining.

The winner of the previous three rounds of the championship, Maguire made a strong start to the rally as he went fastest on the opening stage but eager to re-establish himself in the title hunt Harris was quick to respond. Topping the time sheets he overhauled Maguire from where he dictated the pace of the eight stage rally. Chasing hard Maguire's rally was to end in disaster as his Impreza left the road on special stage six, loosing almost ten minutes while spectators got his car back on the road the Monaghan driver was forced to retire at service with car damage.

With the demise of Maguire, Donal O'Donovan moved into second to record yet another strong result in his Eircom.net Toyota Celica. Two wheel drive star Denis Cronin accompanied by Helen O'Sullivan also put in a superb performance to take third in their BMW M3 just ahead of the Toyota Celica of Tim McNulty.

George Cullen took fifth in his Subaru with Norman Armstrong's Escort Cosworth rounding out the top six.

Also the fifth round of the Ford Ka Rally Championship, the event saw series leader James Travers extend his lead as he won ahead of round four victor John Carroll with Dubliner Barry Barrable finishing third.

 1. Paul Harris/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza 555).....1.13.30
 2. Donal O'Donovan/Pat Lordan (Toyota Celica 4WD)........1.14.21
 3. Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3)................1.15.46
 4. Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Toyota Celica 4WD).........1.15.59
 5. John & James Cairns (Subaru Impreza WRX)..............1.17.18
 6. George Cullen/Dermot O'Gorman (Toyota Celica GT-Four).1.17.47
 7. Norman Armstrong/Ciaran Kelly (Escort 2.0)............1.17.49 
 8. Brian McKenna/Frank Burns (Toyota Celica GT4).........1.18.16
 9. Dominic & Stephen McLoughlin (Peugeot 205 RWD)........1.18.47
10. Maurice Moffett/Gavin Campbell (Peugeot 205 RWD)......1.19.21

Next round - Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, August 13th