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Links2000 Gleneagle Hotel Killarney Historic Stages Rally - 3 Dec 00
Posted: December 5, 2000 6:49 PM - 15651 Hits
Final - Toshiba Computers Historic Tarmac Championship
By P Reddington
The 2000 Killarney Historic Stages Rally has been won by Derry based GP, Dessie Nutt. The victory marks his fourth consecutive triumph on this event. He and co-driver, Geraldine McBride, led throughout, but had been fortunate to emerge from the opening stage following a meeting with an errant deer - the Porsche 911 struck the animal, but did not incur any damage. But for a misted up windscreen later in the day, their run was troublefree.
Posted: December 5, 2000 6:49 PM
Drexel Gillespie and Gill Cotton took second place in the Lotus Cortina, fifteen seconds behind Nutt, their pace being considerably stronger than on previous appearances in Killarney. Joe and Gareth Connolly were just four seconds further in arrears.
Results: 1: Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride (Derry), Porsche 911, 1:31:01. 2: Drexel Gillespie/Gill Cotton (Antrim), Lotus Cortina, 1:31:16. 3: Joe Connolly/Gareth Connolly (Kilkenny) Porsche 911, 1:31:20. 4: Philip Wylie/Jim Howe (England), MG B, 1:34:33. 5: Connie Ward/Timmy Horan (Kildimo), Mini Cooper S, 1:37:21. 6: Mervyn Johnston/Derek Smith (Fermanagh), Mini Cooper S, 1:37:39.
John and Christy Farrell led the Post-Historic section for much of the 1999 event, before a broken gearbox forced them into retirement, but that disappointment was forgotten in 2000 as their Mark 1 Ford Escort withstood all that the roads of Kerry and Cork threw at it. They had a winning margin of almost half a minute over the similar car of Dave Holland and John Calverley. The Millstreet crew of Barry Duggan and Sean Dillon overcame numerous mechanical probelms throughout the day to take third spot.
Results: 1: John Farrell/Christy Farrell (Meath), Ford Escort Mk.1, 1:32:33. 2: Dave Holland/John Calverley (England) Ford Escort Mk.1, 1:33:00. 3: Barry Duggan/Sean Dillon (Millstreet), Ford Escort Mk.1, 1:37:17. 4: Paul Wignall/Martyn Griffiths (England), Porsche 911, 1:37:37. 5: Simon Evans/Barry Faul (Wicklow), Mini Cooper S, 1:37:42. 6: Liam Sheehan/Martin Cronin (Castletownbere) Ford Escort Mk.1, 1:37:47.
Millstreet brothers, John and Thomas Moynihan, took their second consecutive victory in the Classic section. Greg McCormack and Sean Magee had been the initial leaders, but they were then overhauled by the Moynihans. McCormack and Magee later crashed out of the event, leaving Philip Shaw and Nigel Frazer to challenge for the lead, but the Moynihans did not allow them to come too close. John Moynihan suffered from severe pains in his arms and legs during the day, but the ailment did not show in his stage times. Eugene Ferry and John Gallagher encountered throttle problems with their Escort, but managed to come home in third place.
Results: 1: John Moynihan/Thomas Moynihan (Millstreet), Ford Escort RS, 1:25:01. 2: Philip Shaw/Nigel Frazer (Cookstown), Ford Escort RS, 1;25:56. 3: Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Derry), Ford Escort RS, 1:29:04. 4: Cathal Rogers/Paul Nagle (Derry), Ford Escort RS, 1:30:03. 5: Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James (Wales), Ford Escort RS, 1:31:01. 6: Tom Randles/Diarmuid Lynch (Kilgarvan), Ford Escort RS, 1:31:03.
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