Gallagher Glory - 2003 206 Super Cup Round 5

Posted: July 8, 2003 6:09 AM

Two spectator stages on Friday evening on Edinburghs famous waterfront preceded the expected six demanding stages on Saturday using closed public roads in the Scottish Borders. Shaun Gallagher became the first competitor in 2003 to win for a second time, but he didnt have it all quite his own way.

Fastest on the first half mile Friday night stage was Chris Moore, who had borrowed his old car following the loss of his 2003 vehicle in a fire on the previous event. With all the drivers desperate not to make a mistake, caution was the watchword but at the end of the evening Chris had kept his lead of two seconds over brothers Phillip and Simon Morrow who had been fastest on Stage 2, with Paul Jones/Steve Smallbone and Joan Roca/Jordi Costa very close behind. With only ten seconds separating the top seventeen cars as they went into Parc Ferme in the lee of the Royal Yacht Britannia, there was everything to play for on Saturday morning.

The weather once again was to play a big part and with good weather forecast, the early morning dampness and mist was expected to clear. Most crews opted for slick tyres but the weather worsened and as the rain came down, the roads became treacherous. An accident on the earlier International Rally had cancelled Stage 3, so the Peugeots headed for Stage 4, Ayton 1, where Stuart Jones/Richard Edwards took fastest time putting them into the lead with Jack and Grania Ingleby edging into second place. Jack demonstrated the effort he had put in by grinning from ear to ear and showing his very shaky hands. In third place, Chris Moore/Mike Panes were also shaky, but as a result of having one slick on the back which had a tendency to break away in the wet conditions. 14 seconds behind the leader in 4th place, Shaun Gallagher had struggled with the getting gears right from the start and blamed his unfamiliarity with his car, having just returned from the French 206 Super Cup last weekend, where he has a different car. He and Joan Roca were among several drivers to arrive at the finish with very hot brakes, although Roca said his car was otherwise perfect. Mike Faulkner retired with transmission failure.

Judging braking points was a universal problem, particularly at the end of the events characteristic long straights. Dessie Keenan went off on a square left and had to be pushed out by spectators, but unfortunately held up several following crews in the process, Gareth MacHale taking to the grass to get round the obstruction. Phillip Morrow admitted to a bit of ploughing when he went straight on into a field, losing around ten seconds. Andy Pawley wasnt so lucky when he hit a bank, ripping a wheel off his car and went no further.

But at the mid point service in, it was a later runner leading the rally. 206 Winter Cup winner Stuart Jones with Richard Edwards were just taking it easy, letting everyone else fall off, and despite his door flying open were not having any troubles. Gallagher was second, 3 secs behind and Ingleby third by a mere 9 tenths. Moore was fourth, a further five seconds back, while a surprise addition to the top five was Ian Warren, the Bajan driver finding that he liked asphalt. He shredded his power steering belt while in the queue for service, so wasnt losing time there, but had caught earlier cars. MacHale was cautious in 6th , Sebastian Ling just said it was horrible in 7th, while Phillip Morrow continued a bad day surviving two 720 degree spins but still in 8th place.

The second half started just as the first, with Kimmerghame stage being cancelled from an earlier, non-connected accident. This left the repeated 7.8 miles of Ayton 2 to split the crews. Stuart Jones thought his tyres were nearly scrap but kept the lead of 3.6 seconds, while Gallagher realised wet compound tyres on dry tarmac still made a slippy surface, but stayed six seconds clear of Moore after winning the stage. The top five remained the same with Ingleby and Warren. Morrow retired on this stage, while Keenan also retired after avoiding the Morrow car stranded on the road.

The last stage of the now 40 mile event was 10.3 miles of Chirnside. Stuart Jones saw his lead evaporate after going off into the undergrowth on braking, which damaged the steering and the car wouldnt turn in, resulting in another couple of minor offs. Gallagher just flew through that one to take the champagne finish by 5.2 seconds. Chris Moore in his flame decaled car took the final podium spot a further 6 seconds behind. Jack Ingleby stayed fourth, MacHale took fifth, while Richard Sykes stormed through to round off the top six after he started enjoying the conditions saying he was driving better.

The usual close competition of the 206 Super Cup today though has not resulted in any major change in the championship standings. Gallagher still leads on 121.5 points, with Joan Roca on 96 points despite not having such a great day today, dropping a minute on the fifth stage after an off, and Ingleby moves into third, on 95 points after Mike Faulkner retired leaving him with no points from his day.

The Rookie winner today was Rodney Wilton, finishing in the top ten, while Peter Salter was thrilled with taking the Veteran title. But the champagne belongs to Shaun Gallagher and Richard Pashley, the beaming Irishman delighted to be the first double winner of the 2003 206 Super Cup.

The next round will ensure far greater mileage, with over 180 promised miles on the demanding asphalt stages of Epynt military ranges in Wales on the 2nd and 3rd of August.

• News and Photos from www.peugeotsport.co.uk

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25½ Point Lead For Gallagher in British Peugeot 206 Championship

Irish rally driver, Shaun Gallagher, took victory on this weekends Jim Clark Junior Rally and extended his lead at the top of the British Peugeot 206 Super Cup championship table to 25½ points. The Jim Clark was the first asphalt event for the Peugeot Cup this year and changeable weather conditions made tyre decisions for the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Award Winner almost impossible.

The event began with two spectator stages in Edinburgh on Friday evening and Shaun was fully aware that the rally could be lost but not won on such stages. The 23 year old maintained a steady pace and finished day one just four seconds off the lead.

The bright sunny weather of Friday gave way to drizzle and rain on Saturday. A gear selection problem on the days opening stage hampered Shaun's progress up the leader board and he was lying 4th with three stages remaining.

However on stage five, despite a wrong tyre choice, Shaun took a phenomenal eleven seconds out of the leader and moved into 2nd place. The final stage of the day was frighteningly slippery and Shaun decided to drive with an air of caution hoping that others would slip up. The decision paid off and Shaun, with co-driver, Richard Pashley, took victory by over five seconds.

'I am over the moon,' commented Shaun. 'It was a very difficult rally, the conditions meant that I really had to think about ever corner of every stage but it paid off and the win really boosts my championship position'

Shaun now has a weekend off but he will return to France the following weekend for round five of the French Peugeot 206 Cup.

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High Drama at Jim Clark for Keenan

The Peugeot Cup brought Monaghans Dessie Keenan and navigator Enda Sherry to the scenic city of Edinburgh, Scotland for the ‘Jim Clark Memorial Rally’, round five of the Peugeot one make series. The team were currently lying 7th in the championship and were hoping to improve on their position within the leader board.

The rally started with two spectator stages held on the Friday night with perfect weather conditions, located at Edinburghs ocean terminal dockyard. Dessie set the 2nd fastest stage-time on one of the stages and left them 8th overall Friday night. Saturday, and the rally headed 50 miles south to the town of Duns. Six stages were to be completed, however with low cloud causing persistent drizzle the dry gripping tarmac roads soon turned to treacherous, slippy conditions.

The first stage of the morning was cancelled, and disaster struck for the young Monaghan driver on the fourth stage when he was caught out on loose gravel, resulting with the car spinning and dropping off the road, remaining stuck in a trench. With little help available, the boys had to push the car and lost three minutes. Out of the running of the championship Dessie reduced his pace for the remainder of the rally. But the drama was not yet over!

Stage seven of the rally, just two junctions from the end of the stage saw Dessies 206 moving swiftly downhill into a fast left hand bend only to be faced with an overturned fellow Peugeot 206 cup car on its side, blocking the road with its competitors Phillip Morrow and navigator Simon Morrow climbing out of the vehicle. With no room to drive past on the narrow road, a spilt second decision left Dessie no choice but to purposely crash his own car into the hedge to avoid serious injury to his fellow competitors. The damage on the car was unrepairable and meant retirement from the rally for the Keenan Motorsport Team.

The next outing for the ‘Billy Coleman Award’ Motorsport Ireland finalist is the Connaught Motorclub Sligo Stages Rally this weekend. Seeded no 31, Dessie is looking forward to the event and hopes to increase his points on the ‘Border Championship’ leader boar

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Wilton Progresses in Peugeot SuperCup!

Round 5 of the Peugeot 206 SuperCup brought local Ballyjamesduff driver Rodney Wilton and navigator Derek Coleman to the ‘Jim Clark Memorial Rally’ located in Edinburgh, Scotland in their ‘Virginia Hire’ Peugeot 206.

The rally started with two spectator stages held at the Edinburgh docks terminal on Friday night. Weather conditions were perfect for the short but fast evening stages. Rodney experienced no problems through the two stages and finished 13th overall Friday night.

Saturday morning and the rally moved 50 miles south of Edinburgh to Duns, South East Scotland. Low cloud meant continuous drizzle all morning leaving the tarmac road surfaces very slippy and hazardous to competing drivers. With the first stage cancelled, the next two stages, stage 4 & 5, saw problems for Rodney; a bung that had came out of the Peugeots gearbox meant that oil had spread onto the brake discs and tyres causing Rodney to loose time over the two stages as he tried to keep the car under control while keeping a fast pace.

After service, the oil leak problems had been sorted and the weather had slightly improved. Rodney and Derek completed stage 7 & 8 at a blistering pace setting fourth and fifth fastest stage times to finish an excellent 9th overall. This result also meant that Rodney was the winner of the ‘Rookie’ award for the event.

Rodney and team are now preparing to take part in the 6th round of the Peugeot 206 Super cup ‘The Harry Flatters Rally’ based in Epynt, Wales. Rodney and Derek will be hoping to, once again, increase their points on the Peugeot SuperCup leader board!

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• Jim Clark Rally