Clare Stages Rally - 21 Sep 03

Posted: September 24, 2003 9:37 PM

Donnelly set the pace on the 9.9-mile opening stage, Mullaghmore, where Harrison was a mere second in arrears. Niall Maguire, the defending Dunlop champion, slotted his Subaru into third place - eleven seconds adrift of Harrison and four ahead of Dunlop contender, Michael Barrable, who, like the others, remarked on the greasy nature of the stage. Adrian McElvaney and Patrick Elliott completed a sextet of Subaru WRC's. Mike Moloney, in a Mk. 2 Escort, upheld local honour, he was a sensational seventh.

Out on the second stage, top seed, Niall Maguire crashed his Subaru WRC and the stage was subsequently cancelled. The third stage, Maurice's Mills, saw Harrison, even though he remarked that he lost a little confidence, eke out a six second lead over Donnelly. The Dunlop Championship leader managed to finish the stage with his Subaru WRC unscathed after a moment when it drifted perilously close to the Clare scenery. With Maguire's demise, Barrable moved into third. Patrick Elliott also in a Subaru WRC was fourth with Adrian McElvaney opining that the rear suspension of his Subaru WRC was posing a few problems. Moloney continued to maintain his impressive run, he was sixth - five seconds ahead of the rear wheel drive BMW M3 of Denis Cronin. The top ten was completed by Sean Lyons (Escort), the Peugeot 205 of Mac McKenna and Paddy Boyle (Escort). Richard Casey retired his Escort with a blown engine. Peter Clifford (Subaru) led the Group N category from the Mitsubishi's of Adrian Quinn and Dunlop front-runner in the showroom category, Derek Jobb.

There was just a second between Harrison and Donnelly after they completed the fourth stage, then the Macclesfield driver eked a further second ahead on the fifth stage. The final stage of the second loop paid dividends for Harrison, who arrived at the Toonagh service halt with an eleven second lead. Barrable remarked that he was beginning to regain his confidence, he was 24 seconds behind his Dunlop rival, Donnelly.

Adrian McElvaney and Patrick Elliott shared fourth, the suspension of the McElvaney Subaru WRC showing some improvement. Denis Cronin gradually increased his pace in the very difficult conditions and his BMW M3 was eleven seconds ahead of the Escort of Clare ace, Mike Moloney.

The lead also changed in Group N when Peter Clifford's Subaru developed fuel pump problems and Adrian Quinn led the similar Mitsubishi of Derrick Jobb with Willie Fannin moving up to third in his new Subaru.

Out on the last loop, Harrison extended his lead and went on to take his first ever outright victory. Donnelly, sensibly, backed off on the final stages even though he did have a spin on the very last corner. Barrable was third and McElvaney won the battle for fourth. Denis Cronin won the rear wheel drive class, he was sixth; Mac McKenna was next and Sean Lyons (Escort) and Ollie O'Donovan in the McKinstry P2000 Subaru was ninth and Group N winner, Adrian Quinn (Mitsubishi) was tenth. Mike Moloney retired his Escort with a blown engine. Non-starters included Maurice Gass, David Armstrong, Tim McNulty and Ray Breen.

1. J. Harrison/H. Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC)1h. 01m. 21s. 
2. E. Donnelly/P. Toner (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 01m. 51s. 
3. M. Barrable/D. O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 02m. 56s. 
4. A. McElvaney/P. Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 03m. 22s. 
5. P. Elliott/M. Cahill (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 03m. 34s. 
6. D. Cronin/H. O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 1h. 05m. 24s. 
7. M. McKenna/J. Loughran (Peugeot 205 RWD) 1h. 06m. 31s. 
8. S. Lyons/J. Devine (Escort)1h. 06m. 45s. 
9. O. O'Donovan/P. Moynihan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 06m. 47s. 
10. A. Quinn/L. Roe (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6) 1h. 07m. 45s. 

Dunlop National Rally Championship 
(Positions after Round 9): 
1. Eugene Donnelly 156; 
2. Michael Barrable 142; 
3. Adrian McElvaney 102; 
4. Jim Harrison 99 

• Rallynews by Brian & Liz Patterson from Clare
• Results and stage times: results.trapedza.com
• www.claremotorclub.com
• Photos by Seamus Counihan
• Photos by Ger Leahy