BATTLE STATIONS IN CLARE (Championship Postitions)

Posted: September 16, 2003 5:48 PM

Currently Oliver Stanley (Durrow) in the Perry Motors Ford Focus leads the series from Gerry Keyes (Crecora) in the PJ Matthews/O'Dwyer Steel Ford Focus. Oliver and Gerry have both produced mature consistent drives finishing each event to date to secure their current positions at the top of the leaderboard, however the 2002 Clare Stages Rally was not a lucky event for either of them. Oliver retired from the event, which cost him the lead of the 2002 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship, and Gerry crashed breaking his back. Hopefully for 2003 the Clare Stages Rally will bring better luck as only twenty-five points separate the pair and with thirty-points on offer to the victor a non-finish would be detrimental to either competitor's hopes. Third placed David Delaney (Cashel) in the Scotframe had consistently improved all season and is now on the pace of the leaders. Fourth placed Colm Murphy (Athea) the 2002 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Champion in the Kingdom Fastfit Ford Focus has been the man to beat all season but two non-finishes and exclusion on the last round of the series has ruined his championship hopes.

The Lynch Hotels Clare Stages Rally is one of Irelands premier events, this rally has always produced an extremely challenging and enjoyable event. Based in Ireland's lunar landscape of the Burren, the Rally will take the format of three stages repeated three times totalling just under 90 competitive stage miles.

"The 2002 Clare Stages Rally was an outstanding event and we are all looking forward to this years rally. The Ford Focus won Class A7 outright in 2002 and I am confident that we will do the same in 2003" said Tom Collins, Championship Director.

1 Oliver Stanley 135
2 Gerry Keyes 110
3 David Delaney 89
4 Colm Murphy 60
5 John Foley 56
6 Gabriel Martin 40
7 Hamilton Bell 17
8 Ken Lyons 0
9 Brendan Kelly 0

• Clare Stages Rally