New Year Stages @ Kirkistown - (Sat) 22 Jan 05

Posted: January 28, 2005 10:31 PM

Michael Curran wins Group N at Kirkistown's New Year Stages
Greyabbey's Michael Curran took an excellent Production category victory in his Rich Sauces Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 at Saturday's New Year Stages Rally.


Photo: Roy Dempster

Based at Kirkistown Race Circuit and organised by 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland, the event marked the first rally of 2005 and Michael, the 2004 Junior N.I. Champion, started his year on a high! With Uncle Liam co-driving, a clean run ensured the crew finished sixth overall and first in Group N!

Michael said: "We were on the wrong tyres for the first stage and dropped some time there but other than that we had a fairly trouble free day until the last stage. We had a bit of a moment when we clipped a truck tyre that was on the track. The car went right up on two wheels and for a split second I thought we were going to roll but thankfully she came back down again!"

Michael is now planning an assault on the highly competitive Dunlop Irish National Rally Championship at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer, which is also sponsored by Leslie Wright and Son, Bulrush Horticulture Ltd and Lyons European. But before the first round kicks off on 13 March in Mayo, the 24 year old driver is hoping to secure a deal to run a right hand drive World Rally Car at Kirkistown's Eurocables Stages on 19 February.

"I'd love the opportunity to jump into a fully blown World Rally Car. We had a really good run in the Group N Mitsubishi at the Donegal Harvest Rally towards the end of last year as well as last weekend's New Year Stages. So I'd love to see what we could do in a WRC spec car. The Eurocables Stages would be perfect as there'll be a lot of quick guys out so hopefully I'll be able to secure the deal!"

Successful Co-Driving Debut for Stuart Biggerstaff
Kinallen's Stuart Biggerstaff made a successful co-driving debut at Kirkistown's New Year Stages Rally on Saturday


Photo: Roy Dempster

Son of former British Rallycross Champion and two times Northern Ireland Rally Champion, Denis Biggerstaff, 16-year-old Stuart jumped into the hot seat of his father's Eurocables sponsored Impreza World Rally Car. The father and son team were seeded first for the event which marked the beginning of the 2005 rally season and they quickly confirmed their number one status with fastest time on the opening stage.

Having number one on the door was a dream come true for Stuart but to lead the rally as well was unthinkable! In fact, the crew were still leading after five of the six stages. With one stage to go, it looked as though Stuart was set to take an unprecedented victory on his first event!

Stuart said: "We entered the final stage with a fight on our hands for victory. Maurice Gass had taken four seconds out of us on the fifth stage so we only led the rally by four seconds. The odds were in our favour but I couldn't believe it when the ignition cut off during the final lap. We had trouble getting it going again and the car just coasted to a stop."

Eventually, Denis and Stuart managed to get the car fired up and they completed the stage but the damage had already been done. After leading the event all day, the final stage problem dropped them from first to third. Nonetheless, it was an excellent result for the Kinallen father and son team!

Stuart said: "I was very disappointed at first but I quickly realised that third overall wasn't a bad result at all! To go out and get a podium finish on your first event is fantastic! Dad drove a brilliant rally and I can't wait to get out there again!"

Denis said: "We were amazed to be leading by five seconds after the first stage and we had a real good chance of winning but it wasn't to be. We were having a great day but it was a freak thing that happened. You come to expect these things in rallying. It would have been brilliant to go out and win with Stuart but third position isn't bad at all!"

Results
1. Maurice Gass / Darren Gass - Subaru Impreza WRC S7 - 26:15 
2. Nigel Hicklin / Sam McMullan - Skoda Octavia WRC - 26:26 
3. Denis Biggerstaff / Stuart Biggerstaff - Subaru Impreza WRC - 26:33 
4. George Robinson / Tommy Speers - Ford Escort WRC - 26:43 
5. Peadar Hurson / Glenn Patterson - Subaru Impreza WRC - 27:10 
6. Michael Curran / Liam Curran - Mit. Lancer Evo 7 (Gp N) - 27:13 
7. Alan Connolly / Rodney Wallace - Mit. Lancer Evo 5 (Gp N) - 27:38 
8. Martin Doherty / Kieron Graffin - Subaru Impreza 555- 27:42 
9. John McGlaughlin / Jonathan MacDonald - Mit. Lancer Evo 7 (Gp N) - 27:46 
10. Stanley Ballantine / Graham Henderson - Mit. Lancer Evo 6 (Gp N) - 27:46

Results from www.ral.ly
Photos: www.roydempster.com Photos: rallypics.org