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Wexford Dick Bailey Stages Rally - 9-10 Sep 06

Posted: October 8, 2006 8:54 PM - 21293 Hits

Round 8 - 2006 Southeast Stages Championship

  • Irish 205 Challenge Report
  • Boland in seventh Heaven - Event Report.
  • Photos
  • Boland/Regan take start to finish win.
  • Full Results

Posted: October 8, 2006 8:54 PM

Irish 205 Challenge Report
The sunny south east of Ireland greeted the Irish 205 Challenge crews with beautiful warm weather for the Dick Bailey Wexford stages rally. Fourteen stages lay ahead with two runs over a tough 17 mile stage on day two to finish the tired cars and drivers. Stage one of the rally saw Noel O’Donnell / Michael Bonner take the early lead 3 seconds faster than Paul Conlon / Kieran Carroll and Kerril Waters / Ultan McGowan who tied on time. Dropping time with a spin and locking brakes saw Martin and James Ewing in fourth place on a time of 7.15. Fifth were Shane Burns / Sean Henagan but out went round two winners Niall Lynch / Mark Feely who bent the axle of their 205 at the end of the first stage. They would make repairs and rejoin on the Sunday run. Waters stormed through stage two 8 seconds quicker than O’Donnell and Conlon, who tied on time, despite swashing the right front corner when he slid off on some gravel at a tight junction. Ewing and Burns held position in fourth and fifth. Conlon got his head down on stage three and set a time 3 seconds better than Waters with O’Donnell dropping 10 seconds for no reason.
The leader board at second service showed Waters / McGowan leading by 5 seconds from Conlon / Carroll with O’Donnell / Bonner a further 7 seconds back. Ewing was less than 30 seconds down in fourth with Burns improving with each stage in fifth. Stage four was cancelled due to an accident just ahead of the I205C boys, so it was on to stage five where Waters took his second fastest time of the day, 3 seconds up on Conlon, with the same margin to O’Donnell in third place. Burns closed to within 2 seconds of Ewing on the stage to keep the battle for fourth alive.

Day 1 Results
1 Kerrill Waters / Ultan McGowan : 29.57
2 Paul Conlon / Kieran Carroll : 30.05
3 Noel O’Donnell / Michael Bonner : 30.15

Day Two
Day two and a change in the weather added to the long stages and increased the pressure on the crews. The drama started barely two miles into the first stage of the day when overnight second place Paul Conlon / Kieran Carroll broke a clutch cable and would drop ten minutes getting out of the stage. Also in trouble was leader Kerrill Waters / Ultan McGowan who retired when a driveshaft broke exiting a chicane, ending a great drive by the Sligo lads on only their fifth event. Noel O’Donnell / Michael Bonner were wide awake on this stage taking 11 seconds off Martin and James Ewing who overshot a junction. Stage Eight saw Ewing return the favour by taking 7 seconds back off O’Donnell. Niall Lynch posted second best time but would retire on the next loop of stages with brake trouble that lead to contact with an ESB pole. Stage nine and the recovering Conlon would blast through 6 seconds up on Ewing and O’Donnell who tied on 7.29. The battle raged on in stage ten when Ewing and Conlon tied on fastest time and O’Donnell dropped 9 seconds to leave Ewing leading by 5 seconds as they left service for the two longest stages of the event. Burns held steady in third with Conlon fourth. Stage eleven and Ewing pulled out another 3 seconds from Conlon, O’Donnell was a further 4 seconds down and could not explain the time loss after driving his heart out. He would pull back a second on the leaders on stage 12, the longest of the event at 19 Kms. Conlon tied on the same time as O’Donnell, Ewing just one second down, despite a half spin at a junction. Following the last service of the rally Ewing lead by 8 seconds from O’Donnell and Burns under no pressure and holding third. The younger blood in O’Donnell showed on the last two stages when he blasted through faster by 17 seconds and take the win from Ewing by 9 seconds. Second fastest on both tests saw Ewing disappointed but happy after two tough days rallying. Burns took his best I205C results with a third and Conlon fourth after his most impressive display so far in the I205C. If only luck had been with him on Sunday morning.

As points now stand Noel O’Donnell and Michael Bonner have won the 2006 Irish 205 Challenge.
Boland in seventh Heaven
It was celebrations all-round for the NVD backed Ford Focus crew of Eamon Boland and Frances Regan as they took a 55 second victory on this, the 35th staging of Wexford’s motorsport showpiece. The local man was highly entertaining over the two days, taking ten fastest stage times on his way to his seventh victory on his local event in ten years. It was Bunclody man Noel Redmond, partnered by Alan Kenna, who took the runner-up spoils, the Miltown Engineering backed Subaru surely having its best run to-date, pushing the tarmac championship regular very hard over the two days. Third for the second year in a row was David James, partnered by Jim Crowe in their Ford Focus WRC, James also having his best run to date in his new car. Top two wheel dive man was Neil Williams, partnered by Eurig Davies in a fabulous fifth overall, but only due to road penalties incurred by local brothers Willy and Johnny Whitty in their silver bullet Escort, who finished just behind in sixth. Group N was also a cracking battle where David Parle and Aidan Kent took victory by the smallest of margins from Mark Nangle and Nollaig Breen, Parle’s Mitsubishi Evo 8 edging out Nangle’s Evo 9 by just one second after two hard fought days of rallying.

It was Boland who was fastest out of the traps on Saturday morning, four seconds up on Redmond who was five up on another local man P.J. McGrath navigated by Killian Duffy in the Oakland Quarries Subaru, who was on the pipe from the word go. John Dalton’s spectacular Darrian was tied for fourth with the Suir Engineering Impreza of Eoin Doyle, while sixth was shared by the Focus of David James and another Darrian of Washington James.

After two stages, Boland had opened up his lead to 9 seconds from Redmond, the pair really going for it, the Bunclody man surprising many by keeping the flying Focus so honest over the opening stages. McGrath and Duffy were also in the hunt, only 12 back from the far newer Impreza of Redmond while James was up to fourth, ahead of the Darrians of Dalton and Washington, the latter trailing his Welsh counterpart by 12 seconds. New Forestry champion John McCarthy partnered by the even young Mickey Joe Morrisey lay seventh, just ahead of the flying Astra of Tomas O’ Rourke and John McGrath, while the top ten was rounded out by the Escorts of Neil Williams and Willy Whitty, the local man very glad to make the first service halt of his local event for the first time in four years!

Boland tried very hard over the stages three and four, opening up his lead to 19 seconds, with Redmond happy to keep the local man in check, while the same could be said of McGrath, the New Ross man really getting to grips with his new machine. Cars gone from the leaderboard included the Darrian of Dalton, which retired with alternator problems, the Lancer of James Stafford and Niall Whitty which retired on the opening stage and the Cuisine de France Escort of Graham and Tomas Scallan which retired with gearbox problem. Another local pairing John and Geraldine Somers lost 6 minutes on the opening stage with a roll and had started the comeback drive of the weekend.

Boland was not the top dog over stages 5 and 6, the Hertz man having to give second best to Redmond and Kenna on the first while it was the Oakland Quarries Subaru of McGrath who topped the times on the final stage of the day to leave Boland with a slender 19 seconds lead after the Saturday stages, Redmond happy to be second while another happy pairing was P.J. McGrath and Killian Duffy, that fastest time on the last stage giving him a 25 second cushion over the perusing Focus of David James and Jim Crowe. Another James, Washington this time, lay fifth and first two wheel drives but he was being caught rapidly by the recovering George Cullen and Jakes Kelly. The class 13 trio of Neil Williams, Willie Whitty and Tomas O’ Rourke occupied seventh, eight and ninth while the Metro of John and Caroline Price rounded out the top ten. Overnight class leaders included Marty Kinsella and Colm Bennett, Pete Redmond and Emmet Cleary, Seamus O’ Grady and Oonagh Roche, Paddy O’ Dwyer and David Byrne and Mark Kennedy and Ian O’ Leary.

The final stage of the day was cancelled due to a serious accident involving John McCarthy and Mickey Joe Morrisey. Mickey Joe was unhurt but John was taken to hospital. The club and indeed the Motorsport fraternity wish John a speedy recovery and we hope to see him back out on the stages in the near future.

Sunday morning saw the battle resume on the leading trio, and it was Redmond who was quickest out of the blocks on the opening pair of stages, the Subaru fastest over both test to cut Boland’s lead to a mere 15 seconds. Boland had been trying hard, the crowds cheering as the NVD backed Focus was being thrown around in spectacular style on the fast Sunday stages. McGrath was content with third at first service, the New Ross man opening up his advantage over the chasing David James when the Goreyman suffered a puncture on the opening loop of stages. George Cullen was now up to fifth, helped by the retirement of Washington James in the Darrian. Willie and Johnny Whitty were roasting the stages in the Silver Bullet Escort, the Dunmain men were up to sixth overall and starting to pull out a lead over the chasing Williams and O’ Rourke. Also into the top ten at this stage was Mark Kennedy and Ian O’ Leary, just as last year the pair were putting in a giant killing act in their little 1600cc Nova.

The nest two stages saw Boland go fastest on both, but only by one second on each, with McGrath and James seemingly content with third and fourth while the order of the two wheel drive race had changed when the Whitty brothers dropped from fifth to sixth when they incurred road penalties. Gone from the top ten was Mark Kennedy and Ian O’ Leary, their engine expiring while just outside the battle for Group N honours was hoting up in no uncertain terms. After the day 1 retirement of both Gabriel Martin and James Stafford, it was Sean Flanagan and Brian Millar who had led at the end of day 1 only to retire on Sunday morning which left David Parle / Aidan Kent in the lead by ten seconds from Mark Nangle / Nollaig Breen with Stephen Cullen / Edward Roche right behind in third.

The longest stages of the rally awaited the crews and when they returned to service, Boland has asserted his position at the head of the field, he has stretched his lead out to 36 seconds. Redmond was trying hard, but a spin cost crucial seconds. P.J. McGrath was now two minutes back in third while James and Cullen still occupied fourth and fifth. Another retirement was that of John Price in the Metro 6R4 which left Ollie McPhilips and Billy Collins leading the class and in a superb ninth overall in their Toyota Celica. Seamus O’ Grady and Oonagh Roche had been inside the top 15 in their Newtown wood backed Proton Satria kit car but a broken drive shaft lost them nearly 6 minutes and any chance of a good overall result.

The rally had one final surprise up it’s sleeve on the final loop of stages. P.J. McGrath and Killian Duffy were having a great rally, comfortably lying in third overall and on course to have their first podium finish in their new car. However, the car switched itself onto safe mode over the last loop and a great run was ruined.

So that left Boland to take a 55 second victory from Redmond, with David James and Jim Crowe elevated to third due to McGrath’s time loss on the last loop. George Cullen and Jakes Kelly netted fourth, the Welsh connection of Williams and Davies netted fifth and top two wheel drive, just piping the Whitty brothers, Eoin Doyle and Paul Walsh had an up and down weekend to end up seventh from Ollie McPhilips and Billy Collins who celebrated their recent National championship success with a class win here and eight overall. Eugene Ferry and John Gallagher provided great entertainment in their gorgeous Escort to take ninth with group N winners David Parle and Aidan Kent rounding out the top ten.

Class winners included Marty Kinsella /Colm Bennett, Tommy Doyle / Andy O’ Donoghue, Pete Redmond / Emmet Cleary, Gary Nolan / Damien Roche, Seamus O’ Grady / Oonagh Roche, Mick Kehoe / Tim Boyle, Paddy O’ Dwyer / Davey Byrne, Derek Kennedy / Brendan Cullimore and Eugene Ferry / John Gallagher.

John Dalton stormed to victory in the Sunday run from Niall Fortune and James Kelly while in the junior event, Alan Mackey partnered by Ray Green stole the show, setting fastest times on all four stages to take a commanding victory over the similar Kitchen Solutions Nova of John Stafford and Anne Marie Kennedy.

Results
1 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC) 01:38:44
2 Noel Redmond/Alan Keenan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 01:39:39
3 David James/Jim Crowe (Ford Focus WRC) 01:44:17
4 George Cullen/Jakes Kelly (Subaru Impreza WRC) 01:46:51
5 Neil Williams/Eurig Davies (Ford Escort Mk II) 01:47:57
6 Willie Whitty/Johnny Whitty (Ford Escort MkII) 01:48:18
7 Eoin Doyle/Paul Walsh (Subaru Impreza 555) 01:49:13
8 Ollie McPhillips/Billy Collins (Toyota Celica Turbo 4wd) 01:49:47
9 Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Ford Escort Mk II) 01:50:20
10 David Parle/Aidan Kent (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) GpN 01:50:27

Leaders:
SS1-14 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)

Stage Winners:
SS1 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS3 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS4 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS5 Noel Redmond/Alan Kenna (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS6 PJ McGrath/Killiam Duffy (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS7 Noel Redmond/Alan Kenna (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Noel Redmond/Alan Kenna (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS9 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS10 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS11 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS12 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS13 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
SS14 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC)
  • Marshall Meeting Points
  • 35th Wexford rally set to be a cracker.
  • 04/09/06 Updated Entry List & Reserve List.
  • Limited Number of Junior Entries are Still Available
  • Final Instructions
  • Coleman and Morgan to "00" in Wexford!
  • Boland heads top class line up.
  • Entry List Available
  • RALLY LAUNCH NITE - 27 Aug 06
  • The date of the marshals training night has been changed to the 22nd August
  • DON’T DRIVE A RALLY CAR! - MARSHAL.!
  • Regulations available to download
  • New Base for 2006 Dick Bailey stages rally.
  • Dick Bailey Stages Rally comes to Wexford town
07/09/06
05/09/06
35th Wexford rally set to be a cracker.
After months and months of planning, the stage is finally set for the running of the 2006 Riverbank House Hotel Dick Bailey stages rally. The event, which has a winners list of who’s who in Irish rallying over the last 35 years boast’s a high quality entry for this years event, which will be lead away from the Saturday morning start ramp by 6-times winner, Eamon Boland. The two day event opens with three stages repeated twice in the north of the county on Saturday before moving south for the Sunday stages which will see another four tests repeated twice before the winner returns to The Riverbank House Hotel on Sunday evening.

Without doubt the favourite for the event is number one seed, Eamon Boland. The local man will pilot a state of the art Ford Focus World Rally Car on his home event, a car that has seen him mix it with the best of them on Ireland’s premier event, including being the runner up in both 2005 and 2006 on Rally Ireland, the event which will be Ireland round of the 2007 World Rally championship. Eamon will be expected to set the pace, although there are plenty of men aiming to prevent the Hertz man from joining Stephen Murphy as a seven-time winner.

At number 2 is Bunclody man Noel Redmond with Kerry man Diarmud Falvey on the notes in another state of the art rally car, a Subaru Impreza S11. Noel, buoyed by a recent third place finish on the stonethrowers rally in Tipperary, has really stepped up a gear over the last year and is likely to pose the biggest threat to Boland this weekend. In a top ten that consists of no less than 6 Subaru WRC’s, the Triton Showers example of Kevin Barrett and Barry Goodman is at number 3. Kevin finished third overall in the 2005 National rally championship and the Maynooth native will be keen to get back on that pace in his new Subaru. The man who could really provide the upset is the first of the overseas crew’s, Welshman Melvyn Evans with Sean Mulally on the notes. Evans is a double winner of the West Cork rally and pushed Boland very hard in the early stages of both the 1999 and 2003 events in lesser machinery before mechanical problems intervened. A true gentleman of the sport, no one would begrudge Melvyn this year’s title. Rounding out the top 5 is one of the most well known faces of rallying, another Welshman John Price who has his wife Caroline on the notes this weekend. John was one of the top men in rallying in the early nineties, his loyalty to the MG badge making him a household name as he battled against technology. A good result is always possible for John, and it’s great to see him over for the thirty-fifth event.

In at 6 is Goreyman David James. It’s a shock to the system not to see this man behind the wheel of an Escort, but none the less he’s as entertaining as ever behind the wheel of his Ford Focus WRC. With usual suspect Jim Crowe on the notes, David will want to record a good result on his home event and he will definitely have the support of the locals on the ditches this weekend. At 7 is P.J. McGrath and Killian Duffy in their Subaru Impreza WRC. P.J. was runner up last year and the winner of Group N and the Oaklands Quarry machine is likely to be near the top of the time sheets again this weekend. His car is a little outdated compared to the other machinery but that won’t deter the New Ross man as he aims to go one better this year. At 8 is Eddie Garry and Ray Fitzpatrick in another Subaru WRC. Eddie picks and chooses his events over the last few years, and this year he’s come to Wexford in his new world rally car. A man that enjoys his rallying no matter the result, the Waterford Subaru dealer is an unknown quantity in this years event. At nine is Donegal native George Cullen in another Subaru. George has had some great results over the years and comes to Wexford this year with the car that brought Kevin Lynch so much success in 2005. George is likely to go very well with a top five finish very definitely on the cards. Rounding out the top ten is the new 2006 Irish Forestry National champion, John McCarthy with last years winning navigator, Mickey Joe Morrisey on the notes. The pair clinched the national forestry title with victory on the Birr forestry and decided to skip the final round in Killarney for an end of season blast on the tar in Wexford. John and Mickey are on a high and the Cork / Waterford pairing could be the dark horses this weekend.

The quality goes on outside the top ten, with another forestry regular Trevor Harding at 11 in his Subaru WRC. Trevor, who has Mark Kane on the notes ofr the weekend, is a man who always trills the crowd with his sideways antics and this weekend is unlikely to be any different. The attacking committed style he has is gear to watch and while this can lead to many white knuckle moments, it also means there a pairing who cannot be discounted this weekend, while at 12 comes a combination where anything is possible, the 2.5 litre Darrian of John Dalton and Gwynfor Jones. John was one of the fastest men when he last visited in 2002, setting fastest times as he held second place to Eamon Boland at one stage. With the car much more developed, the Welsh dragon has the potential of a top three finish and is always a joy to watch.

The top group N follows at 14, Gabriel Martin with Donal Lennon navigating and he’ll be going head to head with the similar Mitsubishi Lancer of local men James Stafford and Niall Whitty. Gabriel held second for a time last year while Stafford has the ability to step into a car and just make it take, the double single stage rally winner, the Wexford man determined to add the Wexford rally group N title to his list of achievements. Group N will be a hectic class this weekend with the Subaru’s of Mark Nangle / Nollaig Breen, Gavin Harris / Shaun Laferty, Sean Flanagan / Brian Miller and Stephen Cullen / Edward Roche, taking on the lancers of Martin and Stafford, as well as that of another Wexford crew, David Parle and Aidan Kent and former Wexford rally runner up Enda Nolan and Michael Lyster.

The mk2 Escort has always been associated with the Wexford stages rally, only last year the famous blue oval machines took third fourth and fifth on this very event. This year see’s the event being a round of the “On the Limit Sports Mk2 Championship”. This see’s an interesting blend of local, northern and overseas crews fight it out for the title of top Mk2. First on the road in the battle is local Escort ace, Willy Whitty with brother Johnny on the notes. The silver bullet Escort took the class honours on the Tipperary Stonethrowers rally and will be aiming to do the same the same again this weekend. However he will face stiff opposition from Escort challenge winner, welsh winner Gwyndaf Evans. Gwyndaf is one of the most skilful drivers in the British Isles and a gentleman to boot. His flamboyant style has the fans going wild on the stages and he and his navigator David Jones will push the Whitty brothers very hard. Other Escorts in the shake up include that of Donegal pairing Eugene Ferry / John Gallagher, Wayne Evans / Sion Jones, Neil Williams / Eurig Davies while the local crews are bound to have a say in the proceedings to, with Graham & Tomas Scallan, David Whitty / Frankie Dwyer, John Kehoe & Colm Kehoe and Johnny Murphy / Martin Nolan all ready to do battle over the local stages.

Class battles will be a feature of the event, one of the most fierce is likely to be class 11, where the mighty Nova’s of Mark Kennedy / Ian O’ Leary and John & Geraldine Somers take on the Escort brigade of Enda O’ Brien / John Butler, Bob Moran / Sean Hayde, Derek Brennan / Robbie Webster and the father and son team of Willie Kehoe Snr and Jnr. Class 9A is another cracker, where it’s a probable going to be an all r nothing dice between the Nova’s of Alan Mackey / Orlagh O’ Connor, Alan & Brian Boggan, Kenny O’ Brien / Tom Byrne, Paddy O’ Dwyer / Davey Byrne and Brian Kirwan / Elaine Delaney against the mighty Mini of Lloyd Hutchinson / Kevin Flanagan and the Starlet of Martin & Dorothy McGrath.

The junior event could see a bit of history made this weekend, with John Stafford, partnered by Anne Marie Kennedy, aiming to be the third Stafford to take an overall win in the famous little pocket rocket Nova. The car, which saw older brother James take victory on both the Wexford and Baltinglass single stage events and cousin James takes the inaugural Killarney Junior Lakes, is a serious machine and no better boyo than John to catch it by the scruff of the neck. Tim Radford, Mark Furlong and Joe Nacey will all put it up to the Wexford pairing, expect sparks to fly! The Sunday stage swill possess an extra attraction for the fans and spectators on the ditches, the news spreading like wildfire that Irish rally legend, Billy Coleman along with his former navigator Ronan Morgan will be carrying out sweeping duties aboard David James’s Mk2 Escort. Billy, of course, won the first two Wexford rallies while Ronan is officially the most successful navigator in the world. A fair old pairing! Enjoy the privilege of seeing such a sight on the Wexford lanes.

The rally kicks off on the Friday evening with scrutiny at the Hertz H.Q., with the crews following the scent of some cracking entertainment at the Riverbank House Hotel. The cars will leave the start ramp Saturday morning outside the hotel to tackle the first special stage. If your out on the stages, please obey the marshal, they are there for your own safety or if you want to get in on the marshalling thing yourself, feel free to contact 087 919 4886. Enjoy the thrill and spills of this weekends action, come along to the hotel to mingle with the crews and hear the gossip and tales from the stages and above all, stay safe and enjoy yourselves.

04/09/06
Limited Number of Junior Entries are Still Available
Contact: 087-2539967

29/08/06
28/08/06
Coleman and Morgan to "00" in Wexford!
The 35th running of the Wexford rally is guaranteed to have fans flocking in there thousands with the news that Irish rallying legend Billy Coleman and his former navigator Ronan Morgan are to be re-united on the 2006 Riverbank House Hotel Dick Bailey stages rally. The pair, along with Michael Lyster were launching the event last Sunday night when they took up the invitation to carry out “00” duties on the Sunday stages of the event. Billy will drive one of the most well known Escorts in Ireland, the famous “11 ZIK” yellow Escort of Wexford motor club member David James. The car is sponsored by David James Car Sales, JCE Tyres, P.J. Construction and Paddy Wall and son Structural Steel. The event will see the pair, most commonly remembered aboard the Rothmans Porsche and Metro 6R4, be paired for the first time aboard one of the famous blue oval machines in which Billy made his name.

Boland heads top class line up.
The day is nearing for the start of the 35th running of the Wexford motor club’s 2-day rally, formally the Wexford rally now the Dick Bailey stages rally. This year will see a new base for the event, the Riverbank House Hotel being the head quarters for this year’s 14-stage event, which also sees the event returning to the heart of Wexford town for the first time since 1999. Last Sunday night say the launch of the event in spectacular fashion; with a fantastic line up of World rally cars and ever-popular Mk2 Escorts on display for the crowds to see. Guest speakers Michael Lyster, Billy Coleman and Ronan Morgan officially launched the event. Billy had the opportunity to reacquaint himself with a Renault Alpine, the car in which the legendry Corkman won the first Wexford rally back in 1971. It was later revealed that Coleman, along with former side-kick Ronan Morgan will perform “00” duties on the Sunday stages in David James’s famous yellow Mk2 Escort. A site not to be missed!

The capacity 151 entry was released at the launch of the event and it sees 6-times winner Eamon Boland seeded at the head of the field, the NVD backed driver seeded at no.1 in his 05 spec Focus WRC. Behind Boland, who has Francis Regan on the notes, is Bunclody man Noel Redmond with Diarmud Falvey in their Subaru Impreza WRC S11. Two more Subaru’s occupy places three and four; at three is the Triton Showers Impreza of Kevin Barrett while 2006 West Cork rally winner Melvyn Evans is at no.4. It’s great to see John and Caroline Price returning for the 35th anniversary of the event, and their glorious sounding Metro 6R4 is at no.5. Two locals occupy six and seven, the Ford Focus of David James and Jim Crowe is at no.6 while P.J. McGrath and Killian Duffy start at no.7 in their new P2000 Impreza. Eddie Garry is at no.8 in his Subaru Impreza WRC while another Subaru Impreza is at no.9 in the hands of George Cullen. Rounding out the top ten is the Toyota Corolla of newly crowned 2006 Irish National Forestry champion John McCarthy, who has the ever-young Mickey Joe Morrisey on the notes for the weekend. Just outside the top ten sees the ever-spectacular Trevor Harding and the super fast Darrian of John Dalton.

A great battle is in store for group N also, where Gabriel Martin, who held second overall at one stage last year, heads the list ahead of another local man, James Stafford, who has Niall Whitty on the notes for the weekend. Also in the Group N shake up will be Mark Nangle, Gavin Harris, former Wexford rally runner-up Enda Nolan and Sean Flanagan.

Wexford is also a round of the “On the limit sports” Escort championship, where northern man Eugene Ferry makes a welcome visit to Wexford, where he’ll take on the usual south-east brigade of Willy Whitty, James Coleman and Enda O’ Brien, while the event also brings along the welsh contingent with the Escort challenge winner Gwyndaf Evans and last years top ten finisher Wayne Evans making the trip across the Irish Sea.

Entry List

1 EAMONN BOLAND / FRANCIS REGAN (FORD FOCUS WRC)
2 NOEL REDMOND / DIARMUID FALVEY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
3 KEVIN BARRETT / BARRY GOODMAN (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
4 MELVYN EVANS / SEAN MULLALLY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
5 JOHN PRICE / CAROLINE PRICE (MG METRO 6R4)
6 DAVID JAMES / JIM CROWE (FORD FOCUS WRC)
7 PJ McGRATH / KILLIAN DUFFY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
8 EDDIE GARRY / RAY FITZPATRICK (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
9 GEORGE CULLEN / JAKES KELLY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
10 JOHN McCARTHY /TBA (TOYOTA COROLLA WRC)
11 TREVOR HARDING / MARK KANE WATERFORD (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
12 JOHN DALTON / GWYNFOR JONES (DARRIAN T90GTR)
14 GABRIEL MARTIN / DONAL LENNON (MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO 9)
15 WILLIE WHITTY / JOHNNY WHITTY (FORD ESCORT MKII)
16 GWYNDAF EVANS / DAVID JONES (FORD ESCORT MKII)
17 JAMES COLEMAN / EOIN O'NEILL KILKENNY (FORD ESCORT MKII)
18 JAMES STAFFORD / NIALL WHITTY (MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO 9)
19 MARK NANGLE / NOLLAIG BREEN (SUBARU IMPREZA N10)
20 EUGENE FERRY / JOHN GALLAGHER DONEGAL (FORD ESCORT MKII)
21 WAYNE EVANS / SION JONES BLAENANERCH (FORD ESCORT MKII)

Full Entry List on:
15/08/06
14/08/06
The date of the marshals training night has been changed to the 22nd August.

All other details in the message are the same.
31/07/06
DON’T DRIVE A RALLY CAR! - MARSHAL.!
Have you ever wanted to be involved in Motor Racing but found that it’s too expensive? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be involved in a tight knit group who got things done in the rally world. Believe it or not one of the most important jobs anyone can do in the rally world is be a ………MARSHAL.

Its not glamorous, sometimes its even disheartening but without people going out there keeping the spectators and the rally teams safe there would not be rallying. Think about it, rallying is a fantastic sport to watch, please help us to keep it alive. Marshalling can take you around the country to all types of rallying events – even a World Rally.

Wexford Motor Club is looking for YOU to join our Marshalling Club. There will be a Marshals Training night at The Riverbank House Hotel Wexford on the 16th August @ 8.30p.m. . If you are interested in motor sports please come along and see what marshalling is all about. Join our team. Help us to bring rallying to the next generation.

The Riverbank House Hotel Dick Bailey Stages Rally is being run on the 9th & 10th of September. Please sign up today and help us run a safe and successful rally. v

A draw shall take place for marshals on the night of prize giving. Prizes shall be donated by racing teams and sponsors over the rally weekend. Should you have any queries about marshalling please contact our chief marshal – on 087-9194886 / +353 87-9194886 or at kitchens4u@eircom.net

15/01/06
New Base for 2006 Dick Bailey stages rally.
A new chapter in the History of Wexford Motor club opened on January 3rd when the Riverbank House hotel was launched as both the base and the main sponsor of the 2006 Dick Bailey stages rally. It see’s the motorclub’s flagship event move back to the town after a six year absence. General manager of the hotel, Colm Campbell, spoke of both his pride and joy of the hotel and motor club joining forces for one of the biggest sporting events in the southeast.
Speaking to the members of the motor club at the first club meeting to be held at its new base, Colm commented, “I remember when the rally was based in the town previously, the buzz and excitement around the town at the time was amazing. Anyone who has been at events held in the Riverbank hotel before will know that we do not do things by half and we will be doing all we can to assure it will be a weekend to remember.” Club chairman Eugene French was also in buoyant mood over the new partnership for the 2006 event. “It’s great for the club and great for the rally itself to be based once again in the heart of Wexford town. We have no doubt that by working closely with Colm and his team, the 2006 event will be a massive success and the start of a great partnership between the hotel and the club.”

Also on the night, a presentation was made by the members of Wexford motor club to St. Patrick’s special school of Enniscorthy with a cheque for €2,600 raised at club events throughout the year. Hopefully more funds can be raised at club events for various charities in 2006.

14/11/05
Dick Bailey Stages Rally comes to Wexford town
The Dick Bailey stages rally is to return to Wexford town for the first time since 1999. The announcement was made at the club's recent AGM.

Club chairman, Eugene French, made the announcement before a large turn out of members and said that all are excited about the new move and would be looking forward to a good working relationship with general manager, Colm Cambell, and all his staff.

The sponsorship deal is initially for one year with an option to extend, taking effect from the turn of the year. This marks a return to the county town, with the rally having had it's home across the river in the Talbot Hotel for some years. This will be the first time the rally has had it's base east of the River Slaney and Rally HQ will enjoy a panoramic view of the River Slaney and Wexford Harbour.

Topics: Wexford Rally 

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