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LinksConnacht Stages Rally (Sligo) - 16 Jul 06
Posted: July 19, 2006 12:30 PM - 21917 Hits
Round 6 - 2006 National Rally Championship
Round 5 - 2006 Border Rally Championship
- Elliot takes his first National Championship win in Sligo - Event Round up
- More Photos
Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin win the Sligo Stages Rally
Posted: July 19, 2006 12:30 PM
Elliot takes his first National Championship win in Sligo
For the second year running the Tom Hunt Motors β Sligo Park Hotel / Sligo Stages Rally was blessed with one of the hottest days of the summer, which was a contributing factor in attracting large crowds out on the stages in the Ballymote and Riverstown areas on Sunday last. Also as in 2005 the winning margin crossing the finish ramp was extremely close, and on this occasion it was Cavan man, Patrick Elliott guided on the notes by Paul Mc Loughlin, who took what was his first National Championship win by just a mere one second ahead of Charlie Donnelly and Paddy Toner crossing the finish ramp.
The bumper-starting list crossing the start ramp at Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday morning included no less than eleven World Rally cars which were numerous possible outright winners. Withdrawals earlier in the week from the published list were entries in WRC cars drivers Sean Devine and Michael Doherty, with Glen Allen disappointingly being forced to withdraw having arrived straight from holidays to mechanical scrutiny on Saturday evening to find a head gasket blown on the Corolla.
On Sunday morning, the Gusclad sponsored Lough Bo stage was a challenging 18 kilometre opener, and as is the norm,
the Cheshire crew James Harrison and Harvey Bell in the Subaru set the early pace.
This lead was short lived though when the early leaders struggled with gear selection, having to resort to mechanical gear change, as the National Championship leaders, Patrick Elliott and Charlie Donnelly matched fastest on the City Electrical sponsored Kilmorgan stage, giving the Corolla of Donnelly a moderate lead entering the first service in Ballymote. Entering for the first time the Sligo Motorcycle and Lawnmower Centre, Carickbanagher stage with three seconds on Harrison, Charlie Donnelly made an unfortunate error towards the end of the 14 kilometre test. Damaging both the front and rear of the Corolla when spinning cost the crew almost twenty seconds which in turn pushed them some four places down the table, allowing Harrison to edge once again into the lead although the UK still struggled with gear selection.
It was while being distracted by their gear problems that, the 2005 Sligo Stages runners up James Harrison and Harvey Bell, impacted with a tree at the end of a long straight into a ninety right on stage four, leaving the car quite battered entering the Fallon Oils sponsored Service in Ballymote for the second time. This encounter cost the Uk crew over twenty seconds, influencing their decision to retire, so the focus at this stage for the leadership was on Elliott and Donnely, both targeting crucial National Championship points. Apart from the Dunlop series contenders, both Aaron Mc Hale in the Focus WRC and Monaghan crew, Adrian Mc Elvaney were never far off the mark and had any of the leading duo made an error they were well capable of grabbing the opportunity.
Following the final service of the day, and with only one stage to go, it was a showdown between Patrick Elliott and Charlie Donnelly as only seven seconds separate them both, and as Donnelly snapped five seconds off Elliott on this stage on the previous loop, the Carrickbanagher stage was to be the decider. Donnelly who was running first on the road, set a time of six minutes and five seconds as all ears and eyes was on the approaching National leader Patrick Elliott. On the arrival of Cavan Developer at the end of the stage it became clear that even with the best efforts of Donnelly, he was only capable of cutting six seconds of Elliots final stage time, granting Patrick Elliott with Paul Mc Loughlin on the notes a win on the 2006 Sligo Stages Rally by a mere one second. The Cavan developers first ever-national event win extends his Dunlop National Championship lead to twelve points following his Sligo success.
Pos Driver/Codriver (Make) Total
1 Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 01:11:24
2 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC) 01:11:25
3 Aaron Machale/Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) 01:11:44
4 Adrian McElvaney/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza WRC) 01:11:47
5 Noel Redmond/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 01:13:31
6 Michael Barrable/Michael Morrisey (Ford Focus WRC) 01:14:02
7 Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Subaru Impreza N12) 01:15:11
8 Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Subaru Impreza N12) 01:15:37
9 David James/Jim Crowe (Ford Focus WRC) 01:15:46
10 Rodney Wilton/Conor McMahon (Ford Escort Mk II) 01:16:01
Leaders After:
SS1 James Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
SS3 James Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4-9 Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
Stage Winners:
SS1 James Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
& Adrian McElvaney/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
& Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5 Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS6 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
SS7 Partick Elliott/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
& Adrian McElvaney/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS9 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
GpN Winners: Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Subaru Impreza N12)
First 2WD: Rodney Wilton/Conor McMahon (Ford Escort Mk II)
PRE EVENT NEWS
- Time and Distance Schedule
- Reminder that the event takes place on July 16th this year
- Reserve List updated daily
- TOP CREWS LINE OUT IN SLIGO
- Stages
- Top 20 Entries
- Full Entry and reserve list to be available July 3rd
- Regulations available
- Event Details
- Preparation begins for Sligo Stages Rally
- Date changed to 16th July
09/07/07
Reserve List updated daily:
30/06/06
TOP CREWS LINE OUT IN SLIGO
With entries closing on Friday last in excess of 200 applicants were received for the main field with a further thirty for the Junior category and with the top twenty released it is evident that July 16th is set to be a showdown in respect to the sixth round of the Dunlop National Championship listing among the starters, current Championship leaders, Patrick Elliott and Rory Kennedy who will be defending their ten point lead over No 1 seed Charlie Donnelly with Paddy Toner on the notes who this season have three overall wins in the championship to date.
Starting No 3 off the ramp will be Glen Allen and Damien Connolly who have in the past focused on forestry, but on finishing third in the opening round in Mayo decided to contest a number of National Championship rounds.
Aaron Mc Hale accompanied by the experienced Paul Nagle have been gradually become confident in the Focus WRC and with a third place finish on the last two national rounds, Cavan and Carlow, he could be destined to compliment the family rally succeses. Adrian Mc Elvaney, though not out on a regular basics probably looks on his home event this year as being his proudest moment when he came home ahead of Elliot to win the Monaghan Stages. Lining out among the showroom Group N class are also strong contenders, including Alan Ring, Willie Fanning and Kevin Kelleher with Enda Keenan, Maurice Moffitt and Mark Alcorn among the leading two wheel drive contenders.
The Fallon Oils & Chemicals sponsored Junior Class has also attracted a capacity entry with well in excess of the allowable 20 starters joining the field later in the day led by Conor Harvey carrying J1 on the door.
Stages
Stage 1 sponsored by Gusclad Ltd, a 18km opener has not been used for a number of years is quite an open stage but has a number of individual challenging tighter sections.
The second stage of the day, 14.5km long, supported by City Electrical Services has a number of familiar mountainous sections but contains a certain amount of new territory with added challenges.
The third stage of the day , Sligo Motorcycle & Lawnmower stage which is undertaken following service is just under 14.5 km long would contain mainly clean grippy tar challenged by a large number of demanding junctions.
The first car is scheduled to depart Rally headquarters at Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday morning at 10.15 to take in a loop of three stages run three times with the first car due back at the finish ramp at 17.35.
Top 20 No Driver/Navigator (Car)
1 Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Toyota Corolla WRC)
2 Partick Elliott/Rory Kennedy (Subaru Impreza WRC)
3 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC)
4 Aaron MacHale/Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC)
5 Adrian McElvaney/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza WRC)
6 Martin Doherty/Andrew Cullen (Subaru Impreza WRC)
7 James Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
8 Michael Barrable/Michael Morrisey (Ford Focus WRC)
9 Sean Devine/Damian Dufin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
10 Maurice Gass/TBA (Skoda Fabia WRC)
11 Noel Redmond/Diarmuid Falvey (Subaru Impreza WRC)
12 Noel McCarrick/Keefe Kilcoyne (Subaru Impreza WRC)
14 Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Subaru Impreza N12)
15 Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Subaru Impreza N12)
16 Kevin Kelleher/Martin Kelleher (Mitsubishi Evo 9)
17 Ian Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Mitsubishi Evo 9)
18 Frank Wray/Joe McNulty (Mitsubishi Evo 6)
19 David James/Jim Crowe (Ford Focus WRC)
20 Eddie Donaghy/Charlie Donaghy (Subaru Impreza WRC)
The Full Entry and reserve list is to be made available on the club website from July 3rd
28/05/06
Regulations available / Event Details
With preparation at an advanced stage for the forthcoming Tom Hunt Motors β Sligo Park Hotel / Sligo Stages Rally , which is scheduled to take place on Sunday July 16th , Clerk of the Course , Kieran Henry and his dedicated team are confident that the three stages run three times will have something to present challenges for entrants across all classes .Having accommodation for a field of 131 starters the organisers are also allowing for a provision of a further twenty entries from the Junior Class.
Complimenting the Title sponsors Connacht Motor Club are privileged to have on board designated stage and Junior category sponsors , Sligo Motorcycle and Lawnmower Centre , Fallon Oils , Gusclad Ltd and newcomer City Electrical Contractors.
As what has become an acceptance of the Sligo event , joint title sponsor , recognised for its hospitality , the Sligo Park Hotel will once again accommodate Rally Headquarters for the July weekend.
Regulations and Entry on:
18/01/06
Preparation begins for Sligo Stages Rally
With the 2006 motorsport calendar already opened, planning for this years Sligo Stages Rally has already began with the appointment of a new Clerk of the Course for the July event and the confirmation of this years date.
Following in the footsteps C.O.C of last year Joe Corcoran, fellow Coolaney man Kieran Henry takes on the mantle for the first time ably assisted by the regular strong committee. Having got his first appetite for rallying in 2002 Kieran then acquired a Suzuki Swift, and the following year commenced his campaign at the Galway International Rally highlighting his real enthusiasm for the sport, later contesting both the Border and National series in that year capturing Class five Awards in both Championships while competing on some twenty events throughout the season.
Taking some time out competitively he then focused on the organisational aspects of the sport acting as stage commander on the classic Lough Easkey stage in 2004 while again in 2005 he opted to compete on his home event to finish just outside the awards in a hired 106. Kieran in selecting stages indicated he β accepted the challenge with an open mind but does have a number of possible loops in mind and with the support of a strong team is confident of a great event on July 16thβ.
In an effort to avoid clashing with other events in the area Connacht Motor Club had a period of reflection over dates but are now delighted to confirm Sunday July 16th as the date for the 2006 event which is expected to once again a large entry being both a round of the Dunlop National and the Quinn Group championships.
Upcoming