Down Rally - 21 Oct 06

Posted: October 24, 2006 11:54 PM

Champion drive by Kevin Lynch and Martin McNicholl at McGrady Insurance Down Rally!
- Dungiven's Kevin Lynch wins the McGrady Insurance Down Rally and the Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship!
- Strabane's Stanley Ballantine secured Group N title!
- Draperstown's Aidan Toner takes two wheel drive honours!

  Four years of rallying, five championship titles, 16 wins in a row and approximately 140 fastest stage times (during those 16 rallies). Dungiven's Kevin Lynch has simply been unstoppable in recent years and the Dungiven pilot sealed his third Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship title with victory at last Saturday's McGrady Insurance Down Rally!  

Lynch's main rival for the Pacenotes backed series was Glenn Allen but the Cookstown driver decided not to enter the Newcastle based event. Feeling that the title was already out of reach, Allen chose to save his funds for next year, so Lynch's opposition came from last year's winners, Sean Devine and Damian Duffin.  

With some knowledge of the forest stages surrounding Newcastle, Devine grabbed the lead on the first stage while Neil McCance and Errol Clarke tied for second position in their Group N cars. Meanwhile, Lynch lost more than 10 seconds with an overshoot, finishing the opening test in fourth position.  

One stage later and it was all change at the top as both Sean Devine and Neil McCance crashed out of the event. Devine was first to put his Subaru off, clipping a large boulder which ripped a rear wheel off. He was able to continue but the impact broke a brake pipe, and one mile later he skated straight into the undergrowth after losing all braking power. Neil McCance also came a cropper at the same boulder but the Comber driver lost the argument in even more spetacular fashion.  

"It was a disaster!" McCance said after the incident. "We had a clean run through the first stage, well within ourselves, so we thought we'd have a crack at the second stage. Everything was going beautifully until we entered a 3 right over some bumps, which is a fifth gear corner for me. I dabbed the brakes, turned in and nailed her but the back end slid slightly wide. Any other corner we would have got away with it but there was a boulder the size of a Renault Laguna on the outside!"  

"We hit it hard," McCance continued, "and she did a full 360 with the rear corner completely out of her. I wasn't expecting it at all. I was accelerating until the point of impact, the boost gauge was on max! It was the first time I blocked a stage and I don't like doing that but there was nothing I could do. As they say, the boulder jumped out in front of us!"  

The accidents caused the cancellation of the stage, so all crews were awarded nominal times, leaving Kevin Lynch leading the event from Errol Clarke and Martin McGarrity. Clarke, driving a production category Impreza, was looking for maximum class points in an effort to close the gap to category leader, Stanley Ballantine. A non-finish could spell disaster, and would allow Ballantine to secure the Group N title.  

Stage three saw Lynch and navigator Martin McNicholl surge ahead, taking 18 seconds out of their nearest rivals in one deft swoop. It was a sign of things to come as the KPL pilot continued to extend his lead, and a string of fastest or joint fastest times saw the Dungiven man arrive at the finish with the rally victory in one hand, and the championship title in the other!  

"I don't think Sebastien Loeb has managed to win 16 rallies in a row yet," Lynch enthused, "It must be a record of some sort! The stages were difficult, it was slippery and narrow with plenty of jumps but we got the result in the end. I think it's time to move on now and let someone else have a crack at the championship next year!"  

Errol Clarke and Martin McGarrity held second position for much of the day. The crew were having an excellent run in their Subaru and a steady drive through the final stage would have been enough to secure the runner-up spot. Unfortunately, a driveshaft broke at the start line, causing instant retirement and leaving Donagh Kelly, with Kevin Flanagan on the notes, to take second.  

Just eight seconds adrift, Damien Tourish and Domnhall McElaney finished third overall while Darren Gass and Johnny Crozier were fourth in their Celica. It was young Gass' first outing in the ex-Nesbitt/Donnelly Celica, and he gradually upped his pace as the day progressed, enough to set joint fastest time on the final stage.  

Completing the top six, Gareth Logan and Alan Purdy finished fifth overall while Stanley Ballantine and Richard Hyland finished sixth. They were also the leading championship registered Group N competitors, and the maximum points haul was enough to secure the 2006 production category title!  

"That was my first time in the Evo 9," Ballantine said, "and it took some getting used to! The first stage was very slippery and I pulled the handbrake at the hairpin but we just went straight on. I lost a good bit of time there but it all came good in the end. It was good craic!"  

Superdrive sponsored two wheel drive category  
Among the two wheel drive competitors, Aidan and Damien Toner brought their Mark 2 Escort home in seventh position. A slow start saw them languishing behind both Mark Barnett and Martin McCormack during the early stages. Bit by bit, they clawed their way back into contention, and at the end of stage four, the two Toners were one second behind Barnett.  

Feeling the pressure, Barnett knew he had to switch on 'max attack' mode! It was his only option but a heavy landing after a jump broke something in his steering, forcing him into retirement. Barnett's misfortune allowed Toner into the lead, and there the crew stayed until the finish.  

"We were having a good battle with Mark Barnett and Martin McCormack," Toner said. "It's just a shame the way it ended. We were six seconds in front going into the last stage and had to stop at Geoffrey Nevin's accident. The stage was stopped and everyone was given nominal times, which handed the win to Martin. Then the club revised the times which gave the win back to me. It wasn't fair on Martin who thought he had won."  

Six seconds adrift, Martin McCormack and Neil Doherty finished second in category and eighth overall, while Sean McBride and Niall McKenna were third in class. Paul Killen and Christian Cochrane finished fourth ahead of Andrew Trotter and Kevin Creighan, while Jonathan and Gareth Nevin completed the top six.  

Round nine - Glens of Antrim Rally  

Although both the overall and Group N titles have been decided, there are still some class battles that will go down to the wire at the final round on Saturday 4 November. The Glens of Antrim Rally is the traditional season finale. Based at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena, competitors will face 11 stages and a total of 43 stage miles. More information will be available from the official championship website at www.nirally.com.  

  McGrady Insurance Down Rally Top 10  
1 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC) 28m39s
2 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Mit. Lancer Evo 6) GpN 29m57s
3 Damien Tourish/Domnhall McAlaney (Mit. Lancer Evo 6) GpN 30m04s
4 Darren Gass/Johnny Crozier (Toyota Celica GT-Four) 30m16s
5 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy (Mit. Lancer Evo 8) GpN 30m25s
6 Stanley Ballantine/Richard Hyland (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 30m47s
7 Aidan Toner/Damien Toner (Escort Mk2) 30m47s
8 Martin McCormack/Neil Doherty (Escort) 30m53s
9 John Walker/David Meeke (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 31m10s
10 Gary Rodgers/Brian Crawford (Mit. Lancer Evo 6) GpN 31m31s
 
Class winners  
C1 Paul Quinn/Gary Monern Ford Fiesta
C2 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy Lancer Evo 8
C3 Sonya Mac/Safron Thomas Ford Ka
C4 Jonathan Nevin/Gareth Nevin Ford Escort
C5 Terry O'Hara/Eoighan Rogers Toyota Corolla
C6 Aidan Toner/Damien Toner Ford Escort
C7 Andrew Trotter/Kevin Creighan Ford Escort
C8 Darren Gass/Johnny Crozier Toyota Celica


Leaders After
SS1 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2-8 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Stage Winners
SS1 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS6 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS7Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Subaru Impreza WRC)
& Darren Gass/Johnny Crozier (Toyota Celica GT-Four)

• Download Full Results in Word Format

Photos:
Roy Dempster Photos
rallypics.org

Down Rally

Rathfriland Motor Club

• 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Championship

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• Event Preview
• Entry list and Schedule available
• The Countdown begins again!
• Regulations and Entry Form Available
• Event Wesbite

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20/10/06
Rathfriland Motor Club’s McGrady Insurance Down Rally kicks off this Saturday in what may prove to be the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship decider!

Current championship leader, Glenn Allen, is missing from the event entry list, and if Kevin Lynch finishes among the top seven N.I. series registered crews, the title will return to Dungiven for another year.

Lynch has taken the championship by storm in recent years, with a string of victories to his name. It will be his first visit to the Down Rally, but this will not have any effect on his performance. He has been unbeaten since September 2004, and is once again the odds on favourite for victory.

While Lynch and navigator Martin McNicholl are the number one seeds, last year’s winner Sean Devine starts the event at number two. The 2005 rally was not a counting round of the N.I. series but Devine’s experience of the roads will help him defend his Down Rally title.

Young Darren Gass starts at number three with a Toyota Celica GT4 at his disposal for the first time. Gass, son of Maurice, decided to put in a late entry and could be a surprise among the pack. He recently piloted his father’s Skoda Fabia WRC at Aghadowey Race Circuit and was quickly on the pace. The Down Rally, an all forestry event, will be more challenging though, and the big Celica will be a different animal to try to control among the tree-lined stages. However, Gass isn’t afraid to put his foot down, so he could spring a surprise result.

Outside the top three, Neil McCance and Sean Ferris are first of the Group N runners in their Evo 9. They finished second overall in 2005 and will face stiff opposition from the likes of Errol Clarke, John Walker and Stanley Ballantine. Kevin O’Kane completes the top six seeds in his Subaru Impreza WRC.

In the hotly contested two wheel drive category, Andy Magee and Mark Barnett are set for another titanic battle in their Escorts. Paul Ward and Andrew Trotter also join the fray while Andy Hawthorne is aiming to take his Astra to the top of the front wheel drive tree. Marcel Heaney adds a bit of variation to the field with his bright yellow Mark 1 Escort and Cool FM’s Sonya Mac is hoping to stay out of the ditches in her pink Ka!

The McGrady Insurance Down Rally starts on Saturday morning with the first car flagged away from Newcastle centre’s Central Promenade at 9am. The first of nine stages starts in Donard Wood at 9.10am with the first car due to cross the finish ramp in Newcastle centre at approximately 5pm.

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18/10/06

Top 10
1 KEVIN LYNCH/MARTIN McNICHOL (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
2 SEAN DEVINE/DAMIAN DUFFIN (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
3 DARREN GASS/TBA (TOYOTA CELICA GT-FOUR)
4 NEILL McCANCE/SEAN FERRIS (MIT. LANCER EVO 9)
5 KEVIN O`KANE/TBA (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
6 ANDY MAGEE/TBA (FORD ESCORT)
7 MARK BARNETT TBA (FORD ESCORT)
8 ERROL CLARKE/MARTIN McGARRITY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC)
9 JOHN WALKER DESSIE WILSON (MIT. LANCER EVO 9)
10 STANLEY BALLANTINE RICHARD HYLAND (MIT. LANCER EVO 9)

Full Entry list and Schedule available on the Event Website:

Down Rally

Rathfriland Motor Club

• 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Championship

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13/08/06
The Countdown begins again!
Rathfriland Motor Club is delighted to announce our plans for the 2006 McGrady Insurance Down Rally. After it's inaugural event in 2005 to bid for championship status, we are pleased to be hosting the 8th and penultimate round of the MSA Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship - Northern Ireland's premier rally championship. New for 2006,we will also be hosting a counting round of the Superdrive Motorsports Centre 2 Wheel Drive Challenge.

The event will be held on Saturday 21st October 2006 and will be based at the Newcastle Centre, Central Promenade, Newcastle and will consist of 9 gravel stages (up to 40 stage miles) in the Newcastle, Rostrevor and Kilkeel region with a centralised service park in Newcastle's Donard Park.

As a round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship, we can expect entries from all over the province, which in turn should give a significant boost to the local economy. Top rally teams such as Kevin Lynch and Martin McNicholl, Glen Allen and Damien Connolly and not forgetting last years winner Sean Devine all in their respective World Rally Cars. The close battle for the 2006 Championship title is now heating up and like last year could be decided on the penultimate round. This will make for a great battle over our 9 special stages and would be a great opportunity to crown the 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Champions in Newcastle Town Centre.

The Newcastle and East Down region has a proud rallying history as the town played host to the Circuit of Ireland Rally in the mid '70s and early '90s. The Down Rally will re-ignite this motorsport tradition and will provide a new treat for many local rally fans.

Below is a brief outline of this year's event.

Event regulations and entry forms are now available on the new Down Rally website - http://www.downrally.com and on the new championship website - http://www.nirally.com

Rally Headquarters:
Newcastle Centre, Central Promenade, Newcastle.

Event Format:
9 Stages. 95% Gravel & 5% Tarmac (Up to 40 Stage Miles)

Mechanical Scrutiny:
Newcastle, Co Down.

Documentation:
At Rally Headquarters.

Driver's Briefing:
At Rally Headquarters, Sat 21st @ 08:30hrs

Event Start:
At Rally Headquarters, Sat 21st @ 09:01hrs

Services:
Donard Park, Newcastle
@ 11:13hrs (30mins)
& 13:44hrs (40mins)

Event Finish:
At Rally Headquarters @ 17:00hrs

Entries Close:
Saturday 7th October 2006

Regulations and Entry Form on the Event's Website:

Down Rally

Rathfriland Motor Club

• 2006 Northern Ireland Rally Championship