Kirkistown (North Armagh MC) - (Sat) 17 Feb 07

Posted: February 20, 2007 9:48 AM

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Successful rally comeback for County Armagh's Willie Singleton!
Markethill's Willie Singleton made a successful comeback to the driving seat last weekend at Kirkistown's Eurocables Stages Rally. After securing a new sponsorship deal with Setanta Sports, an independent sports content satellite TV business, the County Armagh businessman successfully debuted his newly liveried Ford Escort Cosworth by taking a top 20 position!

The rally marked the opening round of the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship, and saw the country's top driving talent flock to the County Down venue. It was Singleton's first event since breaking his leg in a fall last year, so he used the opening stages to settle into the grove.

With John Magee calling the notes, the bright yellow car, which once belonged to former European Champion, Patrick Snijers, was quickly on the pace. Unfortunately, the colour failed to help another competitor spot Singleton in his rear view mirror, and the PVC Windowman backed car was slowed on three separate occasions!

"It was unfortunate," Singleton said. "We caught the same car three times and were very badly held up. It didn't help our times but you can't do much about it!"

The incident dented Singleton's attempts to move up the ranks but he was still in good spirits. A huge fifth gear spin during the third stage kept him on his toes but he survived to arrive at the finish in a very respectable 17th overall.

"It's great to be back!" Singleton enthused. "I thoroughly enjoyed the rally. We had a major spin on stage three but I'm just glad to finish the rally. It's great to get the miles under my belt and now I'm looking forward to the Circuit of Ireland!"

"Thanks also to my sponsors," Singleton continued. "I'm delighted to have Setanta Sports on board. The company is now global and I'm pleased to have a good relationship with owner, Michael O'Rourke. Hopefully, together we can secure even better results later this year!"

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Surprise Eurocables Rally victory for Pomeroy's Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh!
If the opening round of this year's Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship is an indication of what lies ahead, rally fans are set to be treated to one of the closest fought battles in the series' history. County Down's Kirkistown Race Circuit marked round one of this year's championship, and at the final time control, less than eight seconds separated the top five crews!

In the end, it was a surprise victory for Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh, who powered their Ford Focus WRC to the top of the Eurocables Stages podium. In a last gasp effort, they overhauled early leaders, Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly, to snatch their maiden N.I. series victory.

It was Cookstown's Allen who led the North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club event from the start in his Corolla WRC, topping the podium with a flying time over the opening test. Bangor's Michael Curran, with Fabian McShane on the notes, was in a close second position, just two-tenths in arrears. All was not well in the Octavia WRC camp though, as Curran struggled with an understeering car.

Gary White and Kenny McKinstry were third after that opening stage, 5.6 seconds adrift of the leaders, closely followed by Stephen Moore. In fifth position, the Dromara father and son team of Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff were struggling with an understeering Impreza, and they nudged a hay bale.

Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly continued to lead the event after the second and third tests but the chasing pack were closing in. Michael Curran continued to hold second position in the Octavia WRC, but he was still struggling with the handling of his mount. The service crew were trying various settings for car but nothing seemed to work!

Meanwhile, Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff were two men on the move. After their earlier understeering dramas, they fixed a problem with their front differential and jumped into third position after stage three. Now less than three seconds off the lead, they were poised to make an attack.

Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh were also making progress, although the overall positions showed them moving down the ranks. Despite taking time out of the rally leader over the second and third tests, such was the fierce competition, Moore had actually dropped from fourth to fifth. Instead, it was Enniskillen's Raymond Johnston and Richard Bell who moved into fourth, forcing their opening stage spin to the back of their minds.

Stage four saw a change at the top of the leaderboard as Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff leapfrogged both Glenn Allen and Michael Curran. Curran also moved in front of the Corolla WRC pilot, making it a 1-2 for the FeckinIrishWhiskey.com team. The Biggerstaffs were really on a charge, as they swiped almost four seconds out of Allen in one swoop! Incredibly, just one second separated these three drivers, while Raymond Johnston and Stephen Moore were also in the hunt. In fact, just 3.3 seconds separated the top five crews!

It was still anyone's game but this was one rally that was set to end in tears for the new leaders. Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff started the penultimate stage aiming to extend their lead but their rally was over in a flash. As they accelerated off the start line, bolts sheared and a wheel fell off their car. Then, to make matters worse, Denis tore a muscle in his leg as he walked back to the paddock.

"It's easy to explain," Biggerstaff said. "The car is three-legged and I'm one-legged! The studs sheared and that was it. They're titanium wheel studs and they just degraded over time. As soon as I let the clutch out at the start line, they snapped and a wheel fell off."

Biggerstaff's retirement automatically promoted Michael Curran into the top spot but he slipped off the road during the stage. The big Octavia was still understeering badly, and as he rounded Fisherman's, the car refused to turn into the corner. He lost a handful of seconds, dropping him to fifth and handing the rally lead back to Glenn Allen, while early third placed holder Gary White dropped out of contention with problems of his own.

With one stage remaining, Allen was back on top in his Corolla WRC but he could still not afford to relax. Courtesy of his fastest time over the fifth test, Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh were breathing down his neck. Moore had placed himself in second position, just 1.2 seconds in arrears, while Raymond Johnston was third ahead of Sean Devine and Damien Duffin who moved up to fourth.

It was down to a final stage shoot-out between Allen and Moore, leaving the rest of the field waiting in the wings should anything happen to either man. As Allen completed the first lap of the circuit, Moore blasted off the start line. It was a race to the first corner but Allen just nipped in front, leaving Moore to follow his tracks for the duration of the first lap.

As Allen crossed the finish line, it looked as though the event may have been swinging in his favour. Moore and McHugh were still on a charge though, as they went on to complete their second and final lap of the circuit. Incredibly, the crew sliced four seconds out of Allen's advantage, ensuring victory went home to Pomeroy for the first time!

"It feels fantastic!" Moore said after the event. "We became more used to the car as the day went on. There was real close competition, nobody was running away with it, which makes the win even more special!"

In second position, Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly were left pondering what they had to do to secure victory. Allen has tasted the runner-up position on more than 20 occasions, so surely his maiden N.I. series win is just around the corner?

The battle for third between Raymond Johnston and Sean Devine was also settled over the closing miles. In the end, it was Devine who set a stunning time, nipping in front of Johnston's Impreza at the finish and almost claiming second placed Allen in the process. Meanwhile, fifth placed Michael Curran could do little about the men in front, as his struggle continued to the end.

"It was a waste of a day," Curran said. "We just couldn't get the car to work at all, it was understeering everywhere. We were changing settings all day but it wasn't making it any better or worse. Before the final stage, we found that the centre-differential sensor wasn't working. So it was fixed for the last stage but then all the settings for the car were wrong. Hopefully, we'll have better luck in Mayo!"

Sunoco Fuels Group N category
Among the production category crews, Greyabbey's Dickie and Liam Curran took a well deserved victory in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. The crew were fastest on all but one stage, leaving them to take the win by almost half a minute from Bryan Haddock and Andrew Armstrong. Third position went to the PRH Construction Lancer of Eoin McErlean and Donard McCann.

Superdrive two wheel drive
For the second year in succession, Wesley Patterson brought his Feckin' Irish Whiskey Escort home at the top of the two wheel drive category. With navigator and sponsor Shane Braniff calling the notes, Patterson grabbed the victory and the cash prize by 30 seconds from second placed Alistair Cochrane and Pam Irwin. James Kennedy and Andrew Murray were third.

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Sonya Mac Debuts New Philip White Tyres Ka at Eurocables
Cool FM DJ Sonya Mac steered the orange and black Philip White Tyres Ka to 9th in class in the first round of the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the Eurocables Stages at Kirkistown yesterday.

After a less than favourable start including a maximum time on stage one due to a co-driver error and an incident with a bale on stage two, Sonya drove the car to complete some competitive class times in the Harper Rally prepared Ford Ka through the rest of the event.

Sonya said,
‘The start of the rally wasn’t ideal for us but it was a great chance to test the Ka as it was still being prepared quite close to the event.

‘After today, I know this Ka is much more equipped for the Northern Ireland Championship than the pink Ka and I‘m really looking forward to the next round in Bishopscourt.’ She said.

The custom built Harper Rally prepared car is 50mm wider on each side, is running a 1400cc, 16 valve Fiesta engine on throttle bodies and has much more power than the 1300cc standard Ka engine of last years car.

Sonya and co-driver, Superdrive’s Safron Thomas have registered for both the 2007 Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship and the PHP Clubman’s Championship. Full details of Sonya’s rallying can be found on www.sonymacrally.co.uk

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Results (Top 10)
1 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC) 30m 28.5s
2 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 30m 31.3s
3 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 30m 31.5s
4 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 30m 34.7s
5 Mike Curran/Fabian McShane (Skoda Octavia WRC) 30m 36.4s
6 Dick Curran/Liam Curran (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 31m 25.1s
7 Brian Dowey/Ricky Cochrane (Ford Escort WRC) 31m 50.3s
8 Bryan Haddock/Andrew Armstrong (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 31m 53.1s
9 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Ford Escort WRC) 31m 53.3s
10 Seamus Devine/Terry McGonigle (Subaru Impreza WRC) 31m 53.9s

• Download Full Results and Stages Times in Word Format

Photos
rallypics.org
Roy Dempster Photos
NG Motorsport Images
neillpics.co.uk

Video Clips
Waylander Video Clips

North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club Ltd

• 2007 Northern Ireland Rally Championship

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• Rally season set to blast off in County Down!
• Entry List available
• Regulations available

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12/02/07
Rally season set to blast off in County Down!
It's time to blow off the winter cobwebs as the 2007 Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship kicks into action this Saturday with the Eurocables Stages Rally! Based at County Down's Kirkistown Race Circuit, North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club have attracted a full complement of 120 cars for this weekend's event. The popular season opener, which is held on a mixture of tarmac and loose surfaces, features six stages and approximately 26 stage miles.

"We're very pleased to once again have the support of Shane Braniff from Eurocables," said Clerk of the Course, Eric McCombe. "Shane is a prominent businessman in the area and has a number of established businesses to his name. He recently opened 'The Slip' in Portaferry, so we're delighted to hold the event's prize-giving at the popular Portaferry night spot, after the champagne finish on Saturday evening."

Event sponsor Braniff has also dabbled in rallying over the years but on this occasion he will take to the navigator's seat beside Wesley Patterson. The Mark 2 Escort crew, which is interestingly sponsored by FECKiN Irish Whiskey, another of Braniff's concerns, top the two wheel drive seeds. The crew will face opposition from the likes of Alistair Cochrane, Gareth Nevin, James Kennedy and John Waring in their bid for two wheel drive honours.

At the top of the entry list, Glenn Allen and Damien Connolly are the number one seeds in their Toyota Corolla WRC. The crew have decided to contest both the N.I. Championship and the Irish National Championship this year. It will be a busy season for both men, and Allen has already started his year on the right foot after winning the Ballypatrick Stages Rally, a non-championship event, earlier this month.

"I'm really looking forward to this year," Allen said. "I had my girlfriend navigating for the first time at Ballypatrick and we had a very good day. It was a bit slippery in the morning and she had never sat in the car before so she was a bit wary of it. As the day went on, the grip was better and I must admit, it was a very good event. My usual navigator, Damien Connolly, is back in the passenger seat this weekend and hopefully we can continue that success!"

Allen will face stiff competition from Bangor's Michael Curran, who has hired a Skoda Octavia WRC. The 26-year-old driver, with Fabian McShane on the notes, finished second last year behind champion, Kevin Lynch. The Dungiven driver's absence from this year's event means Curran is aiming to top the podium this time.

Also in the hunt, Strabane's Sean Devine and Damien Duffin are set to wheel out their Subaru Impreza WRC. The crew won November's Glens of Antrim Stages, the final round of the 2006 championship, so they will be looking to start as they finished. Enniskillen's Raymond Johnston will also return to action in his Impreza WRC while father and son, Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff, are hoping for a better run after their first stage disappointment at the New Year Stages in January.

Further down the order, Cahal Arthurs and John McIlheaney are set to bring a Skoda Fabia WRC to the circuit, while Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh start their campaign in a Ford Focus WRC. Gary White has three times N.I. Champion, Kenny McKinstry, calling the notes and Ballymena's George Robinson, with Tommy Speers, always go well at Kirkistown.

Richard Cathcart, Michael McColgan and Seamus Devine also have Imprezas at their disposal, while Willie Singleton and John Magee are all set for a blast in their Setanta Sports backed Ford Escort Cosworth. Among the Group N crews, Greyabbey's Dickie and Liam Curran top the list in their Mitsubishi Lancer, just ahead of current champion Stanley Ballantine, who has Richard Hyland in the hot seat. Comber's Neil McCance and Sean Ferris also wheel out their Lancer, with John Walker, Ian Cochrane and Stephen Kelly also inside the top 20.

The first stage is set to get underway at 9am on Saturday (17 February), when competitors will tackle the first of six stages. The champagne finish is due to take place at dinner time, before crews travel to The Slip in Portaferry for the prize-giving.

Entry list (top 30)
1 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly - Toyota Corolla WRC
2 Mike Curran/Fabian McShane - Skoda Octavia WRC
3 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin - Subaru Impreza WRC
4 Raymond Johnston/TBA - Subaru Impreza WRC
5 Denis Biggerstaff/Stuart Biggerstaff - Subaru Impreza WRC
6 Cahal Arthurs/John McIlheaney - Skoda Fabia WRC
7 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh - Ford Focus WRC
8 Gary White/Kenny McKinstry - Escort RS Cosworth
9 George Robinson/Tommy Speers - Ford Escort WRC
10 Dick Curran/Liam Curran - Mit. Lancer Evo 9
11 Stanley Ballantine/Richard Hyland - Lancer Evo 9
12 Richard Cathcart/TBA - Impreza
13 Neil McCance/Sean Ferris - Lancer Evo 9
14 Craig Bennett/Rodger Bennett - Metro 6R4
15 Michael McColgan/Donal McElheaney - Impreza WRC
16 Seamus Devine/Terry McGonigle - Impreza WRC
17 John Walker/Dessie Wilson - Lancer Evo 9
18 Ian Cochrane/Justin Dilworth - Lancer Evo 7
19 Brian Dowey/Ricky Cochrane - Escort WRC
20 Stephen Kelly/Ann Taggart - Lancer Evo 5
21 Eoin McErlean/Donard McCann - Lancer Evo 8 MR
22 Jim Crozier/TBA - Lancer Evo 8
23 Martin Carey/Damian McCann - Escort WRC
24 Willie Singleton/John Magee - Escort Cosworth
25 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy - Lancer Evo 8
26 Enda McNulty/Ronan O'Kane - Lancer Evo 6
27 Wesley Patterson/Shane Braniff - Escort Mk II
28 Alistair Cochrane/Pam Irwin - Escort Mk II
29 Damien Shields/Graeme Stewart - Lancer Evo 7
30 Gareth Nevin/Jonathan Nevin - Escort Mk II

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• Download Full Entry List in PDF Format

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• Download Regulations and Entry Form in Word Format

North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club Ltd

• 2007 Northern Ireland Rally Championship