Clare Stages Rally - 16 Sep 07

Posted: September 20, 2007 3:37 PM

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O’Mahony and Higgins claim class 6 honours in Dunlop National Championship on Clare Stages Rally
Carrigaline driver Brian O’Mahony and Kiltimagh co-driver John Higgins claimed the class 6 honours in the Dunlop National Championship following their result on Sunday’s (16 September) Clare Stages Rally.

O’Mahony and Higgins won class 6, finished an impressive 10th overall and as the first two-wheel drive car on the event in their OM Concrete Products and Fitz Samuels Insurance-backed Super 1600 Renault Clio to take the class title with one round of the series still remaining.

Their closest rival for the class championship – Mark Sheahan, who was co-driven by Frank Curtain instead of his regular navigator Jonathan McGrath this weekend – retired from the rally after stage four, meaning a class victory for the crew would be enough for them to win the title on the penultimate round.

Conditions on the Ennis-based tarmac event were poor due to the changeable weather conditions, which made tyre choice very hard. O’Mahony and Higgins made a bad selection with the rubber on the first two stages, but the rest of the rally ran smoothly as they made sure they made no mistakes as they went onto clinch the all-important maximum points in the class, finishing a comfortable three minutes and 23 seconds ahead of the Renault Clio of Ian and Paul Roche.

“We drove the last four stages with the fact that if we won the class we had won the championship in mind,” 22-year-old O’Mahony said. “It was very difficult to drive like that as mistakes can happen a lot quicker if you’re not concentrating and the pressure is on a little. But we had a good day and nothing major went wrong for us.

“We’re delighted to win the class championship and we would like to thank all of our sponsors – OM Concrete Products, Fitz Samuels Insurance, Kumho Tyres and GC Autospares – for their support this season, everyone at O’Leary Motorsport and the entire service crew for their help. Our aim was always to try and win the class title this year and it’s nice to have done it with one round to go.”

The result on the Clare Stages means the pair have won their class on six of the seven championship rounds they have competed on this year.

They will next be in action on the Cork 20 International Rally, O’Mahony’s local event and a round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac Championship, on September 28-30 before contesting the final round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Skibbereen Fastnet Stages Rally, on Sunday 28 October

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Results
1 Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 58m 30s,
2 Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC) 58m 52s,
3 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 59m 03s,
4 Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 60m 11s,
5 Willie Fannin/Paddy Robinson (Subaru Impreza N12) GpN 60m 43s,
6 Jack Sleator/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 60m 51s,
7 Sean Gallagher/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC) 61m 23s,
8 Ian Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Subaru Impreza N12B) GpN 61m 36s,
9 Mike Curran/Fabian McShane (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 61m 58s,
10 Brian O'Mahony/John Higgins (Renault Clio S1600) 62m 32s.

Leaders After
SS1-2 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3-8 Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Stage Winners:
SS1 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5 Due to stage blockage all crews given Patrick Elliott's time
SS6 Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC)
SS7 Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC)

Full Results:
rally.connect.ie (Angus Sealy)

Rallynews (by Brian & Liz Patterson)

Photos:
Rallyportfolio.com
Joe Lane - Action Photos.ie
James Burkee Photography - www.jamesburkee.com

Video Clips
Ryan Rally Videos

Clare Motor Club

• 2007 National Rally Championship
• 2007 West Coast Rally Championship

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