Nenagh (Birr) Forestry Rally - 5 Oct 08

Breen wins the day and the year. - Event Report

Posted: October 10, 2008 8:26 PM

After 6 rounds of challenging and exciting rallying, the Irish forests long and winding gravel roads led to an exciting finale in Nenagh for the Hankook National Forest Championship. Birr & District Motor Club were the hosts and the rally was supported by the Abbey Court Hotel and Nenagh Husqevarna Centre. Torrential rain poured down on the night before the event and the stages having been rested for many years were now set to have even less grip, yet remarkably the surfaces held up better than expected and when the juniors were the first to tackle the stages they were greeted by very smooth but low grip stages. First seed in the main field was Ray Breen in his Focus WRC with Martin Brady on the notes, Ray was in the difficult position today that he just needed a bare points finish to edge out rival and number 4 seed John Reid in his Corolla. WRC. Sometimes a being on the spot for only a finish can be the hardest thing to achieve and driving for steady finish can upset the concentration so it was Reid who could drive with the knowledge that if his rival made any mistake then he could pounce and claim championship laurels.

However on SS1 it was Breen who was the fastest by 4 seconds from Trevor Harding in his Grp A Subaru, and equal with Harding was Colin Britton as he set a clear lead in the Grp N battle and tied for second o/a with Harding. Trevor had his Subaru re-liveried in a blue and green mixture in homage to the Stobart WRC team and he was bedding himself in for a day of sideways action in the tricky conditions. John Reid took 3rd and just pipped Denis Cronin, the Cork ace was hampered badly however by a half spin in a narrow section which forced him to reverse and manoeuvre his Subaru and lose a lot of time while James Coleman in his Escort Mk2 took the early 2wd lead.

Stage 2 was a much more difficult affair. Devils Bit is run in the shadow of sharp rock faces and it has sharp turns just on crests that can snap a car out from under a driver at any second. Add to this recent logging works and the muck churned by forestry machines meant that the 10km's of Devils Bit had surely the potential to be the evil stage of the rally, and for Breen it was as right at the section where the forestry felling work had taken place. Caught on the muck the Focus slid right out from under him and off into the mucky rough ground. Luckily there were no trees to catch and Breen just needed to plough the car back onto the road with the benefit of its 4wd and use of the differentials. However 17 seconds were wasted in the mire and this gave Harding the chance he grasped with both hands as he shot into the lead of the rally.

At the first service halt it was Harding and co driver Andrew Purcell leading. Next was Breen 13 seconds down but now the champion elect was determined to make his pace even more subdued after his wake up call on SS2. Colin Britton & Arthur Kiearns held 3rd o/a thanks to another 3rd fastest time on SS2. John Reid & Enda Shiels were 4th and keeping at bay a resurgent Cronin. In 2wd it was now Seamus O Connell who led as he got even more in the groove with his brand new out of the box BDA Escort and new co driver Sean Duggan. James Coleman was not far behind and he was finding rear traction in short supply, perhaps due to a new and more powerful engine. Not the ideal thing on such a slippy day. Unfortunately his rally came to a halt on the next stage when he was blinded by the sun and slid into a ditch, no damage but parked for the day. Leading the juniors at this point was Damien McCarthy & Eammon Hayes and they had their Civic in 16th overall.

Harding now in the groove was to hold onto his 13 second lead over the next two stages as he and Breen set equal times on both. While Cronin turned on the pace and set a joint fastest time on SS4 and he was now back in 3rd overall and 14 seconds up on Grp N leader Colin Briton.
John Reid had a scare when his Corolla refused to restart at the end of SS3 and it took him some time to get it to refire an electrical fault was discovered and repaired. He dropped position on the road but got into the next stage and was still in the championship race. Liam Ryan was a strong 6th in his Subaru, this car was GrpN spec and was in fact an ex recce car of Petter Solberg, the Tipp forests its first port of call after a glamorous WRC career!

Over the next two stages it was Harding fastest on the first visit to the very slippy and grassy stage 5 by 2 seconds from Breen. Then Breen went 4 seconds faster on stage 6. The rally then moved to a service in Nenagh town and Harding was still at the front but now by 11 seconds.
Harding was confident that he could hold onto the lead despite a worry about the gearbox jumping out of gear intermittently. Cronin was revelling in the handling of his Impreza WRC and said for the first time he was happy with the feel of the car on gravel and put this down to a problem his mechanics found and repaired in the centre diff. John Reid & Enda Shiels had moved up to 4th. The Corolla now behaving itself after the morning electrical scare and Reid was sitting steady in a position to take over the championship reins should Breen falter.

Colin Britton & Arthur Kiearns held 5th and the GrpN lead just ahead of Seamus O Connell & Sean Duggan the 2wd leaders.

The final loop was a repeat of the two previous tests and despite the passage of a full field to clean away the loose and grassy top surface it was still a very difficult loop and there was plenty of opportunity to be caught out and end your event. On SS7 Harding dropped 4 seconds to Breen. Trevor admitted to sliding off the road slightly and he felt it was lucky that he was able to return back on track by letting the car run into a bank and bounce back onto the road, jokingly he quipped at co driver Purcell "I saved your life in there!"

This meant that going into the last stage it gave Trevor a lead of just 7 seconds the closest it had been all day. Breen has been there many times before right in a last gasp battle for a win and he was now tempering his instinct to go for the win with the need to stay on the road and claim the vital few points for the championship win. Harding said he would rather be the hare 7 seconds down than the hound 7 seconds up as at least then he would know how much to push, in any event Breen tackled the stage with a determined pace that was still on he right side of safe. Harding charged through the stage but was distracted by smoking oil which he thought was the engine but was in fact the gearbox leaking. All told Harding was to drop 12 seconds to the Focus and this allowed Breen to take a last hurdle win in the rally and crucially gain the points that allowed him put the championship beyond doubt and claim the 2008 Hankook Irish Forestry Championship Crown.

Harding & Purcell took a slightly disappointed second after a day where they held the lead from the second stage. It was a cruel blow to loose it at the final hurdle, however Harding had as usual performed well and used his machinery to its absolute limit and entertained many in the process. Denis Cronin & Helen O Sullivan took the next step on the podium, crowning off what has been an excellent début year for them in the forest. Denis was pleased with the performance of the car and enjoyed the competition and camaraderie of the Hankook championship has vowed to return to the woods in 2009.

Winning Group N on the rally and in the Hankook championship was Colin Briton & Arthur Kiearns as they took 4th overall and just pipped 5th o/a John Reid courtesy of a final stage spin for Reid. Regardless Reid had still done enough to claim second in the championship and end what has been an impressive year for the Meath man, his first full season in WRC machinery. Liam Ryan & Jonathan McGrath took their ex Solberg machine to a fine 6th o/a.

Seamus O Connell & Sean Duggan took the 2wd victory, a big moment and a puncture slightly tempered their pace on the last 2 stages but they still got the pristine BDA Escort to 8th o/a, Sean was replacing his brother Brian WWW in the co drivers seat for the day and Seamus had vowed to scare Sean as much as possible on his guest appearance, it probably worked!

In the juniors it was Jason Ryan & Tadgh O Sullivan who took another forestry victory, but early pace setters Damien Mc Carthy & Eammon Hayes got wedged off the road and were forced into retirement. Peter Wilson & Jp Kilmurray took second and valuable points in the Motorsport Ireland National Junior Championship. In 3rd was Craig Breen & Sorcha Kelly they impressed on their first gravel event as they increased the pace all day and set a fastest junior time on the last stage which was rapid enough for 8th overall and second 2wd time.

At the finish ramp a delighted Breen & Brady sprayed the champagne to celebrate a special victory because not only had they won the event but Breen in becoming Hankook Champion had also the accolade of being the only the second driver to win both the Irish National Forestry Title and the National Tarmac Title. Breen however had another impressive first in that he won both his national crowns driving the very same Tom Gahan prepared Ford Focus WRC car.

Class winners included, Class 1 Seamus Cooke & Ger Hyland a dominant win in the Escort. Class 2 went to Emmet Cronin & his Cork navigator Mark Bowens in another Escort. Class 3 was won by the ever rapid Mossy Fitzgerald, ably navigated by Alistair Wylie in the Corolla. Ray Benskin & Peadar Walsh took another win in class 4. Seamus O Connell won class 5 and as Trevor J was in the overall reckoning it was Connie Smith & Breen McNamee who won class 6.

Ryan wins again as Juniors go to the wire.

Posted: October 9, 2008 10:06 AM

The penultimate stage of the penultimate round of the National Junior rally Championship (NJRC) had a profound effect on the leader board. Leader of the championship Vincent Mc Aree started the day with a healthy six point lead in the series but he slid his Peugeot 106 off the road towards the end of stage seven and into retirement. His championship hopes gone from very promising to mathematical.

A crisp dry autumnal day greeted crews in Nenagh as they headed out to the eight stage event featuring four stages repeated. The rally was also the final round of the National Forestry championship.

Two Cork drivers-Jason Ryan and Damien Mc Carthy were immediately at the front with their Honda Civics. Mc Carthy won the first two stages and Ryan the next two. At the half way service Mc Carthy led by a second. He was quickest again through five but an off road excursion on the next stage cost him six minutes and all hopes of the rally win. He did finish fifth NJRC runner, but he cant now win the NJRC. As a winner of two tarmac rounds he deserves to be nominated as a wild card entrant for the Billy Coleman award.

Jason Ryan was fastest through stage seven and he went on to win the rally, his third forestry victory of the series. This victory puts the Youghal driver back in contention for the championship.

Peter Wilson finished second. The Meath man did not get sucked into the Cork civil war ahead of him. Wilson got eight valuable championship points, and he now leads the NJRC for the first time.

Galway brothers Patrick and JP Cunningham were third after some very good stage times in the Civic. Winners of the second round of the NJRC, they must also be in the running as a wild card entrant.

Their cousins Ross and Arron Forde were fourth in the Suzuki Swift, and they also won their class in the NJRC and thus will be interviewed for the Billy Coleman award. They are also leading the junior class of the Suzuki Swift Cup in the UK with one round left-the Tempest rally.

Adrian Levis was another Swift driver. He finished fifth and he was also a class winner in his Swift. The west Corkman only needed to finish to clinch the class and the all important Billy Coleman interview.

At the finish in Nenagh, Jason Ryan was thrilled to have won again-“my third win in the woods. The car was great the stages were smooth but so slippery compared to the Cork Forestry. I cant wait for the last round to have a go at Wilson and Mc Aree for the title.”

NJRC Results Birr Forestry.
1. Jason Ryan/Tadhg O’Sullivan Civic 50.17
2.PeterWilson/John Kilmurray Civic 50.33
3.Pat/JP Cunningham Civic 51.19
4. Ross/Arron Forde Swift 54.14
5.Damien Mc Carthy/Eamon Hayes Civic 58.42
6Adrian Levis/Eric Deane Swift 1.00.07.

· After the Birr rally three drivers can win the NJRC. Peter Wilson leads with 48 points, Vincent Mc Aree has 44 and Jason Ryan 40. The winner of the last round gets 10 points.

· Eight NJRC drivers started the Birr rally. There were two retirements-Bernard Mulvihill, stage 2 ( transmission) and Vincent Mc Aree stage seven (off).

· Damien Mc Carthy won four stages, as did Jason Ryan. Peter Wilson equal fastest on stage 7.

· The final round of the NJRC is the Garda Siochana Mini Stages Rally, is a four stage tarmac round run in Baltinglass, Co.Wicklow, on Sunday Oct 19th.

Posted: October 6, 2008 11:31 AM

2WD Winners - Seamus O�Connell/Sean Duggan
Photo: Totally Sideways

Ray Breen Claims Forestry Championship and Equals Irish Rallying Record

Posted: October 6, 2008 11:15 AM

Waterford�s Ray Breen Secured the 2008 Hankook Tyres National Forestry Rally Championship last Sunday in emphatic style by winning the last round the Birr Forestry Rally and in so doing equals Eugene Donnelly�s Irish Rallying record of being the only drivers to win both the National Forestry Title and the National Tarmac Title. Breen who only required a point�s finish to claim the forestry crown from season long rival John Reid underlined his dominance as the class driver in this year�s field by taking his fifth victory of the year. At the finish ramp outside the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh Ray was greeted by his jubilant wife Jackie, son Craig and daughter Kellie. After spraying the Champagne Ray stated �To win the championship is absolutely Awesome, plus equalling Eugene�s record is outstanding and puts the icing on the cake for what tuned out be an incredible season�.

Photos

Posted: October 6, 2008 11:07 AM

rallyprint.com - Trevor McGrath
Hassett Motorsport Photography
Totally Sideways

Results

Posted: October 6, 2008 11:03 AM

1 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC) 45m 44s,
2 Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555) 45m 49s,
3 Denis Cronin/Helen O�Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 46m 47s,
4 Colin Britton/Arthur Kierans (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 47m 11s,
5 John Reid/Enda Shields (Toyota Corolla WRC) 47m 18s,
6 Liam Ryan/Jonathan McGrath (Subaru Impreza WRX) 48m 38s,
7 Sean Heaney/Liam McLaughlin (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 48m 45s,
8 Seamus O�Connell/Sean Duggan (Ford Escort BDA) 48m 59s,
9 Connie Smith/Breen McNamee (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth) 49m 41s,
10 Moss Fitzgerald/Alistair Wyllie (Toyota Corolla RWD) 49m 48s.

NATIONAL JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS:
1 Jason Ryan/Tadhg O�Sullivan (Civic) 50m 17s,
2 Peter Wilson/John Kilmurray (Civic) 50m 33s,
3 Craig Breen/Sorcha Kelly (Citroen C2R2) 50m 47s,
4 Patrick Cunningham/Martin Cunningham (Civic) 51m 19s,
5 Ross Forde/Arron Forde (Suzuki) 54m 14s,
6 Ciaran O�Connor/John O�Connor (Civic) 55m 21s.

Leaders After:
SS1 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2-7 Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS8 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)

Stage Winners:
SS1 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2 Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS3 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
& Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS4 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
& Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
& Denis Cronin/Helen O�Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5 Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS6 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS7 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS8 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)

Full Results and Times:

results.shannonsportsit.ie (Angus Sealy)

Late Entry - Seamus O'Connell

Posted: October 6, 2008 10:56 AM

Seamus O'Connell has put in a late entry, to use the rally as an extended test session for his newly build, Group 4 (Historic Spec) Escort Mk2 BDA.

Sean Duggan is to co-drive.

Last Hurdle for Hankook Heroes.

Posted: October 4, 2008 9:24 PM

The long and winding gravel roads have led us to an exciting finale in Nenagh for the Hankook National Forest Championship, as on Sunday 5th October Birr & District Motor Club will host their round of this competitive championship based in North Tipperary. Headquarters and main sponsors for this finale rally will be the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh in association with Nenagh Husqevarna Centre. The Rally is also the concluding round of the Motorsport Ireland Junior Championship. Top ten Entries confirmed for Sunday's rally are as follows Ray Breen (Focus WRC), Trevor J Harding (Subaru) Denis Cronin (Subaru), John Reid (Corolla WRC), Colin Britton (Mitsubishi) John Reddington (Mitsubishi), James Coleman (Escort), Sean Heaney (Subaru), Patsy Keenan who is flying in from the USA to compete, Connie Smith (Cosworth), and also in a change from his regular tarmac events James Foley in a group N Mitsubishi.

The protagonists for this rally will be Ray Breen & Martin Brady in the Focus WRC along with John Reid & Enda Shiels in a Corolla as these two crews are the final two in the running for overall championship victory. Breen has had an excellent debut year taking 4 outright wins but with a last gasp retirement in Wexford it has allowed the ever consistent Reid to close the gap in the points standings and Breen must drive for a finish this weekend and secure just a few valuable points to stay ahead of Reid. This may play into the hands of the entertaining Trevor Harding and he indeed proved in Wexford that despite all the flamboyance he can be the one there to take the chance of victory and he could take the top step of the podium again this weekend in his older model Subaru. However this is not to discount Denis Cronin, again a newcomer to the Hankook series for 07 and as he has built up his pace all year then this could be the fruition of his year and a victory could be on the cards here perhaps? For sure the battle at the front of the field could fall in anyone's favour.

Top Junior Entries include Bernard Mulvihill, Peter Wilson, Jason Ryan, John Byrne, Damien Mc Carthy, Patrick Cunningham all in Honda Civics, Vincent McAree (Peugeot 106), Seamus Cooke (Ford Escort) and Galway's Ross Forde (Suzuki Swift, the Moynihan sisters in their EARS backed Peugeot and Craig Breen making his gravel debut in a Citroen C2.

Mechanical Scrutiny for all cars takes place in the NCT Nenagh on Saturday 4th October from 3pm till 9pm. First Car leaves the start at the Abbey Court Hotel on Sunday Morning at 8.45am. The Service Area will be located in Dunkerrin using a closed section of the old N7 on Sunday Morning with the opening stages in the Latteragh/Devils Bit area. These stages are tackled twice in the morning while the action in the afternoon takes place in the Silvermines/Burgess area with service in Nenagh at the Procter & Gamble Car Park. The First victorious car is due at the finish ramp in the Abbey Court Hotel at 18.00pm for a champagne reception.

Reminder: Late Entries Accepted

Posted: October 2, 2008 5:52 PM

Tel 086-817 9297 / +35386-817 9297

Marshalls Meeting Points

Posted: October 2, 2008 5:39 PM

SS1 & 3
Casey�s Service Station, Toomevara @ 7.15AM
Stage Commander: 087 6661570.

SS2 & 4
Toyota Garage, Templemore @ 7.45AM
Stage Commander: 086 0660233.

SS5 & 7
The Eagles Nest Pub Dolla, Silvermines @ 11.45AM
Stage Commander: 086 3524242.

SS6 & 8
Mulrooney�s Gala Service Station, BALLYWILLIAM Nenagh @ 12.30PM
Stage Commander: 087 7884379.

Final Instructions

Posted: October 2, 2008 5:36 PM

• Final Instructions

Entry List

Posted: October 2, 2008 1:17 PM

• Download Entry List

Trevor Harding to Compete

Posted: October 1, 2008 6:36 PM

Late entry received for Birr forest rally from the Wexford Forest rally winner and Lurgan Park entertainer Trevor J Harding in his Sentry Security backed Subaru Impreza 555
Andrew Purcell is expected to co-drive.

National Junior Rally Championship Preview

Posted: October 1, 2008 5:55 PM

The penultimate round of the National Junior Rally Championship takes place Sunday next October 5th on the Birr Forestry Rally.
Top Junior Entries include Bernard Mulvihill, Peter Wilson, Jason Ryan, John Byrne, Damien Mc Carthy, Patrick Cunningham all in Honda Civics, Vincent McAree (Peugeot 106), and Ross Forde (Suzuki Swift).

After six rounds of this inaugural championship, the championship leader is Vincent Mc Aree from Monaghan with 46 points.
Meath driver Peter Wilson on 40.In third place is Ross Forde, the Galway man has thirty points, the same total as Jason Ryan from Cork.

There have been three tarmac and three forestry rallies in the junior championship todate.
Damien Mc Carthy won twice on tarmac and Peter Wilson had one victory on the black stuff. Jason Ryan had two forestry wins and Pat Cunningham had a sole victory on the loose.
These are the drivers we can expect to set the pace on Sunday

The rally is based in the Abbey Hotel in Nenagh Co Tipperary.
The 8 stage rally consists of four stages done twice. The route chosen will take in the Coillte forests in Devils Bit, Latteragh, Silvermines and Burgessbeg with servicing taking place in Dunkerrin and Nenagh respectively.

The Rally is also the Final Round of the National Forestry Championship

Time and Distance Schedule

Posted: September 30, 2008 7:00 AM

• Download Time and Distance Schedule

BUMPER ENTRY FOR NENAGH CAR RALLY

Posted: September 30, 2008 6:56 AM

This Sunday 5th October sees the Birr & District Motor Club host its Forestry Rally based in North Tipperary. Headquarters and main sponsors for this prestigious rally will be the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh and our other main sponsor is Nenagh Husqevarna Centre. Over 80 Rally Cars will contest this Rally which is the concluding round of the the Hankook Tyres National and Motorsport Ireland Junior Championship.

Leading Entries confirmed for Sunday�s rally include Ray Breen (Focus WRC), Denis Cronin (Subaru), John Reid (Corolla WRC), Patsy Keenan who is flying in from the USA to compete, John Reddington (Mitsubishi), Connie Delaney (Subaru), Richard Burke (Subaru), Ger Lucey (Celica), Pat Price (Subaru) and Colin Britton (Mitsubishi).

Northern Ireland�s Top Lady Driver Emma McKinstry, Daughter of the legendary Kenny former winner of the Nenagh Forest rally is also confirmed but will face interesting opposition from the Moynihan sisters Sarah & Amy who hail from Mallow.

Leading 2WD entries include James Coleman, Brian Lawlor, Ray Benskin and Sean Benskin in Ford Escorts. Also nenagh bound this weekend will be Wicklows Barry Driver in a Suzuki Swift.

Top Birr Club Driver will be Tullamore�s Mick Nevin/Des Moran in the Garahy Tractor Spares Escort along with Portroe Man Mike Helebert who will finally drive his Honda Civic, Tristian Horan/Keith Murray from Borrisokane in Pat Horan Motors Ford Ka, Gary Higgins/Ronan Shanahan from Birr in his famous CNC Escort along with Charlie Cavanagh/Wm Daly from Modreeny in a Toyota Starlet. Declan Cuddy/Nigel Moody from Rosenallis are also competing in the Cuddy Kitchens Subaru along with Mountmellicks Pat Delaney who will make his forestry debut on Sunday.

Top Junior Entries include Bernard Mulvihill, Peter Wilson, Jason Ryan, John Byrne, Damien Mc Carthy, Patrick Cunningham all in Honda Civics, Vincent McAree (Peugeot 106), Seamus Cooke (Ford Escort) and Galway�s Ross Forde (Suzuki Swift).

This Sundays is the product of 8 Months hard work led by the Clerk of the Course Robert Nolan (Castleiney) and his dedicated team of voulenteers.

Mechanical Scrutiny for all cars takes place in the NCT Centre on Saturday 4th October from 3pm till 9pm. First Car leaves the start which is located in the Abbey Court Hotel on Sunday Morning at 8.45am. The Service Area will be located in Dunkerrin on Sunday Morning with the opening stages in the Latteragh/Devils Bit area done twice in the morning while the action in the afternoon takes place in the Silvermines/Burgess area with service in Nenagh. The Stages will be utilising the Coillte Forest�s in the above areas. It is anticipated that traffic in these areas will be busy and all motorists travelling in this area should allow extra time to complete their journeys. The First car is due at the finish ramp in the Abbey Court Hotel at 18.00pm.

Maps and Programmes for the rally will be available to purchase in the following outlets: Nenagh, Abbey Court Hotel, Costello�s Shop near the Mart, Mulrooney�s Service Stations Borrisokane Road & Ballywilliam and Cleary�s Garage on the Limerick Road and Casey�s Service Station Toomevara.

Marshall�s are still required and anybody that is interested should contact the Chief Marshall (086) 8179297 for more details.

If you are intending to spectate at the rally Please THINK SAFETY at all times and obey the Marshall�s instructions at all times.

More Details:

Birr Motor Club

Birr Forestry Rally is GO

Posted: September 30, 2008 6:54 AM

Preliminary details for the 2008 Birr Forestry Stages have been announced. The Rally which was last run in 2006 will take place on Sunday 5th October based in the splendid surroundings of the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh Co Tipperary and organised and promoted by the Birr & District Motor Club .

Clerk of the Course Robert Nolan, a well known rally navigator said that �the forestry stages were in excellent condition and very smooth�. Robert also announced that Husqvarna Centre Nenagh is the co sponsors of the Rally in addition to the main sponsors The Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh. Husqvarna Centre Nenagh is owned by Aidan & Michelle Bourke, Aidan is a well known and respected rally driver on Irish national circuit. Husqvarna is a worldwide brand in Garden and Forestry Equipment.

The 8 stage rally route chosen will take in the Coillte forests in Devils Bit, Latteragh, Silvermines and Burgessbeg with servicing taking place in Dunkerrin and Nenagh respectively.

This Rally is the Final Round of the Hankook Tyres National Forestry Championship and the concluding round of the MI National Junior Championship.
Marshall�s are required for the rally and intending Marshal�s should contact the Chief Marshall on (086) 8179297.

Regulations and further details are available from Event Secretary 087 9117707 or 087 0666663.

On line Entry Available:

Posted: September 3, 2008 4:15 PM

http://www.shannonsportsit.ie/evo/Entry?event=IE-BIRR-BF08

Event Poster

Posted: September 2, 2008 2:01 PM

Download Event Poster

Date Change:

Posted: April 11, 2008 4:02 PM

Round 5 of the 2008 Hankook National Forestry Championship �The Birr Forestry Rally� has had it date changed from the 18th of May 2008 to the 5th of October 2008.

Posted: January 28, 2008 10:41 PM

Birr Motor Club

• 2008 Forestry Championship