Kirkistown (North Armagh) - 21 Feb 09

Posted: February 24, 2009 6:14 PM - 15454 Hits

Pedro Pet Foods euroCABLES Rally.
Round 1 - 2009 Northern Ireland Rally Championship

Derek McGarrity / James McKee win in Kirkistown

ROUND ONE GOES ‘UP IN SMOKE’ FOR EMMA

Posted: February 24, 2009 5:46 PM

Round one of the 2009 Hankook NI Championship unfortunately brought more disappointment for Emma Mckinstry and Kenny Hull in their Mckinstry Motorsport prepared Impreza WRC.

Having used The New years stages at the same venue earlier in the year as an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with both the car and the circuit, as well as a short test during the week to try out the new Dunlop tyres, Emma was well prepared for the event.

With the track in perfect condition and ideal dry weather conditions the pace was hot from the word go. Emma and Kenny emerged from stage one in 12th place with still a lot to play for.

However in stage two their hopes were to be dashed once more, half way through the stage the car began to fill with smoke. Emma and Kenny struggled to get to the end of the stage, but upon the realization that there were flames coming inside the car they immediately stopped to attempt to put the fire out.

Some time and several fire extinguishers later the fire was put out, thanks must go to all the crews who stopped to offer their assistance. As it turned out the damage was kept to a minimum but could so easily have spread into something much worse. At this time it is not yet clear what caused the fire but Emma and Kenny can now only look forward to round 2 at Bishopscourt and hope for better luck.

Emma and Kenny would like to welcome back as sponsors for the 2009 season; Triton Showers, McGaffin Contracts, ID Graphics NI and Sunoco Race Fuels, your continued support is much appreciated. They would also like to welcome on board a new sponsor in the form of Dunlop Tyres. Emma and Kenny would also like to extend a word of thanks to Hankook Tyres for their support over the last two seasons and wish them every success in their backing of the 2009 NI Stage Rally Championship.

Derek McGarrity is the champion of champions at the Eurocables Stages!

Posted: February 22, 2009 11:55 PM

Glengormley's Derek McGarrity and navigator James McKee emerged as the champion of champions at Saturday's Eurocables Stages Rally, round one of the Hankook MSA N.I. Stage Rally Championship!

The event, which was also sponsored by Pedro Pet Foods, saw four former Northern Ireland Championship title holders enter the rally, as well as reigning champion, Connor McCloskey.

It was McGarrity who led in his Subaru Impreza WRC S12b from the outset, setting fastest time over the first of six stages. While some of his rivals caught slower cars during their second lap of the circuit, the 2002 champion capitalised to take the rally lead by six seconds from Connor McCloskey and Francis Regan.

But it was no fluke that McGarrity was fastest on that opening test, and the stage one results set the scene for the day as far as the Glengormley driver and rival McCloskey were concerned. McCloskey tried hard to catch the flying Subaru but McGarrity held the edge. He claimed a total of six fastest times out of six stages to take a convincing Kirkistown victory, finishing 26 seconds ahead of reigning champion Connor McCloskey.

"It was very enjoyable," rally winner McGarrity said at the end of the final stage. "It's good to get the win and it was good to get more seat time in a left-hand drive car."

Second placed McCloskey was equally as happy with the result. The young Kilrea driver was always going to find it difficult to match McGarrity's pace in an older specification Ford Focus WRC, but he was consistently second fastest throughout the event.

"We had a good enough day," McCloskey said. "We didn't have any major dramas, although the car needs a new door after we hit a bale on the first stage! But everything was 100 percent and I'm happy with the result. Our car just didn't have the legs for Derek's Subaru, but I didn't expect to beat Kenny!"

Banbridge's Kenny McKinstry, navigated by Noel Orr, claimed third after tussling for the final podium position with a number of other drivers. It was Alan Carmichael and Ivor Lamont who held the position after the opening stage, but they dropped down the order after catching another car on the circuit.

That left McKinstry, who was a multiple winner of the N.I. Championship during the late 80s, in third ahead of Denis Biggerstaff and Damian McCann. It was nip and tuck between the two drivers, until the third stage saw Biggerstaff overshoot a junction!

"I was trying to get a bit closer to the Focus WRCs and in order for me to get there, I had to brake later - so I did!" Biggerstaff laughed afterwards. "I came down into a junction at what felt like 100mph too hard! She just locked up - I probably should have changed my tyres a stage earlier."

"I could see the tyre wall getting closer and closer," Biggerstaff continued, "but unbelievably she stopped before we hit it. I reversed back but didn't reverse far enough and broke the front bumper when getting around a bale. I also cooked the clutch so had to wait for it to cool down before we were back up to full speed."

Biggerstaff lost around 20 seconds as a result but there was more trouble just around the corner. An oil ring broke in one of his gearbox pipes towards the end of the fourth stage, which resulted in his Subaru catching fire! Thankfully, marshals at the stage finish were able to douse the flames, and with the help of the McKinstry team, Biggerstaff changed his gearbox in preparation for the final two stages.

Biggerstaff's problems provided McKinstry with some breathing room, and the Banbridge driver kept his nose clean during the final two stages to take third overall.

"We had a very good day," McKinstry said afterwards. "It's just a pity we lost time when we were stuck behind another car for a whole lap. My daughter Emma's car caught fire on stage two and I'd like to ask all those competitors who used their fire extinguishers to give me a call."

While Emma McKinstry and Kenny Hull retired after their fiery dramas on stage two, Denis Biggerstaff and Damian McCann were lucky to finish fourth overall. Only for the help received from the McKinstry Motorsport team, Biggerstaff may not have reached the finish at all! He managed to overhaul Seamus Leonard and John McCafferty on the penultimate stage, and held on to make it a top four of current and former N.I. Champions!

Fifth placed Seamus Leonard enjoyed his first foray in the Hankook MSA N.I. Rally Championship, although he also caught slower cars around the track. In the end, he finished 11 seconds ahead of 1995 N.I. Champion, George Robinson, who admitted to losing some time with a bad tyre choice.

Round two of the Hankook MSA N.I. Stage Rally Championship, the McGrady Insurance Stages, takes place on Saturday 14 March. Based near Downpatrick at Bishopscourt Race Circuit, the event has already received almost 50 entries.

Both the Eurocables Stages and the McGrady Insurance Stages will be televised on UTV on Thursday 26 March. For more information, including results and championship standings, visit the official championship website at www.nirally.com .

Sunoco Fuels Group N category
There was a tight race in the Sunoco Fuels Group N category which went right down to the wire. While both John McGlaughlin and Neil McCance retired early in the event, tenths of a second separated Raymond Johnston and reigning Group N champion Cathal Rogers. Going into the final two stages, less than one second separated the crews, but Rogers lost some time during the fifth test when he caught another car.

That gave Johnston some breathing room as he went fastest on the test to extend his advantage to five seconds. The final stage saw Rogers pull out all the stops, but it wasn't enough to overhaul his rival. In the end, it was Johnston and navigator Fabian McAleer who claimed victory, with Cathal and Eoighan Rogers second ahead of Mark Massey and Andrew McVeigh.

"We had some tyre problems," Group N winner Raymond Johnston said at the finish. "I think we were just running on them for too long but it was a good, close fight with Cathal!"

Superdrive 2WD category
Lisburn's Wesley Patterson, with Terence Teggart calling the notes, dominated the Superdrive two-wheel-drive category from the start. The Mark 2 Escort pilot has proved to be virtually unbeatable around the Kirkistown venue in recent years, although he almost let the win slip from his grasp on the final stage!

"We spun on the last stage," Patterson exclaimed, "and a tyre caught underneath the car. Other than that, we had a good day, although I think we damaged the steering as she's like driving a shopping trolley!"

Patterson had built a substantial lead prior to the incident, so he still claimed the win as well as 10th overall. Former kart and Formula Ford racer, Drew Stewart, took second among the two-wheel drive crews with Steven Park calling the notes, while Trevor Moore and J.M. McGrath survived a two-wheeled moment to finish third.

Montgomery Motorsport Historic category
The new Montgomery Motorsport historic category saw seven entrants take to the start line and it was Philip Hunter and Michael Faloon who took the first victory of the season. Driving their Mark 2 Escort, the crew led from start to finish, taking a 17 second victory.

"It was a fairly straightforward day," Hunter said, "and we just about managed to avoid all of the tyres!"

Alan Jardine and Jim McSherry claimed second in their Mark 1 Escort, with Philip McDowell and Mark Stirling taking third. John Keatley and James McKeefry were next in line with their Porsche 911 while Tommy O'Connell and Sean Magee completed the top five.

More Photos:

Posted: February 22, 2009 11:49 PM

rallypics.org

Roy Dempster Photos

KG Rally Pics

Tight Angle Photography

neillpics.co.uk

Full Results

Posted: February 22, 2009 11:46 PM

Full Results & Times

Five champions to contest Saturday's Eurocables Stages, round one of the Hankook MSA N.I. Rally Championship!

Posted: February 19, 2009 6:01 AM

The 2009 Hankook MSA N.I. Rally Championship blasts into full swing this Saturday with the Eurocables Stages Rally! Also sponsored by Pedro Pet Foods, the event has attracted a full capacity entry of 120 crews to County Down's Kirkistown Race Circuit.

Reigning champions, Connor McCloskey and Francis Regan, are surprise entrants to the event. Kilrea based McCloskey, who won last year's title after a final round shoot-out with Sean Devine, earlier reported to be looking at other options for 2009. Devine will miss the opening round, but McCloskey has decided to return to the competitive series in a bid to defend his title!

"I drove a rally car for the first time since last year on Friday!" 23-year-old McCloskey said. "I'm going to use the same car which I used to start the 2008 Championship - a left-hand drive Ford Focus WRC. Everything was first class during Friday's test and now I can't wait to get back in action. But I'm sure it will be a difficult year as the competition is a lot stronger."

Indeed, competition will be very strong and the entry list for the Eurocables Stages features no less than four former champions, in addition to reigning title holder McCloskey!

The first of those former champions, Banbridge's Kenny McKinstry, starts the event at number two. He is a multiple winner of the Championship, having sealed his titles during the late 80s. Entered in a Subaru Impreza WRC, he admits that he is more likely to have a 2005 Ford Focus WRC at his disposal on Saturday, but remains sketchy about his plans for the year.

"I'm not 100 percent sure if I'll be doing the whole Championship," McKinstry said. "I've submitted my entry form for Bishopscourt (round two), and I wouldn't mind doing the Circuit of Ireland. So who knows! It all depends on how it falls in with work. I'm not planning to go out and win another title, but it would be nice if it happened!"

Kenny's daughter, Emma McKinstry, is also no stranger to the Northern Ireland rally scene, and she intends to contest this year's Championship in an Impreza WRC. Meanwhile, Dromara's Denis Biggerstaff, who starts at number three on Saturday, could be tempted to fight for the title.

"It has been 10 years since I won the Championship for the first time," said Biggerstaff, who won the prestigious trophy in 1999 and 2001. "I've been very unlucky with Subaru rally cars over the past few years but we've managed to fix a few hidden problems with my car and I think she's probably better than she's ever been. I'd love to do the full Championship again but we'll take one event at a time."

And at number four, 2002 N.I. Champion, Derek McGarrity, also makes a welcome return to the series. His forays into the rallying scene have been few and far between since a massive accident during the 2006 Rally Isle of Man. He has only entered a handful of events since, including two rounds of the 2008 N.I. Championship - both of which he won.

"I'm going to enter the first couple of rounds and see how it goes," McGarrity commented. "To be honest, I'd love to get back on to gravel. So if we get good results at the first few events, I could be tempted to carry on."

The top 10 for this Saturday's rally also includes a host of other World Rally Car pilots, with Seamus Leonard, Cahal Arthurs and New Year Stages rally winner, Alan Carmichael, among those vying for the top spot. Mark and Cormac Doyle could throw a spanner in the works with their Toyota Celica, while Ray Brammer and 1995 N.I. Champion, George Robinson, complete the top 10 in their World Rally Cars.

The Sunoco Fuels Group N category has also received a healthy entry and Cookstown's John McGlaughlin enters the Eurocables Stages as the top seed. He will face some stiff opposition from the likes of Comber's Neil McCance and reigning champion, Cathal Rogers.

Meanwhile, the Superdrive two-wheel drive category sees Wesley Patterson making a return to the Championship aboard his Mark 2 Escort. Adrian Hetherington and John Waring will be trading times with the Lisburn driver, as will David Armstrong, Trevor Moore and reigning two-wheel drive champion, James Kennedy.

The new Montgomery Motorsport historic category has also received plenty of interest, with seven crews ready for the opening round of the series. Magherafelt's John Keatley and Dungannon's Alan Jardine bring a pair of beautiful Mark 1 Escorts to the fray, while Philip Hunter has his Mark 2 at his disposal.

And a special mention should also be given to young Cookstown lady, Samantha Thom. Having competed very successfully in rallycross circles in recent years, Samantha is now hoping to turn her attention to rallying. She has placed her entry for the Eurocables event, but there is one small problem - she doesn't have a driving licence!

Samantha only turned 17-years-old last Saturday but is hoping to pass her driving test in the days before this weekend. Having finished third in class in the British Rallycross Championship, she will be one to keep an eye on in the future. Let's hope her driving examiner can also spot her talent!

The Eurocables Stages, sponsored by Pedro Pet Foods, gets underway at approximately 9am on Saturday morning. Competitors will face six stages around Kirkistown Race Circuit, and the winner will be crowned at the champagne finish at approximately 5pm. A fee is payable at the gate for spectators who wish to come along and watch the thrills and spills. More information can be found online at www.nirally.com .