Lafarge Stages - 5 Sep 09

Lafarge Cement Ireland Stages Report - Pacenotes ANICC 2WD Rally Challenge

Posted: September 6, 2009 10:28 PM

Leading from the off Camillus Bradley won the Cookstown Motor Club’s Lafarge Cement Ireland Stages with first time navigator Ryan Crozier. Many crews claimed that Camillus was in a league of his own, and the times proved it despite a scare over the first stage jump. Camillus reported “We had a good race with the boys behind” the Draperstown man continued, “The main thing is Ryan enjoyed the day!”  

The Cookstown Motor Club event also hosted round five of the Pacenotes ANICC 2wd Rally Challenge. After the first loop of stages, overall Challenge leaders Drew Stewart and David White were fourth overall, ten seconds ahead of rival Michael Conlon and Hugh McKenna.  

After three more tests taking in Davagh Forest and Loughry College, Michael Conlon was surprised to move into the lead by one second. Drew Stewart was now second but enjoyed a better run on the second loop, despite the time loss. However Conlon was unaware that his campaign was to take a hit on stage six, retiring from the event with a collapsed wheel bearing.  

Another expected front runner in the Pacenotes series, Gary Price also had trouble at the beginning of the day, a mysterious electrical fault on stage one making it a non-finish for him. This left Drew Stewart with the task of completing the last loop and take the maximum points to increase his lead on the Challenge standings.  

Mark and Sinead McGrath finished second in the Challenge with 12th overall their best performance this season and a great boost to the points tally. Patrick Shields was one of the entertainers of the day sliding the Starlet into third and 15th overall. Local men Raymond Doyle and Marc Nugent took fourth in the Challenge with Alan Acheson fifth ahead of Brian Quigley and Paul Deery.

    In the 1400cc class, Eamon McLaughlin’s twenty-fifth overall performance was also enough to claim the class ahead of Corey McKay and Conal McNally. Third went to Portadown’s Arnie Lutton and Tom Young’s nimble Micra.       

In the 1600cc 8 valve category Simon Gordon and Billy Regan set the early pace in Davagh, but they retired after stage four. That left Brian Quigley and Paul Deery to claim the class win by almost forty seconds ahead of Paddy Quinn and Raymond Loughran.  

      In the class for cars up to 1650cc thirteen seconds separated the four class finishers, JP Quigley would have had a clear win though if it wasn’t for a road penalty, the Honda Civic pilot settling for third in class. JP’s bad fortune left Patrick Shields and John McColl’s with the class win. Second went to Raymond Doyle with navigator Marc Nugent in the hot seat.  

  The up to 2100cc category ended in a tie between Mark and Sinead McGrath and Darrell Quinn and Stephen O’Hanlon. Both Mk2 Escort crews finished the event on 33min 15 seconds; however Quinn was declared the victor of the class as he had a greater number of fastest stage times during the day.     

Round six will move to Enniskillen on the 3rd October and the first Pacenotes ANICC 2WD Rally Champion will be decided on the 28th November at the Gullion Stages. Details on both of these events will be made available on the coming weeks before the events.

Photos

Posted: September 6, 2009 10:02 PM

neillpics.co.uk
Tight Angle Photography

Full Results and Times

Posted: September 6, 2009 5:46 PM

Full Results & Times

Pacenotes ANICC 2wd Rally Challenge - Lafarge Stages Preview

Posted: September 4, 2009 8:44 AM

Round five of the Pacenotes ANICC 2wd Rally Challenge moves to Cookstown for the Lafarge Stages Rally. The event will consist of four passes through Davagh forest and Loughry College taking in approximately 44 kilometres.

  It is expected that Brian Muldoon, the event winner in 2008, will be amongst the top seeds. Also outside of the challenge, Camillus Bradley went against the odds at the Sperrins Rally earlier this year, setting fastest stage time on the opening test over WRC and Group N machinery. This epic achievement took place in Davagh forest; the same stage that will be incorporated on Saturday, leaving Camillus a firm favourite.  

Drew Stewart and David White are the current leaders of the Pacenotes series, and they will be back after taking second behind James and Heather Kennedy at Round four. Michael Conlon and Sharon McCarter are currently second in the standings, and will return to the Cookstown Motor Club event.    

Gary Price from Kells only finished with five more points towards his tally after Bishopscourt, but will surely fight his way through the pack on Saturday. Absent from this round will be Lisburn’s Andrew Bushe leaving Strabane’s Alan Acheson in the Pedro Escort a chance to move up the points, currently in fifth, one point behind Andrew.    

Arnold Lutton and Tom Young took the 1400cc spoils at Bishopscourt, and will return looking for the second win in the series. Corey McKay with navigator Conal McNally is currently second in the series, but is only one point ahead of Barry O’ Neill.  

In the 1600cc 8 Valve class John and Gavin Devlin finished second at Bishopscourt, closing the point’s gap, the Banbridge crew now only two points ahead of Brian Quigley and Paul Deery.     

  Andrew Bushe is the current leader of the class for cars up to 1650cc by one point over Raymond Doyle. Andrew will be absent but Raymond is one of the local crews this weekend, leaving Philip Hamilton and Derek Stride a difficult task to get ahead.   

  In the 2100cc Alan Acheson leads after his class win at Bishopscourt and he has the chance to gain more valuable points with second place man, Mervyn Williamson not taking part.  

It is expected that action will start no earlier than 9am.

Entry List

Posted: September 4, 2009 8:43 AM

Cookstown Motorclub

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 1, 2009 12:01 AM

Lafarge Stages is a one day, 12 tarmac stages event near Cookstown.
Reduced road mileage as well! The event is a round of the Pacenotes 2WDNI Challenge and the MADMC Club Championships.
Exceptional value at under £200 stg for entry fee, standard insurance and club memberships included.

Regulations and more details on

Cookstown Motorclub