2014 West Coast Championship

Final Championship Points

Posted: February 27, 2014 4:35 PM

2014 West Coast Championship - Points after Final Round

West Coast Rally Championship

Generous Prize Fund as Top Part Group Celebrate 21st year of Sponsorship.

Posted: February 25, 2014 11:56 AM

Over 21 years ago 3 rally competitors, Co Kerry’s Donnie Dillane” MD of the Top Part Group”, Richard Talbot and Galway’s David Hogan saw a niche in rallying to start a championship which would consist of 6 rounds and be hosted by 5 different motor clubs, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway and Skibbereen and so with sponsorship from Donnie Dillane through his Top Part Motor Factors the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship was formed. Along with been Ireland’s No 1 Regional Rally Championship it is also the longest partnership between a sponsor and a rally championship in Europe.

As a former competitor and keen motorsport fan Donnie Dillane knows the importance of watching up and coming talent and to celebrate his 21st year of sponsorship the Top Part Group have kindly donated a generous prize fund for this year’s Top Part West Coast Junior Rally Championship of €3000 in addition to a further €4000 for competitors who qualify for an award at the end of this year’s championship.

The Top Part West Coast Rally Championship is now the only rally championship in Ireland with a prize fund for its competitors and on behalf of the championship committee I would like to thank the Top Part Group for their support and also to our governing body Motorsport Ireland for acknowledging this superb prize fund.

The break down for this year’s prize is as follows

€2000 to the overall winner of the Junior Championship
€600 to 2nd overall in the Junior Championship
€400 to 3rd overall in the Junior Championship.

In addition to the €3000 allocated to the Junior Championship a further €4000 will consist of 8 draws of €500 each to all competitors who have qualified for an award at the end of this year’s championship standings with the exception of the Junior Championship.

This is a fantastic prize fund on behalf of the Top Part Group and is currently the only prize fund been offered to competitors in an Irish Rally Championship and shows the faith and dedication by Top Part in their 21st year of sponsorship.

Once again this year’s series will consist of a 6 rounds with the best 4 rounds to count in the overall and class standings. A bonus point will be awarded to competitors for each round they start and all start points will count – i.e. if competitors start all 6 rounds their 4 best scores will count plus they will receive all 6 start points. There will be 3 main categories - Junior Championship for drivers who are 26 and under with a restriction of no more than a 1600cc engine, A Historic category and a main field category.

A Brief Look Back at the History and Winners over the Past 21 Years

Posted: February 25, 2014 11:52 AM

The Championship was formed in late 1992 when 3 competitors Richard Talbot, David Hogan and Donie Dillane decided to form a regional rally championship which included the following 5 motor clubs - Kerry - Clare - Limerick - Galway - Skibbereen. In 2001 Skibbereen dropped out of the championship and were replaced by Birr & District Motor Club. The championship has grown in strength over the past 20 years and now has an average of over 150 competitors registering each year making it Ireland's Number 1 regional rally championship. The Overall winner receives the Mickey Farrell Memorial Trophy in memory of 2 time championship winner Mickey Farrell who sadly passed away in 1996.This year marks the 21st year of the championship and also the 21st consecutive year of sponsorship by Mr Donie Dillane and the Top Part Motor Factors Group, making it the longest running sponsorship of any rally championship in Ireland. 2001 was the only year the championship did not run due to the Foot & Mouth crisis in Ireland.

Only 5 Drivers have won the championship twice - Mickey Farrell in 1994 & 1995 - Ed Synan in 1997 & 2008 - Niall Maguire in 1999 & 2009 - Alan Ring in 2005 & 2007 and Shane Maguire 2010 & 2013. Anthony Nestor & Enda Sherry are tied at 3 co driver titles each - Anthony won in 1994 - 1995 - 1999. Enda won in 2006 - 2009 - 2010 and is also the only co driver to win the title co driving for father and son duo Niall Maguire (2009) & Shane Maguire (2010). John Divine is the only other co-driver to have won the co drivers title more than once when he won in 2002 – 2003 co-driving for Stephen Bird (2002) and Sean Lyons (2003)

2011 saw the 1st female co driver to win the title when Clare's Grainne McEnery won the title co driving for Mike Quinn

In 2010 A Historic Category was added to the championship which has seen 2 drivers win the title - Gerard McCarty - 2010 - Denis Collins - 2011 & 2012. Tommy Commane has won the co drivers title on all 3 occasions co driving for both Gerard and Denis matching Anthony Nestor and Enda Sherry with 3 championship titles.

Damien and Joseph Boyle are the most successful competitors in the Junior category with 2 titles (2012/2013). Other former winners of the Junior championship include – Patrick Divilly/Gerard Divilly – Darren Young/Kenneth Quirke and Cal McCarty/Eamon Dullea.

Overall Championship Winners
1993 – Vincent O’Shea/Brian Hickey ,
1994 & 1995 – Mickey Farrell/Anthony Nestor ,
1996 – Stephen Murphy/Mickey Joe Morrissey,
1997 – Ed Synan/Kieran Cusack,
1998 – John Gilleece/Michael Gibson,
1999 – Niall Maguire/Anthony Nestor,
2000 – Paul Harris/Eugene Donnelly,
2001 – No Championship due to Foot & Mouth crisis,
2002 – Stephen Bird/John Divine,
2003 – Sean Lyons/John Devine,
2004 – Peter Clifford/John Young,
2005 – Alan Ring/ Diarmuid Falvey,
2006 Aaron McHale/Enda Sherry,
2007 – Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy,
2008 – Ed Synan/Denis O’Connell,
2009 – Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry,
2010 – Shane Maguire/Enda Sherry,
2011 – Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery,
2012 – Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan,
2013 – Shane Maguire/Sean Mullally

Championship Rounds

Posted: December 4, 2013 12:02 PM

1. Birr Stages Rally - 23 Feb 14
2. Kerry Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally - 6 Apr 14
3. Limerick Circuit of Munster Stages Rally - 1 Jun 14
4. Galway Summer Rally - 31 Aug 14
5. Clare Stages Rally - 21 Sep 14
6. Kerry (Banna) Mini Stages Rally - 9 Nov 14

West Coast Rally Championship