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LinksCork 20 International Rally - 2-4 Oct '98
Posted: October 6, 1998 4:15 PM - 10322 Hits
Round 6 1998 Toshiba Equium Tarmac Championship
Round 4 1998 Yokohama Tyres Southern 4 Rally Championship
Ian Greer and Dean Beckett were the surprise but well deserved winners of the final round of the Toshiba Equium Tarmac Championship. They totally dominated the event from the word go in their Treadwell sponsored Celica and after the demise of Andrew Nesbitt and Eamonn Boland on Sunday morning, they were able to keep it steady to the finish. Bertie Fisher and Rory Kennedy in the ToughMAC/Subaru Ireland Impreza had an uneventful weekend to finish second, with the local crew of Liam O'Callaghan and Hugh McPhilips a brilliant third in the Dunlop Shod F2 Escort Maxi.
Posted: October 6, 1998 4:15 PM
Alan Verso and his team kept to a tight compact route for the 1998 Cork 20 International Rally. Saturday's stages were based around the Mallow area, a loop of 3 stages repeated 3 times, with service after SS1, SS4 and SS7 in the new Cork Horse Racing Course in Mallow. The stages were tight and very muddy, and would catch a number of people out on the opening day. The action on Sunday moved to Fermoy for 7 stages, one stage done 3 times and 2 stages done twice. These stages were cleaner and faster, but again were muddy in places.
Although this was the final round of the championship it attracted one of the best entries, in what was a great season. With over 20 GpA/WRC cars entered, the semi-works Ford team in F2 and the usual RWD entertainers it was an entry that the Munster Motor Cycle and Car Club could be well proud of. Frank Meagher had his 95 Championship winning Escort Cosworth in the main field of a rally for the first time this year. Prodrive entered the first 2-door Impreza to be seen in group N in Ireland for Japanese Group N champion Toshihiro Arai with Roger Freeman on the notes. Gene Meegan had a new Ralliart Gp N EVO V, and Declan Wilmot had his old EVO IV example.
While the main and group N championship battles had been decided before this round, the modified class and class 11 awards were still there for the taking, although all Joe McGurk had to do was finish to secure his win. Class 11 was between Uel Williamson and Kieran O'Neill, with whoever won the class here taking the championship.
The drama on this event started on Friday evening, when after discovering
a problem with the steering in his Castrol Toyota Austin McHale was forced
to withdraw from the rally.
When the rally did get under way it was Ian Greer who set the opening pace
on the 8.5 mile opening test, his time of 7:33 was 9 seconds faster than
the Eamonn Boland's Hertz WRC with Stephen Murphy in third. At service all
the talk was of how slippery the stage was. Frank Meagher on a come back
to rallying was having a hard time trying to find a rhythm but the come
back wouldn't last long as he came out of SS2 on a tow rope. Liam
O'Callaghan was fastest 2 wheel drive car, 6 seconds up on the BMW M3 of
Denis Cornin. Cornin however crashed out on SS2 forcing the stage to be
cancelled for those running behind him. Barrable who was up the 7th after
the second stage in his updated Celica ground to a halt on SS3 with
transmission failure.
After service it was expected that Greer's position would be challenged,
but the Hillsborough driver rattled off 3 fastest times to move into a 33
seconds lead by second service. At first it was Eamonn Boland/Damien
Morrissey who was closest but bad tyre choices on SS3 and 4 cost the
Wexford man a few seconds although he still just held second from Andrew
Nesbitt/James O'Brien. Nesbitt had a slow start, 6th after the first
stage, he was the closest to Greer on SS3 and 4 to overtake Bertie Fisher
for third. Liam O'Callaghan after earlier intercom problems was up into
the top 10, his closest rival in F2 begin his teammate the Swede Petter
Akerstrom.
In the battle in class 11 (Modified 2.0 litre) local man John Shanahan had
been expected to make early running, his home begin on one of the stages.
However Kieran O'Neill/Paul Nagle in the Group Motors Kadett were leading
the class by SS4 and also the top RWD, despite giving the back axle a
knock on one of the slippery stages. Shanahan broke a strut after hitting
a bank and dropped down the order.
Joe McGurk in the ex-Connie Smith black Escort 2.4 was having a desperate
rally. After running a little too wide on a corner on SS1 he broke a
suspension mounting. Then the exhaust manifold cracked and he also lost
the bonnet of the Escort.
In Group N Japanese Group N Champion Toshihiro Arai with Roger Freeman on
the notes was leading Group N in the Subaru STI but Dan McCartan wasn't
far behind in his EVO V.
If anyone was going to challenge Greer it had to be after the done after
the 2nd
service. With Stephen Murphy/Michael Morrissey being forced to retire
their Statoil Escort at service due to power steering failure it was left
to Boland, Nesbitt and Fisher to fight it out with Greer. Greer/Beckett
responded with a time that rocked the chasing crews.
All the top crews lined up on Slicks for SS5 but a heavy mist was already
down on the stage. Greer/Beckett made the most of it, taking 18 seconds
off Fisher with a time of 10:25. Nesbitt ended the stage with a flat wheel
but Liam O'Callaghan recorded 4th fastest on the stage to open up a huge
lead in F2. JJ Felming/Robbie Ward on their first outing in the beautiful
ex-Latti Impreza was finding the Impreza completely different to the old
Escort WRC.
The fact that the car was left hand drive didn't help matters either, and
a misted up windscreen on SS5 also delayed the Galway crew. Ollie
O'Donavan in his last outing in his Gp A Astra suffered a puncture but was
still battling for 3rd in F2 with the similar Astra of Sean Keenan. Uel
Williamson set a blistering time, 8th fastest in the Mark 1 Escort brought
them just behind the Kadett of Kieran O'Neill/Paul Nagle. O'Neill dropped
more time on SS6 and 7, equalled the Escort on SS8, and but took 11 back
on the final Saturday stage to end the day in 11th overall, just 5 seconds
ahead of the Escort. Although John Shanahan was settings some amazing
times, the early time loss proved costly and the Cork man would start the
2nd day down in 13th place.
At the front of the field however it was still all Greer. In fact the only time he would be beaten all day was on the last stage, when Andrew Nesbitt pulled off a giant killing performance to over halt Eamonn Boland for second. Nesbitt clocked 9:02 for the slippery stage, with Greer next on 9:17 after a spin and Boland on 9:18. Boland suffered another set back that night when the times for SS2 very scrubbed. This dropped the Wexford man to fourth just behind Fisher.
End Leg one 1 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)....1.10.56 2 A. Nesbitt/ J. O'Brien (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD).1.12.07 2 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)........1.12.25 4 E. Bolland/D Morrissey (Ford Escort WRC).........1.12.26 5 B. Fowden/G. Hynes (Ford Escort WRC).............1.14.32 6 L. O'Callaghan/H. McPhillips (Escort Kit Car).F2.1.14.37 7 L. McCarthy/T. O'Donovan (Escort RS Cosworth)....1.15.15 8 F. O'Mahony/B. Curtin (Subaru Impreza 555).......1.17.09 9 T. Arai/R. Freeman (Subaru Impreza Sti)...GpN....1.18.25 10 D. McCartan/M. McElwee (Mit. Lancer Evo V)..GpN..1.18.33 11 K. O'Neill/P. Nagle (Opel Kadett C 2.0)..........1.19.06 12 U. Williamson/G. Wilson (Escort Mk I 2.0)........1.19.11 13 P. Akerstrom/H. Jacobsson (Escort Maxi Kit Car)..1.19.30 14 J. Dempsey/P. Dempsey (Subaru Impreza 555).......1.19.44 15 J. Shanahan/J. Brennan (Escort 2.0)..............1.20.05On Sunday the action moved to Fermoy for 7 stages. The word was that these stages were in better condition than the Saturday stages but on the first stage an 11 mile test there was a big change to the leaderboard when both Andrew Nesbitt and Eamonn Boland both went off. Nesbitt "rearranged" front and rear right hand suspension when he ran wide on a slippery corner. Boland's accident happened on one of the first corners of the stage when the black Escort WRC went straight on over a bank. In fact Nesbitt was lucky to even get out as the car needed a push start that morning in Parc Ferme.
This now gave Greer a lead of 87 seconds over Fisher, and Fisher had over
2 mins on Bob Fowden in third.. Fowden with Gerry Hynes on the notes was
under pressure from Liam O'Callaghan, and by first service O'Callaghan had
moved up to third with some brilliant driving in conditions that was
better suited to the 4WD drive cars. Fowden had put a wheel off the road
on SS12 that slowed him a little. Local drivers Liam McCarthy and Frank
O'Mahony were holding 5th and 6th. Kieran O'Neill had a very good morning
adding 13 seconds to his lead over Uel Williamson with 2 top 6 times. In
F2, Petter Akerstrom who was just outside the top 10 came into service on
a tow rope when a broken driveshaft burst the sump of the Dunlop backed
Escort.
Group N was also decided on the morning stages when Dan McCartan crashed
out of 2nd in Group N on SS12.
For Greer and Fisher it was just a drive to the finish, but behind then it
was all to play for. Liam McCarthy/Tim O'Donovan took third fastest time
to move to within 4 seconds of Bob Fowden in fourth, who was only 34
seconds behind Liam O'Callaghan. Fowden wasn't happy with the handling at
the rear of his Escort WRC.
Uel Williamson/Glen Wilson shocked Kieran O'Neill/Paul Nagle when they
pulled back 17 seconds in one stage. O'Neill cause wasn't helped by a
brush with a telegraph pole.
On they next stage they tied, but then on SS15 2 miles from the end of the
stage O'Neill broke a wishbone on one of the many crests. Little time was
lost, but the
2 cars would be on equal time in eight place and only one 11 mile stage
remaining. John and Paul Dempsey who were having a great afternoons
rallying were moving up the leader board and closing on that eighth spot.
In the end it was Williamson who won class 11 and the championship. O'Neill/Nagle had 3 huge spins and in fact Williamson was almost on their bumper at the end. The Dempseys did enough to take ninth, but Liam McCarthy charge in fourth was blunted when he hit the front of his MLP Escort and damaged a steering arm. Despite a small fire, Joe McGurk finished to take the modified championship although he had to give best to Dominic Loughran/ Lisa Mangan in the sole remaining M3 and Tom Randles/ Diarmuid Lynch in the Dyno Rod Escort in the class on this rally
The day belonged to Ian Greer and Dean Beckett, Bertie Fisher begin one of
the first people to congratulate them on their first International
win.
They hadn't put a wheel wrong all weekend, in fact such was their
domination that if they weren't fastest on a stage they were second
fastest. The six rounds of the 1998 Toshiba Equium Tarmac Championship had
seen 5 different drivers take maximum points, McHale in Galway and The
Circuit, Lecky in Killarney, Nesbitt in Donegal, Liam O'Callaghan on the
Manx and now Ian Greer on the Cork '20. Roll on '99!
Results:
1 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)..2.08.52
2 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)......2.10.05
3 L. O'Callaghan/H. McPhillips (Escort Kit Car)..2.14.52
4 B. Fowden/G. Hynes (Ford Escort WRC)...........2.16.04
5 L. McCarthy/T. O'Donovan (Escort RS Cosworth)..2.16.17
6 F. O'Mahony/B. Curtin (Subaru Impreza 555).....2.19.33
7 T. Arai/R. Freeman (Subaru Impreza Sti)...GpN..2.21.47
8 U. Williamson/G. Wilson (Escort Mk I 2.0)......2.21.52
9 J. Dempsey/P. Dempsey (Subaru Impreza 555).....2.22.01
10 K. O'Neill/P. Nagle (Opel Kadett C 2.0)........2.22.17
F2
3 L. O'Callaghan/H. McPhillips (Escort Kit Car)..2.14.52
16 S. Keenan/S O'Riordan (Opel Astra GSI).........2.27.34
19 O. O'Donovan/C Murphy (Opel Astra GSI).........2.29.46
Group N
7 T. Arai/R. Freeman (Subaru Impreza Sti)........2.21.47
17 D. Wilmot/J Casey/ (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IV)..2.28.16
18 G. Meegan/D O'Gorman (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO V).2.28.35
Rear Wheel Drives
8 U. Williamson/G. Wilson (Escort Mk I 2.0).......2.21.52
10 K. O'Neill/P. Nagle (Opel Kadett C 2.0).........2.22.17
11 D. Loughran/L. Mangan (BMW M3)..................2:23:56
12 T. Randles/D. Lynch (Escort 2.4)................2:24:59
13 G. McCormack/S. Magee (Escort 2.0)..............2:26:03
Retirments:
SS15 J. Shanahan/J. Brennan (Escort 2.0)..............Head Gasket
SS12 D. McCartan/M. McElwee (Mit. Lancer Evo V)..........Accident
SS12 P. Akerstrom/H. Jacobsson (Escort Maxi Kit Car)...Driveshaft
SS10 A. Nesbitt/ J. O'Brien (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)....Accident
SS10 E. Bolland/D Morrissey (Ford Escort WRC)............Accident
SS4 S. Murphy/M. Mossissey (Ford Escort WRC).......Power Steering
SS3 M. Barrable/J. Downey (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)....Mechanical
SS2 D. Cornin/C Kelleher (BMW M3)........................Accident
SS2 F. Meagher/P Moloughney (Escort RS Cosworth).......Electrical
Leaders
SS1-16 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
Stage winners
SS1 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS2 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
- (Stage Cancelled)
SS3 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS4 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS5 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS6 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS7 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS8 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS9 A. Nesbitt/ J. O'Brien (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS10 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
-(Stage Cancelled)
SS11 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS12 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS13 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
SS14 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS15 B. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS16 I. Greer/D. Beckett (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD)
Historics
1 Philip Wylie/James Howe (MGB)........................02:03:54
2 Mervyn Johnson/Elkin Robinson (Austin Mini Cooper S).02:04:27
3 Joe Connolly/Peter Connolly (Porsche 911)............02:05:38
Overall Historics/Classics
1 Martin Ward/Linda Conroy (Opel Manta A)..............02:03:07
2 Lee Freestone/Chris Keyes (Escort RS 1600)...........02:03:38
3 Philip Wylie/James Howe (MGB)........................02:03:54
4 Mervyn Johnson/Elkin Robinson (Austin Mini Cooper S).02:04:27
5 Joe Connolly/Peter Connolly (Porsche 911)............02:05:38
6 Martin Boyle/Mark Rowan (Ford Anglia)................02:05:48
7 Niall Creighton/Gregory Roberts (Ford Lotus Cortina).02:09:11
8 Con Ward/Tim Horan (Austin Mini Cooper S)............02:11:45
9 Liam Sheehan/Martin Cronin (Ford Escort Mk1).........02:13:17
10 Roger Du Croq-Slip/Marie Du Croq-Slip (Lotus Cortina)02:14:24
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