With a round to go Derek Mackarel’s top three scores has provisionally given him the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Championship title – and all on the day the Monaghan driver also claimed the Irish series, writes William Neill.
Seventh overall, with Eamonn Creedon, at Saturday’s McKelvey Asbestos Bushwhacker Rally was enough to head the registered teams despite clutch issues, following steering trouble, in a Ford Fiesta R5 that was as far back as 13th after the Killeter opener.
Not everyone was championship focused so there was an all-out battle at the front for rally honours that went right to the end of the Lough Bradan forest where Patrick and Stephen O’Brien made it back to back Lakeland-Bushwhacker wins by just 0.7 seconds, having been behind Cathan McCourt on the overall tally all day.
“It was always going to go down to the wire,” said McCourt, co-driven by Brian Hoy, at the finish. Second though was an improvement from the previous outing where a puncture resulted in a non-finish while also in the running for a podium.
Vivian Hamill and Andrew Greenan had an overshoot on Carrickaholten on the way to third in another strong outing for the Volkswagen Polo R5, a place ahead of Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell and Sean Ferris by 8.3 seconds, but 36.8 seconds from matching McCourt.
Caldwell was happy to get the finish, over a minute ahead of JKS Automotive-run Hyundai i20 R5 of Kyle White, who had Anthony Nestor alongside to win their class. A moment, trailing along a ditch early in the rally, was overcome in preparation for the Cambrian Rally as part of the British Rally Championship. Darragh Cairns was ahead in fifth until he went off the road on the last stage.
2010 and 2014 winner Martin Cairns was sixth in a Ford Fiesta Rally 2, 1.4 seconds from White with a fifth fastest stage time along the way.
James McCarville jumped up from car 36 to finish eighth in a Volkswagen Polo R5, behind Mackarel which brings us back to the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Championship where Paul Britton remains second, five points ahead of Andy Magee who holds the two-wheel-drive advantage.
Travis Humphrey is another four points back in a Mitsubishi Lancer E9, a single point better off than Enniskillen’s Mervyn Wilson. Robert McKelvey is sixth.
TWO-WHEEL-DRIVE
Shane McGirr and Denver Rafferty won three stages on the way to taking the two-wheel-drive honours by 22.6 seconds in a Lada Riva after Hugh McQuaid set the early pace.
Despite a failing clutch, McGirr was fastest on SS3 to eventually win the class over Sam Stewart, who had briefly held the lead earlier in the day. Craig Rahill followed in a Ford Fiesta Rally4, with another of the popular M-Sport model, 7.9 seconds back with Frosses’ Ryan McHugh at the wheel.
IN OTHER NEWS
Gareth Mimnagh retired in service following overheating issues, Niall McCullagh slid off the road on SS3 while in fourth and Marty McKenna was out as early as SS1.
OVERALL RESULTS
1 Patrick O’Brien/Stephen O’Brien (Skoda Fabia R5) 36m 2.2s
2 Cathan McCourt/Brian Hoy (Ford Fiesta) 36m 2.9s
3 Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan (Volkswagen Polo R5) 36m 39.7s
4 Ryan Caldwell/Sean Ferris (Skoda Fabia) 36m 48.0s
5 Kyle White/Anthony Nestor (Hyundai i20 R5) 37m 58.3s
6 Martin Cairns/Peter Ward (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 37m 59.7s
7 Derek Mackarel/Eamonn Creedon (Ford Fiesta R5) 38m 37.5s
8 James McCarville/Conal McNulty (Volkswagen Polo R5) 38m 56.2s
9 David Condell/Michael Coady (Ford Fiesta R5) 39m 11.0s
10 Aidan Wray/Kenny Bustard (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 39m 12.8s
CLASS WINNERS
Class 1: Conor McCourt/Caolan McKenna (Ford Escort RS1800); Class 2: Craig Rahill/Killian McCardle (Ford Fiesta); Class 3: Damien Conlin/Paul Mimnagh (Vauxhall Corsa); Class 4: Stewart McClean/Jonny McAleer (Vauxhall Nova); Class 5: Liam McQuaid/Mervyn Galbraith (Ford Escort Mk2); Class 6: Sam Stewart/Alan Johnston (Ford Escort Mk2); Class 7: Shane McGirr/Denver Rafferty (Lada Riva); Class 8: Paul Maguire/David Kerr (Subaru Impreza); Class 9: Dean Humphrey/Stephen Reynolds (Mitsubishi Lancer); Class 10: Kyle White/Anthony Nestor (Hyundai i20 R5); Class 11: Patrick O’Brien/Stephen O’Brien (Skoda Fabia R5).
NEXT UP
Next up in the four round series is the Premier Car Parts Dogleap Rally on October 19. Entries for the Maiden City Motor Club event are available from www.rallyscore.net.
Words and Photos: WILLIAM NEILL/NI RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP [Images must not be used in any way without prior written consent of the photographer]
