ELLIOTT
WINS CIRCUIT OF KERRY ON A TIE-BREAK
Report courtesy
of Irish Dunlop – proud sponsors of the Irish National Rally Championship
In a close
contest, last year’s event winners, Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru
WRC) edged out Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) on a tie-break
to win the Fels Point Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally, the second round
of the Dunlop series.
On the final stage, they finished two seconds
ahead of Maguire/McLaughlin, that gave both crews an identical overall
time and Elliott/Goodman got the verdict on a tie-break - as they were
fastest on the final stage. It was the second event in succession
that a round of the Dunlop National Rally championship went to a final
stage decider.
Seamus Leonard/John
McCafferty (Subaru) finished third overall – 29 seconds further behind,
that was also decided on a tie-break with Michael Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman
(Ford Focus WRC) finishing fourth. As a result of his victory,
Elliott moves to top spot in the Dunlop series.
The Group N
category was won by Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Mitsubishi), they were tenth
in general classification.
On the first stage, Desmond’s Grave, Barrable set the fastest time
as he opened up a lead of three seconds over O’Sullivan, who remarked
that he had chosen the wrong tyres for the stage. Elliott was
a further twelve seconds behind in third, the Cavan driver was worried
as his Subaru seemed to be down on power. Niall Maguire held fourth
from Seamus Leonard and Kevin Barrett.
Out on the
second stage, Mount Eagle, Barrable continued set the pace and extended
his lead over O’Sullivan to seven seconds. Elliott continued
in third – 13 seconds adrift of O’Sullivan while Maguire, four seconds
further adrift remarked that the pace was exceedingly quick.
Leonard held
fifth in his Subaru but reckoned his car was no match for the S11 Subaru
WRC’s. Barrett posted a strong time to maintain sixth while
Noel Redmond (Subaru S12B) had a slight indiscretion with a concrete
wall that scuffed the side of his Subaru. Elsewhere, Glenn Allen
(Toyota), Jack Sleator (Subaru) and Sean Gallagher (Subaru) rounded
off the top ten.
In Group N,
Alan Ring (Mitsubishi) led the similar car of Thomas Fitzmaurice while
Willie Fannin (Subaru), who lost a few seconds with a puncture, held
third in the category.
Although Barrable
strengthened his position on the third stage where he led Elliott by
25 seconds, his lost the lead on the fourth test when he punctured his
Ford Focus WRC. His closest challenger over the first two stages,
Donie O’Sullivan was also in trouble. He slid his Subaru WRC
into the Kerry scenery and lost valuable time as he tried to get back
on the stage, in addition, he lost further time at the tight right hand
junction nearby. Indeed, as he tried to manoeuvre his way out
of trouble, Niall Maguire’s Subaru arrived and was held up as the
seconds ticked agonisingly away.
At the Fels
Points Hotel service halt, Elliott was the new rally leader, he remarked
that the earlier problem was due to a rich fuel mixture. He led
Maguire by six seconds with Barrable down in third – 18 seconds further
adrift, his Ford Focus clipped a rock and the tyre deflated immediately,
he continued to drive to the stage finish.
Leonard, who
spun at one junction, held fourth place from Kevin Barrett, who suffered
brake trouble. O’Sullivan had to be content with sixth place
in a top ten that also included Glen Allen, Noel Redmond, Jack Sleator
and Group N leader, Alan Ring, whose lead in the showroom category stood
at a minute and nine seconds over Eamonn Daly (Mitsubishi), who had
some intercom woes. Both Thomas Fitzmaurice and Anthony O’Halloran
lost time with punctures.
Elliott maintained
his lead through the short fifth stage but Maguire moved ahead on S.S.
6. In extremely wet conditions, just four seconds covered the stages
times of Elliott, Barrable, O’Sullivan and Maguire.
At the final service halt, Maguire had a two second lead over Elliott.
Barrable,
joint fastest with O’Sullivan on S.S. 5 and quickest of all on S.S.
6, remained third – 15 seconds behind Elliott and nine ahead of fourth
placed O’Sullivan.
Leonard and
Barrett followed, the latter remarked that he decided to ease off through
the streaming wet stages. Allen was seventh from Redmond and Sleator
while Ring continued to dominate Group N – even though he had an anxious
moment on S.S. 6.
The former
National Group N champion was well clear of Eamonn Daly (Mitsubishi).
On the penultimate
stage, Leonard set the pace as Maguire, Elliott and O’Sullivan all
set identical times with Barrable two seconds quicker than the trio.
On a dramatic
final stage Elliott clawed the two seconds back off Maguire and won
on a tie-break. For Maguire, it was the third time he has been
involved in this situation, in 1999 he lost out to Gabriel Snow and
in 2002 he won against Jim Harrison. Elliott now moves into top
spot by virtue of his victory in Kerry.
Meanwhile and
despite gearbox trouble, Leonard took an excellent third place, a position
that was also decided on a tie-break with Michael Barrable, who had
no launch control for the final stage. O’Sullivan, after his
escapade on the third stage had to be content with fifth. Elsewhere,
Barrett, Allen and Redmond all picked up valuable Dunlop points.
Top Kerry driver, Alan Ring (Mitsubishi) won Group N and Maurice Moffett
(Starlet) won the two-wheel drive category.
1. Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru WRC)1h. 01m. 23s
2. Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 23s
3. Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 52s
4. Michael Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 01m. 52s
5. Donie O’Sullivan/Barry Goodman (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 59s
6. Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru WRC) 1h. 02m. 33s
7. Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 02m. 40s
8. Noel Redmond/Diarmuid Falvey (Subaru WRC) 1h. 02m. 54s
9. Jack Sleator/Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC) 1h. 04m. 15s
10. Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 04m35s
Dunlop National
Rally Championship Positions after Round 2:
1. P. Elliott 36 points
2. N. Maguire 36 points
3. G. Allen 26 points
4. N. Redmond 24 points.
