McRae effect at Killarney Historic Rally
Andy Johnson, from Killinchy, Co Down and his co-driver Jim McSherry were the clear winners of the Rentokil Initial Historic Car Rally at Killarney, with their Vauxhall Chevette completing the seven classic stages more than two minutes ahead of the Ford Escort of runners-up Keith McIvor and David Burns.
Seven times Circuit of Ireland winner Jimmy McRae showed that he has lost none of his fire by winning the Post-Historic section in a Vauxhall Firenza, while Ryan Barrett and Paul McCann from Omagh were best in the Classic section in an Escort, beating Welshman Melvyn Evans in a similar car.
Third place in the Killarney Historic Stages Rally yesterday saw Owen Murphy take maximum points in the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Historic Championship. With Anthony Nestor on the pace notes, Murphy was driving the iconic ex-Russell Brookes Sunbeam Lotus and despite being hampered by a misfire for most of the day, he set some excellent times on the seven stage event.
Reigning Young Rally Driver of the Year, local ace Rob Duggan, scored a narrow victory over Jack Newman in the Modified class, both driving Escorts.
In Longford, double title holders Pakie Duffy and Evin Hughes were the class of the field in Midland MC’s round of the National Navigation Trial Championship, losing just a single mark during the tricky 85 mile route to finish well clear of second placed Derek Mackarel and Muireann Hayes.
MOTORSPORT IRELAND Results for 3/4 December 2016 KILLARNEY & DISTRICT M C RENTOKIL INITIAL HISTORIC CAR STAGES RALLY AT KILLARNEY: OVERALL: 1 Andy Johnson/Jim McSherry (Chevette HSR) 61m 49s, 2 Keith McIvor/David Burns (Escort) 64m 08s, 3 Colin McDowell/Michael Spence (Mini Cooper S) 65m 50s, 4 Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911) 66m 13s, 5 Roger Moran/Ashley Trimble (BMW M3) 67m 14s, 6 Aidan Kennedy/Joe O'Leary (Mini Cooper S) 69m 35s. FIA APPENDIX K CARS: 1 Andy Johnson/Jim McSherry, 2 Keith McIvor/David Burns, 3 Roger Moran/Ashley Trimble. HISTORICS: 1 Colin McDowell/Michael Spence, 2 Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride, 3 Aidan Kennedy/Joe O'Leary. POST-HISTORICS: 1 Jimmy McRae/Pauline Gullick (Vauxhall Firenza) 61m 59s, 2 Pat Looney/Tara Looney (Escort) 62m 51s, 3 Noel Hurley/Johnny O'Shea (Saab 99) 65m 04s. CLASSICS: 1 Ryan Barrett/Paul McCann (Escort) 58m 11s, 2 Melvyn Evans/Sean Hayde (Escort) 58m 56s, 3 Owen Murphy/Anthony Nestor (Sunbeam Lotus) 60m 10s. MODIFIED: 1 Rob Duggan/Ger Conway (Escort) 54m 53s, 2 Jack Newman/Andrew Browne (Escort) 54m 58s, 3 Kevin Eves/James Fulton (Corolla) 55m 34s, 4 Damien Toner/Denver Rafferty (Escort) 55m 36s, 5 Enda O'Brien/John Butler (Escort) 55m 39s, 6 Phil Collins/Stephen McAuley (Escort) 56m 01s. JUNIORS: 1 Michael Cahill/Brian Cassidy (Escort) 41m 41s, 2 Colin Roche/Ger Foley (Starlet) 41m 48s, 3 Robert Counihan/Timmy Kelly (Corolla) 42m 06s. MIDLAND M C NAVIGATION TRIAL AT DRUMLISH, CO LONGFORD (ROUND 3 OF MOTORSPORT IRELAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND ROUND 2 OF SQUEALING PIG BAR & RESTAURANT BORDER CHAMPIONSHIP): 1 Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 1 mark, 2 Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 15m, 3 Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (Subaru Impreza) 39m, 4 Shane Dalton/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Impreza) 44m, 5 Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 45m, 6 Ray O'Neill/Stephen O'Neill (Subaru Impreza) 52m, 7 Darren Quinn/Seamus McTigue (Subaru Legacy) 53m, 8 Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 55m, 9 Mickey Carbin/Conor Mohan (Subaru Impreza) 63m, 10 Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 64m, 11 Kevin McCormack/David McCrudden (Subaru Impreza) 74m, 12 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 76m. Semi-experts: 1 Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan, 2 Jack McKenna/Andrew Wedlock (Subaru Impreza) 100m, 3 Peter Farrell/Shane Farrell (Subaru Impreza) 125m. Novices: 1 Darren Quinn/Seamus McTigue, 2 Mickey Carbin/Conor Mohan, 3 Kevin McCormack/David McCrudden. Beginners: 1 Paddy Callaghan/Sean Cahill Jnr (Toyota Starlet) 129m, 2 Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon (Subaru Impreza) 133m, 3 Marc McDermott/Patrick Brides (Subaru Impreza) 154m.
