2013 TRITON SHOWERS
South East Stages Rally Championship
SEVEN ROUND DUAL SURFACE CHAMPIONSHIP
THREE FORESTRY RALLIES:
- The Munster Moonraker Rally, Sunday 03 March
- The Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally, Sunday 14 April
- The Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally, Sunday 16 June
FOUR TARMAC RALLIES:
- The Carlow Stages Rally (MK2 challenge), Sunday 12 May
- The Ravens Rock Stages Rally, Sunday 30 June
- The Stonethrowers Stages Rally, Sunday 11 August
- The Dick Bailey, Wexford Stages Rally, Sat. 7; Sun. 8 September
PROMOTED BY: THE CARLOW; CARRICK-ON-SUIR; MUNSTER; TIPPERARY AND WEXFORD MOTOR CLUBS LTD.
It’s a seven round championship and with four rounds complete it’s still wide open as to who will be the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Champion.
The most recent event was the Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally promoted by the Tipperary Motor Club from its usual base in Mitchelstown. It’s hard to imagine that on Sunday 16th June just five days before mid-summers day that it would be cool, wet and windy, we had imagined a sunny, sweet smelling day with dust lingering over the stages, but imagination is a funny old thing. The power sapping stages and the use of the bonus round points have altered the overall positions.
The biggest news is that Mike Garahy / Sean Henehan, Escort MK2, Class 2 have taken the lead in the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship with 65 points. The Tipp event was also their bonus round and they made every point count by winning the class from class rivals Pascal O’Shea / Robbie Hennessey. The well prepared and immaculate red Escort delivering their second class win.
Easing back into second overall are the long time 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship leaders Pascal O’Shea / Robbie Hennessey, Escort MK2, class 2 on 64 points. There is no doubt but the Buckstown Motorsport “family” will analyse and re-think their champions strategy and get back to the winning ways.
Pierce Doheny and Tommy Hayes in the class 1 Opel Corsa have finally nailed the class win that they have been chasing since the championship started in the Moonraker Rally. It’s always enough to beat the class rival to net the full points. Their 61 points will keep the chase for the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship honest.
Class 1. Ken Tracy / Martin Comerford (who looked very well indeed) are on a healthy 47 points and with all the remaining rounds on tarmac they may well gain substantially. Emmet Cronin / Mossie O’Connell, Escort MK2, 32 points retired from the event with electrical problems and so with that the spark also went out of their championship aspirations.
Class 2. Mick Nevin is well settled in the class lead while his rivals are up in the overall positions. Mick and David Forde in the ever reliable Escort MK2 are on 52 points. Niall and Garry Fitzpatrick, Escort Mk2 are on 15 points from the class win in Carlow. Kieran O’Sullivan / Patrick O’Gorman, Peugeot are on 9 points.
Class 3. Paul Fitzgerald / Pierce Doheny, Escort MK2 won the class but only collected 12 points but leading the class on 43 points. This is another crew committed to the forestry rounds but may yet give the Escort its head on one tarmac event. Richard Dalton /John Smithwick, Honda Civic, are on 35 points. Richard Cleary / Niamh Holland, Honda Civic, class winners in Carlow are on 30 points.
Class 4. Sean W. Benskin / Joe Fitzgibbon, Escort MK2 have taken over the class lead on 40 points. The bonus score working to their advantage. Ray Benskin (jnr) Escort MK2 has another non-finish but is on 32 points. Eamon and Sarah Dowling, Escort MK2 are on 24 points from their only outing so far in Carlow.
Class 5. Shane McGirr and Jackie Elliot in the rapid Toyota have a commanding class lead on 57 points and while they concentrate on the forestry rounds their points total is pretty well final. Up to second in class are James Coleman and Liam Brennan, Escort MK2 on 34 points. But with the Escort on duty in Donegal with Craig Breen he may have to miss the Ravens Rock James Stafford / Amy Ryan, Darrian T90 GTR, are third on 30 points and the tarmac racer will not be hanging about on the stages or the points league. There are also plenty of tarmac only competitors waiting to climb on board the overall class positions.
Class 6. Mark Murphy / Alistair Wylie, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO8, are enjoying the change of marque and are now class leaders on 42 points. John Reid / Enda Sheils, Toyota Corolla WRC have slipped back to second on 40 points. Owen Murphy / James O’Brien, Mitsubishi Lancer are third on 32 points.
The remaining three rounds are all on tarmac. The forestry only competitors will lose some ground while the tarmac racers take the stage, but there are many a slip ‘tween the cup and lip. We look forward to meeting all the competitors on the remaining rounds. There is still time to register as three rounds are required to qualify for awards.
2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship Registrar; Ann Fitzgerald, The Cross, Mooncoin, Via Waterford. ‘Phone / fax 051 895238. Email; info@carrickonsuirmotorclub.co.
Press officer, Joe O’Brien, Carrick Beag, Carrick-on-Suir. 086 3154442
