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 three rounds complete it’s still wide open as to who will be the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Champion. Two forestry and one tarmac complete and this weekend it’s the final forestry event.
The Tipperary Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally is as usual based in Mitchelstown. Last year’s stages were well received so much the same is expected again. All is required is a lot of fine weather and the day’s sport in the Galtee’s will be well worth the trip.
Championship leader Shane McGirr / Jackie Elliot, Toyota Starlet, Class 5 was the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship coming into the Carlow Stages rally but as they missed the Carlow event, the leads now changes to last year’s 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship winners Pascal O’Shea and Robbie Hennessey, Ford Escort MK2, Class 2. They won the class in Carlow where they were expected to struggle a bit for pace, but as per their trademark, a calm, clean and relatively trouble free run paid the dividends. Their points total is now 55 points.
Second overall are Pierce Dohany and Tommy Hayes in the class 1 Opel Corsa on 46 points. Their never say die attitude and to finish whatever bedevils their days rallying just keeps them in the hunt. Whatever else, it proves the competitors in the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship do not need to spend a fortune on their chosen sport.
Third overall is Shane McGirr / Jackie Elliot, Toyota Starlet, Class 5. on 45 points. This crew have the Valvoline National Forestry Rally in their sights and are sure to come back into the reckoning again. Their spirited, flamboyant and entertaining driving style has won them many fans down here, a long, long way from Co. Tyrone.
Class 1. Taking their Peugeot 206 to a class win on their home event were Ken Treacy / Martin Comerford also brings them to the leading position on 35 points. Ken is a stalwart competitor on the TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. Dropping to second are Emmet Cronin / Mossy O’Connell in the rapid MK” Escort on 30 points.
Class 2. Mike Garaghy / Sean Henehan, Escort MK2 are on 37 points. Another crew to have a good cut in Carlow and still very much on a learning curve. They will be hard to beat in the class. Second are Mick Nevin / David Forde also in a Ford Escort MK2 on 33 points. A former multiple winner TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. Their form on forestry cannot be discounted. Third are Kieran O’Sullivan / Patrick O’Gorman, Peugeot 206 on 10 points. Carlow was their debut event in the TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship.
Class 3. Richard Dalton / John Smithwick, Honda Civic have taken over the class lead and are now on 33 points. A crew who also have a consistent finishing record and are enjoying their time in the woods in what has always been regarded as a car more suitable for tarmac. Slipping back to second are Paul Fitzgerald / Pierce Dohney (jnr) in the Escort MK2. 31 points. Another crew who prefers forestry and gave Carlow a miss. Third are Richard Cleary / Niamh Holland, Honda Civic who started their TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship campaign with a class win and bonus points, 30 points, thank you very much!
Class 4. Class 4. Ray Benskin (jnr) / Nicky Hegarty, Escort MK2 won the class in the Moonraker but were another to record DNF in Carrick are on 31 points. Sean W. Benskin / Joe Fitzgibbon, Escort MK2 are on 16 points having won the class in the Willie Loughman. No change here as neither crew competed in Carlow.
Class 5. Another Wexford crew to come fair rapid out of the box on their TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship debut event were James Stafford / Amy Ryan. Winning the class was a small matter in the scheme of things as OVERALL WINNERS IN CARLOW WAS THE REAL ICING ON THE CAKE. The Darrian is a fierce weapon on the tarmac but may prove a handful in the woods! Anyway their win was also their bonus round and so have 30 points. Sam and Alan Smyth were second in the class in Carlow and also on bonus points giving them a total of 24 points. Sharing the class position are James Coleman / Liam Brennan who non-started in Carlow due to mechanical problems sustained while he car was used in the Rally of the Lakes by Craig Breen. Third are Joe McGonigle / Ciaran Geaney, Renault Clio R3 on 21 points. They were third in class in Carlow and also on bonus points.
Class 6. Dropping back from the overall positions are John Reid / Enda Sheils, Toyota Corolla on 40 points. Mark Murphy / Alistair Wyllie, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8 are second on 32 points. Name sake and fellow Corkonian are Owen murphy / James O’Brien, Mitsubishi Lancer on 17 points.
Juniors. Dean Raftery / Aileen Kelly, Honda Civic, 22 points. No change here as they did not compete in Carlow.
There is a very short time line to the next round of the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship as the Carrick-on-Suir Motor Clubs tarmac rally, The Ravens Rock takes place in Waterford on 30th June.
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
