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.
The 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship powered off the line with the Munster Moonraker Forestry Rally in the historic Waterford town of Lismore. All the classes had the minimum number of starters ensuring that all finishers would receive maximum points. This is due to the excellent promotion of the Valvoline National Forestry Championship.
It was an ideal weekend for forestry rallying as the preceding weeks were cold, dry and even sunny. Similar conditions were there on Sunday. There was very little mud and plenty of dust. It was by all accounts a challenging, well run and enjoyable event. The overall winner was Mick O’Brien and Greg Shinnors in the Ford Focus WRC.
As ever because it’s a class based championship the overall lead is shared by several crews but this will even out as the championship events progress throughout the year. Surprisingly many crews registered the Moonraker as their bonus round, scoring double points in the process.
2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship winners Pascal O’Shea / Robbie Hennessey, Ford Escort MK2, class 2, 30 points, came out firing on all cylinders taking the class win and double points. Sharing the overall lead are Paul Fitzgerald / Pierce Doheny, Ford Escort MK2, class 3; Ray Benskin (jnr) / Nick Hegarty, Ford Escort MK2, class 4; Shane McGirr / Jackie Elliot, Toyota Starlet, class 5; John Reid / Enda Shiels, Toyota Corolla WRC, class 6. Five crews, all from different classes, and all on maximum of 30 points share the lead in the 2013 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship.
Second overall is shared by two crews, Pierce Doheny / Tommy Hayes, Opel Corsa, class 1 and Mark Murphy / Alistair Wyllie, Mitsubishi lancer Evo 8, Class 6, both on 24 points.
Third overall and the only class winner that didn’t declare the Moonraker for bonus points are Emmet Cronin /Adam Coffey, Ford Escort MK2, class 1, 15 points.
Class 1.
Ken Tracey / Martin Comerford, Peugeot 206 10 points
Class 2.
Michael Nevin / David Forde, Ford Escort MK2 12 points
Mike Garaghy / Ford Escort MK2 10 points
Class 3.
Simon Reid / Billy Ryan Honda Civic 12 points
Richard Dalton / John Smithwick Honda Civic 10 points
Class 5.
James Coleman / Liam Brennan Ford Escort MK2 12 points
Juniors.
Darragh Raftery / Aileen Kelly Honda Civic 8 points
Results from classes 4 and 6 omitted as none of the registered crews finished and scored only one or two points for starting.
The next event is the Carrick-on-Suir, Plasticbags.IE, Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally. It’s the longest running forestry rally in Ireland and this year has the greatest number of stage miles for a forestry rally. Not to be missed. It will be a testing event on man and machine and should shake up the cosy cartel of current leaders.
Once again this year, taking cognisance of the current state of the economy and to encourage competitors to register and compete in TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship, the scoring format requires that only three crew need to start in their class to score maximum points (15), two starters (12) points and one starter (10) points.
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
