The Dunlop National Rally Championship concludes on Sunday next with the Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally in Bantry in West Cork. The nine stage encounter that meanders through some of the most spectacular scenery along Bantry Bay, Dunmanus Bay and Mount Gabriel will determine the outstanding issues within the popular eight round series.<\/p>\n
Top seed and back to back Fastnet champion, Daragh O\u2019Riordan (Fiesta WRC) will renew rivalry with Welsh ace, Hugh Hunter (Subaru WRC), who won the last Dunlop round, the Galway Summer Rally. \u00a0On that occasion, he finished a minute and 22.5 seconds behind Hunter, who is likely to contest the 2014 Dunlop series.<\/p>\n
However, O\u2019Riordan, who will start as favourite. \u00a0He is seeking to become the third driver to secure a hat trick of wins on the Fastnet (Carrigaline\u2019s, Frank O\u2019Mahony won the inaugural event in 1982 and also won in 1996 and 1997 while Dunmanway\u2019s, Liam McCarthy won in 1988, 1992 and 2008) and the first to win three in a row.<\/p>\n
This will be his fourth Dunlop round this season, he finished third overall in Monaghan where he felt unwell throughout the rally. \u00a0In the Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, he led from the start until he crashed out on the fourth stage.<\/p>\n
Clonmel\u2019s, Roy White in his MG S2000 is having one of his most successful seasons to date and can finish third overall in the series. \u00a0He needs just five points to deny present incumbent, Josh Moffett, who is not on the entry list. \u00a0 \u201cIf we (Roy and co-driver, James O\u2019Brien) finish third, it will be a lot more than what our plans were at the start of the year, it will be an awesome result for us.\u201d \u00a0Throughout the season, White has notched up several top five finishes but he has no doubt about selecting the highlight so far, \u201cIf I want to be totally partisan, it has to be the Stonethrowers Rally, that was my best ever in a national round.\u201d \u00a0He added, \u201cThe car is more reliable this year and given that, we have more seat time and we are able to be more competitive. \u00a0There is great camaraderie in the series, , it\u2019s been brilliant, along with the Irish drivers, James Belton came across from Wales and he added a lot to the championship, we all met up after recce, in parc ferme and service, it\u2019s a real good feeling and a great championship and I\u2019m definitely doing it next year.\u201d \u00a0White is aware of what is needed in terms of points, added, \u201cI \u00a0think the situation we are in is more nerve wrecking than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Kevin Barrett (S14 Subaru WRC) is seeded at number four, he will not be participating. This season he had only brief outings in the Dunlop series but plans to return for a full attack in 2014.<\/p>\n
Early season Dunlop front runner, Wexford\u2019s, James Stafford in his rear wheel drive Darrian T90 GTR will be hoping that the weather along the Atlantic coastline is dry so he can give mount a challenge to the WRC brigade. \u00a0Non-finishes in the rounds in Monaghan, Sligo and Galway \u00a0have ruled him out of contention for the top rally.ie award (the highest wheel drive competitors in overall standings). \u00a0He is currently third in the standings behind Donegal\u2019s, Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet) and Cavan\u2019s, Jonathan Pringle (Ford Escort), who occupy the respective number six and seven berths I Bantry, Stafford could still take the runner-up spot.<\/p>\n
On the last round, the Galway Summer in Ballinasloe, Gallagher secured 18 Dunlop points \u2013 two more than Pringle, who is nine points adrift heading to Bantry, the Cavan driver has already won the Escort Mk. 2 Dunlop Champions Trophy. \u00a0All three can add all their points tally from Bantry due to the fact that they have all failed to finish at least two of the events thus far.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the top ten is completed by Lisburn\u2019s, Wesley Patterson (Ford Escort), Meath\u2019s, Pat Donegan (Ford Escort) and Kilkenny\u2019s, Eoin Doyle in the Ford Focus WRC that won the Fastnet Rally and indeed, the Dunlop National Rally Championship, in 2005 in the hands of Ray Breen.
\nElsewhere, Meath\u2019s, John Hendy will compete in a BMW M3 Compact, last year, driving a Toyota Corolla, he was seventh overall after the opening stage, but dropped down the order with problems and retired on the second loop of stages.<\/p>\n
Londoner, Dan O’Brien, the son of newly crowned Irish Forest Rally champion, Michael, will occupy the number twelve slot in a Ford Focus WRC and will be followed by Waterford\u2019s, Eddie Power (Toyota Corolla WRC), Killarney\u2019s, Kevin O’Donoghue (Ford Escort) and Clare\u2019s, Anthony O’Halloran (Opel Manta 400)<\/p>\n
The top Group N entry is that of local driver, Jer O’Donovan (Subaru). \u00a0Opposition will be provided by Waterford\u2019s, Brian O’Keeffe, also in a Subaru and last year\u2019s Dunlop Class 3 winner, Baltimore\u2019s, Stephen Carey \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (Honda Civic).
\nKenmare\u2019s, Vincent O’Shea (Ford Escort) fourteenth overall in last year\u2019s rally will be hoping for an improved performance this time around.<\/p>\n
Aside from O\u2019Donovan, some of the local entries are Dunmanway\u2019s, Jason McSweeney (Mitsubishi EvoVIII), Bandon\u2019s, Vincent McSweeney (Honda Civic) and Murragh\u2019s, Andrew Mahon (Ford Escort).
\nThe now traditional ceremonial start in Bantry Square takes place at 7.30pm on Saturday evening next.<\/p>\n
Organising Club: Skibbereen & District Car Club.
\nClerk of the Course: Ger Hayes.
\nRally Headquarters: Westlodge Hotel, Bantry. Tel: 027 50360.
\nFirst Car Away: 9.15.<\/p>\n
S.S.1, 4 & 7: The Goats Path 8.30, 11.21 & 14.12.
\nS.S.2, 5 & 8: Mizen Head 9.17, 12.08 & 14.59.
\nS.S.3, 6 & 9: Mount Gabriel 9.56, 12.47 7 15.38.<\/p>\n
Service, Bantry Square: 7.55, 10.39 & 13.30.
\nFinish Ramp: Westlodge Hotel, Bantry. 16.45.<\/p>\n
Top 10 Seeded List:
\n1. Daragh O’Riordan\/Tony McDaid (Ford Fiesta WRC)
\n2. Hugh Hunter\/Andy Marchbank (Subaru WRC)
\n3. Roy White\/James O’Brien (MG S2000)
\n4. Kevin Barrett\/Sean Mullally (Subaru WRC)
\n5. James Stafford\/Amy Ryan (Darrian T90 GTR)
\n6. Declan Gallagher\/Ryan Moore (Toyota Starlet)
\n7. Jonathan Pringle\/Martin Byrne (Ford Escort)
\n8. Wesley Patterson\/Alan Whyte (Ford Escort)
\n9. Pat Donegan\/Alan Keena (Ford Escort)
\n10. Eoin Doyle\/TBA (Ford Focus WRC)<\/p>\n
Dunlop National Rally Championship (Positions after Round 7): 1. D. Boyle 112pts (Dunlop National Rally Champion); 2. J. Belton 98pts; 3. J. Moffett 76 pts; 4. R. White 72pts; 5. \u00a0S. Moffett 70pts; 6. N. Maguire 66pts; 7. D. Gallagher 57pts; 8. J. Pringle 48pts; 9. S. Wright 42 pts 7 10. J. Stafford 32pts..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Dunlop National Rally Championship concludes on Sunday next with the Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally in Bantry in West Cork. The nine stage encounter that meanders through some of the most spectacular scenery along Bantry Bay, Dunmanus Bay and Mount Gabriel will determine the outstanding issues within the popular eight round series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dunlop"],"yoast_head":"\n