Round one of the 2012 Irish Tarmac championship kicks off on Sunday 5th February with the Galway International Rally. The event will be run a new one day format with 10 stages, instead of the normal 3 days. The stages will include including city centre Dyke Road spectator special, which was last run in 1998. There will then be 9 further stages around Headford in County Galway. The entry list is very strong and will see Eugene Donnelly return in the Mini WRC. Gareth MacHale also returns from a brief hiatus in the 2006 spec Ford Focus WRC. Despite what the entry list says, it is expected that Derek McGarrity and Daragh O'Riordan will both be in S14 Imprezas. Last year's tarmac champion, Tim McNulty is set to defend his crown in his S12B Impreza. Darren Gass should also go well in the older S10 Impreza. This could shape up to be to be the most competitive international in along time and the prospect of new cars has definitely added an extra buzz to the championship and rallying. Entry list: 1 Tim McNulty Paul Kiely Subaru S12B 6 2 Gareth Machale Brian Murphy Ford Focus 6 3 Derek McGarrity James McKee Ford Focus WRC 6 4 Eugene Donnelly Paddy Toner MINI John Cooper Works WRC 6 5 Daragh O'Riordan Tony McDaid Subaru WRC S12 6 6 Darren Gass Enda Sherry Subaru Impreza WRC S10 6 7 Garry Jennings Rory Kennedy Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 8 Alan Ring James O'Brien Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 9 Daniel McKenna Andrew Grennan Ford Escort Mk2 14 10 Gary McPhillips TBA Ford Escort Mk2 14 11 Thomas Fitzmaurice Fionn Foley Subaru Impreza WRC S11 6 12 Donagh Kelly Kevin Flanagan Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 14 Sam Moffett James O'Reilly Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 15 Tom Flaherty Patrick Curley Ford Escort Mk2 14 16 Josh Moffett Lennon Domhnáll Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 17 Mark Alcorn Kevin McCafferty Ford Escort Mk2 14 18 Richard Burke John Burke Subaru Impreza 15 19 Declan Boyle Brian Boyle Ford Escort 14 20 Daniel Barry Gordon Noble Mitsubishi Evo 10 4 21 Mark Nangle Nollaig Breen Subaru Impreza N12 4 22 Geoffrey Dolan Connor Murphy Ford Escort 14 23 Willie Mavitty John Rowan Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 24 Jer O'Donovan TBA Subaru Impreza N12B 4 25 Trevor Bustard Kenny Bustard Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 26 Pat Kelly Jonathan Kelly Subaru Impreza STI 16 27 Jim McKenna Thomas Treanor Ford Escort Mk2 14 28 John Hendy TBA Toyota Corolla Twincam 13 29 Martin McGee Denis O'Mahony Ford Escort 14 30 Mervyn Wedlock Damien McCabe Ford Escort 13 31 Tom Cahill Phllip Conneely Mitsubishi Evo 8 4 32 Raymond Drury Pauric Sheridan Ford Escort 14 33 Neil Pierce Enda O'Leary Honda Civic 11 34 Stephen Wright Susanne Wright Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 35 David Guest Liam Moynihan Honda Civic 13 36 David Quigley Des Sherlock Honda Civic EK4 2 37 Michael Curran Sean Hayde Ford Escort Mk2 14 38 Alan Shiel Kenneth Sheil Honda Civic 11 39 Martin Cunningham John Fitzpatrick Honda Civic 11 40 Jason McSweeney Ronald Riordan Honda Civic Vtec 11 41 James Cassidy John Norris Ford Escort 12 42 Columba Heena Derek Heena Toyota Corolla 13 43 David Carney Ray Fitzpatrick Citroen C2 R2 MAX 2 44 Joseph McGonigle Ciaran Geaney Citroen C2 R2 MAX 2 45 Arthur Kierans Mac Kierans Ford Escort Mk2 12 46 Paraic Cummins Graham Kelly Ford Escort G4 13 47 Jonathan Folan Sarah Whelan Subaru Impreza N10 16 48 Stanley Ballantine Richard Hyland Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 49 Rory Byrne Jeremy Patterson Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 50 Vincent O'Shea Brian Hickey Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 51 Gary McElhinney Damien Conolly Ford Escort Mk2 13 52 Liam Higgins Brian Commins Mitsubishi Evo 7 4 53 Alan Fair Shane Reidy Honda Civic 16 54 Fergal Allen TBA BMW 14 55 Vincent Collins Fintan Kilroe Ford Escort 12 56 Michael Brazil TBA Peugeot 205 RWD 11 57 Andrew Fanning Derek Gibbs Ford Puma S1600 2 58 Tony Curley TBA Subaru Impreza N12 6 59 Paddy McVeigh Stephen O'Hanlon Subaru Impreza N12B 16 60 John Warren Ruthann O'Connor Toyota Corolla RWD 13 61 Martin Howley Shaun Lafferty Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 6 62 Damien Boyle Nicola Boyle Honda Civic J2 63 Sean McHugh Liam Healy BMW M3 Compact 14 64 Declan Gannon Alan Leonard Honda Civic Type R 1 65 Dean Raftery Ollie Ward Honda Civic EK4 J2 66 Rob Alderman Paula Alderman Ford Escort Mk2 13 67 Trevor Keane Declan Sylver Honda Civic EK4 16 68 Tommy O'Brien Martin Flynn Honda Integra Type R 3 69 Gene Callan Sean Brunton Ford Escort Mk2 12 70 Darragh Kelly Gerry Hughes Ford Fiesta ST 3 71 William Hamilton Peter Curran Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 13 72 John Conneely Stephen O'Brien Ford Escort Mk2 11 73 Anthony Masterson Tommy Clinton Honda Integra Type R 3 74 Noel O'Sullivan Nicholas Burke Ford Escort Mk2 9 75 John McGeehan Seamus Coffey Subaru Impreza 15 76 Geoff McMahon Rob Graham Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4 77 Shane Timony Jeffrey Case Ford Puma Kit Car 9 78 Cathal Greaney Maurice Greaney Subaru Impreza N12 16 79 Billy McCarthy John Falvey Nissan Micra 9 80 Joseph Monaghan TBA Honda Civic 1 81 Michael Canny Kerrie Barry Ford Fiesta ST 16 82 Noel Lappin Cian Corbett Ford Escort 9 83 Mark Cunningham Alan Gibbons Citroen Saxo VTS 16 84 Matthew Murphy Noel Murphy Toyota Corolla Twincam 11 85 Paul Monaghan Stephen Monaghan Toyota Corolla RWD 11 86 Kieran Feeney Stephen Greaney Honda Civic EK4 11 87 James Brett Michelle Conneely TBA TBA 1 88 John Collum Kevin Reynolds Honda J2 88 Peter Okane Mark Oconnor Honda Civic Type R 1 89 Paul McHugh David Commins Honda Civic 2 90 Declan Forde Chris King Ford Escort Mk2 10 91 Keith Naughton Brendan Behan Ford Escort 13 92 John Walsh Philip Walsh Honda Civic EK4 16 93 Ronan Kinneavy Mike Kineavy Subaru Impreza 15 94 Brendan Dunne Brendan Murphy Honda Civic 16 95 Jarlath Conneely Aisling Grimes Honda Civic EK4 16 96 Justin Ryan Andy Walsh Honda Civic EK4 16 97 Ian Jackson John Moran Honda Civic 11 98 Ian Hynes Noel Mannion Honda Civic Type R 1 99 Tommy Flanagan Keith Flanagan Ford Escort Mk2 12 100 Raymond Moloney TBA Honda Civic EK4 16 101 David Donoghue James Comer Honda Civic EK4 11 102 Christopher McLaughlin Kyle McGettigan Toyota Corolla Twincam J2 103 Dermot O'Rourke TBA Subaru Impreza 11 104 Martin Greenwood Aiden Connolly Honda Civic Vtec 11 105 Shane Keary TBA Honda Civic 11 106 Sean Boyle Aisling Boyle Ford Escort Mk1 12 107 Sean Folan Lorcan Cunningham Honda Civic EK4 16 108 Kevin McHugo Ciaran Mahon Honda Civic 1.6VTI 11 109 Adrian Fahy Aidan Fahy Ford Escort Mk2 13 110 Conal Doherty Declan Doherty Citroen Saxo VTS 16 111 Ronan Lally Brian Forde Subaru Impreza 11 112 Dave Walsh Sean Walsh Ford Escort Mk2 10 113 Shane Carr Barry McBride Vauxhall Nova J2 114 John Feeney Anne Maire Carroll Honda EG6 11 115 Mike Murphy Miriam CLASS STRUCTURE HOMOLOGATED CARS CLASS 1 - Group N two wheel drive cars up to and including 2000cc including cars homologated in the FIA R1 categories CLASS 2 - Group A two wheel cars up to and including 1600cc including cars homologated in the FIA R2B category CLASS 3 - Group A two wheel drive cars over 1600cc and up to and including 2000cc including cars homologated in the FIA R2C, R3C, R3T and R3D categories and Super 1600 homologated cars CLASS 4 - All homologated four wheel drive Group N cars, including Super 2000 cars CLASS 5 - All vehicles homologated by the FIA in Group R-GT CLASS 6 - Group A over 2000cc including World Rally Cars MODIFIED CARS CLASS 9 - Modified Cars: Cars up to 1450cc, 2 wheel drive, normally aspirated CLASS 10 - Modified Cars: 1451cc to 1650cc not more than 2 valves per cylinder, 2 wheel drive, normally aspirated. CLASS 11 - Modified Cars 1451cc to 1650cc and more than 2 valves per cylinder, 2 wheel drive, normally aspirated. CLASS 12 - Modified Cars 1651cc to 2100cc not more than 2 valves per cylinder,2 wheel drive, normally aspirated. CLASS 13 - Modified Cars 1651cc to 2100 cc more than 2 valves per cylinder,2 wheel drive, normally aspirated. CLASS 14 - Modified Cars 2101cc to 3500cc 2 wheel drive, normally aspirated or turbocharged.(Cars may only be fitted with a turbocharger if the car was originally homologated with one fitted in two wheel drive
Good to see Galway Motor Club pushing the innovations by launching an iPhone app. More details in the press release below or alternatively get it on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/galway-rally-2012/id496143491?mt=8Programmes can be bought on the web here and will be delivered: http://www.safetydirect.ie/4510/Official-Rally-Programme-2012/product.aspxAlso the final rally guide is out (mainly for competitors, but has some useful info): http://www.shannonsportsit.ie/sites/default/files/SDGIR Paper12 Final ins 1.pdfGALWAY MOTOR CLUB LAUNCHES APP FOR 2012 INTERNATIONAL RALLY Galway Motor Club, organisers of the Safety Direct Galway International Rally, is delighted to announce the launch of an App for the 2012 event in conjunction with our media partner Amnesia MediaThis will be the first time any rally in Ireland will have this technology available.For this event the app will be only be available for the iphone but will be available on all mobile devices for future events. THE APP IS FREE and can be downloaded from the App store or by logging into bit.ly/galwayrally2012Included will be live results, entry list, event images and rally merchandise. It will also include the option to upload users own images from the stages to be included in the Live Image Tab. Future updates will include maps, programmes etc
if I was a betting man I would put money on Tim McNulty for the win. what age is Gareth McHale's Focus? I thought McGarrity bought them all.
It's an '06 spec Focus - the car he won the championship in. McGarrity was trying to do a deal to get all three MacHale Focuses (or Foci?) but it fell through. I believe he will, was trying, or may have bought an '08 Focus from Eric Van Loon. I can't see past Donnelly for the win to be honest. Especially if the MINI WRC is set up for irish tar.
What would the wife say? Anyway, because Reno is far too modest to say, I going to offer him my congratulations because Galway Motor Club are using some of his photography in the official programme. Well done Reno!
McNulty is really the only one that's been it over the past 12 months, I think Donnelly will hold back for fear of wrecking McGeehan's new toy. an icy Galway road isn't the best learning experience for anybody. Mini differs a lot from the aul Corolla, the Mini will need a good rev where the Corolla just ate gears. will be interesting anyway.
going to be another boring year in the ITC, will likely do COI and Ulster as there is something a little more interesting saying that the ulster last year wasn't great bring back the old days when you had 4-5 drivers, all of whom were fit to take the championship
on second day it is unlikely you will find one from my experience the organising web site may well have a list of "outlets" where they can be got however?
It's a one day rally and only begins on Sunday. Programme outlets are listed in the pdf below: http://www.galwayinternationalrally.com/images/2012/Programme Outlets 310112.pdf
Galway International Rally - Schedule Saturday 4th February Ceremonial Start: Eyre Square, Galway: 20.00 hrs Ceremonial Start for all competitors numbered 1 to 20 inclusive, the top 10 Galway Motor Club entrants, and the top 5 Historic Competitors. It will take place in Eyre Square, Galway City. Google Maps:http://g.co/maps/cmtur Saturday 5th February 10 special stages consisting of: Dykes Road spectator special, Galway City 3 special stages run three times, near Headford, County Galway (to the north of Galway City) Map of spectator special stage: http://www.galwayinternationalrally.com/images/2012/City Overall Map.pdf Stage times (approximate) SS1: 09.40 SS2: 10.26 SS3: 11.04 SS4: 11.38 Service: 12.05 SS5: 12.46 SS6: 13.22 SS7: 13.54 Service: 14.19 SS8: 14.55 SS9: 15.31 SS10: 16.03 LIVE INFORMATION & RESULTS Use www.rallynews.net for news bulletins live from the stages http://results.shannonsportsit.ie/ will host live stage times For further information, go to the Galway International Rally website. http://www.galwayinternationalrally.com/index.html Smartphone apps: Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sifat.safety_direct iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/galway-rally-2012/id496143491?mt=8
New Donnelly MINI WRC livery With four former Irish Tarmac champions in the entry, it should be a very close and competitive event! Irish Champions to clash at Galway International Rally Posted: February 3, 2012 7:37 PM Four former Irish Tarmac Rally Champions will take to the roads of Galway this weekend to contest the first major event of the 2012 motorsport calendar, the Safety Direct Galway International Rally. This year’s event, which takes place over one day as opposed to the traditional two day format, will see a record entry of over 150 cars. Tim McNulty, Gareth McHale, Derek McGarrity and Eugene Donnelly will all be on the starting line on Sunday for the first round of the Irish Tarmac Championship. McNulty made history in 2012 by becoming the first Irish driver to win both the Irish Rally Championship and the Tarmac Rally Championship in the same year, which included a four minute victory margin in this event last year. The Meath man took advantage of the absence of a couple of Ireland’s top drivers last year in Eugene Donnelly and Gareth McHale, who both return to the action on Sunday. McHale, who was the Irish Tarmac Champion in 2010, took a year out from rallying last year because of work commitments. Donnelly is a five-time Irish Champion and he will be debuting the Mini Cooper works WRC car on the Galway roads this weekend. Derek McGarrity will also be looking to make his mark in the City of the Tribes. The two-time Irish champion will be driving a Ford Focus WRC and will be keen to renew his rivalry with McNulty from last year.
Same here Graham, the only round that interests me this year is the COI. Not everyone listened to Galway MC's request for rally followers to act responsibly.
Closest tarmac rally for years, with three crews fighting for first! From www.rallynews.net RALLY NEWS NO.6 Finish/Sunday UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10 FINAL STAGE 1st Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.18.8 2nd Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Mini WRC) 1.08.20.1 3rd Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 1.08.25.2 4th Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.09.44.2 5th Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.10.06.5 6th Daragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 1.10.16.8 7th Sam Moffett/James O'Reilly (Lancer N) 1.11.19.3 8th Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Lancer N) 1.11.30.7 9th Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Impreza WRC) 1.12.50.9 10th Josh Moffett/Domhnall Lennon (Lancer N) 1.13.01.5 NATIONAL RALLY 1st (19) Declan & Brian Boyle (Escort) 1.12.15.7 2nd (15) Tom Flaherty/Patrick Curley (Escort) 1.12.18.2 3rd (28) John Hendy/Alan White (Corolla TC) 1.13.10.1 4th (9) Daniel McKenna/Andrew Grennan (Escort) 1.13.38.2 5th (45) Arthur & Mac Kierans (Escort) 1.14.31.1 6th (31) Tom Cahill/Philip Conneely (Lancer) 1.14.38.9 What a grandstand finish there was to this Safety Direct Galway Int. Rally with just over 6s covering the top 3 at the finish. Darren Gass/Enda Sherry have taken the winners laurel after a copybook driver in their Subaru. Armagh man Darren never put a wheel wrong and it really was a brilliant performance in what is now a slightly older model Impreza WRC. Tim McNulty led the rally for more than half the distance but then his Subaru collided with a straw bale chicane and bent the steering. From that moment on Tarmac Champion McNulty struggled. Eugene Donnelly drove superbly to survive a puncture on his new Colm Quinn backed Mini WRC and his charge back with some stunning times brought him into 2nd place, just 1.3s behind Gass. Results are of course still provisional but it must be one of the closest finishes in a long time on an Irish rally. 23 year old Darren Gass commented at the finish. “I drove my brains out over the 2 stages after the final service and drove rubbish on the last stage. It is great to win. It was a brilliant rally and the car was perfect”. Garry Jennings showed real class in today’s difficult conditions to win group N and finish 4th o/a. Sam Moffett was 2nd GpN and Donagh Kelly 3rd. Billy Coleman Award winner Sam would not have a lot of experience at this level, which makes his performance all the more meritorious. Donagh Kelly in the Airtricity Lancer is more accustomed to forest stages so he has nothing to be ashamed of in today’s showing. In the National Rally Donegal crew Declan & Brian Boyle in their Escort kept their heads together to stay in touch with the leaders and then surged through when it mattered. Pat & Jonathan Kelly finished 7th o/a in the National and won their class. Pat’s Impreza suffered a damaged manifold on SS3 and after that he took it a bit easier and commented at the finish. “It’s a bonus for me to get to the end”.
The first of two RPM highlights programmes from Galway will be broadcast on UTV this Thursday 16th February at 11.00pm. In the meantime, here's some amateur footage to whet your appetite from the big jump near Caherlistrane