Higgins takes Jim Clark Rally honours

Former British Rally champion, Mark Higgins and co-driver Bryan Thomas have won the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Kelso, Scotland.

Sat, 09 Jul, 2005 - 20:15

Former British Rally champion, Mark Higgins and co-driver Bryan Thomas have won the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Kelso, Scotland.

The Welsh based Manx born driver, in the Eddie Stobart-backed Ford Focus, successfully stemmed the tide of a strong Irish challenge led by the Subaru WRC of Tim McNulty/Eugene O’Donnell, who finished in second place – 37.6 seconds behind the winner.

The Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely took third place and as a result, they now lead the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship.

Higgins, who won this rally in 2000, had a real battle on his hands, especially as NcNulty had cut the overnight deficit to 13.8 seconds earlier today.

The crucial stages were SS15 and 16. It was there Higgins finally moved free of McNulty, who had to contend with severe stomach cramp.

Higgins added more time from the remaining stages and his win gives him the lead of the British Rally championship. Pre-event leader, Austin MacHale retired his Ford Focus with transmission woes.

The race for third was intense but once Eugene Donnelly sorted the settings of his Corolla, he made the spot his own.

Once Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors took control of Group N, they were in no mood to relinquish the showroom category and they finished sixth overall and over three minutes ahead of their nearest rivals, Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Mitsubishi).

Sandwiched between the pair was the Ford Focus of Craig and Roger Bennett.

The top 10 was completed by Alan Nesbitt (Subaru) and Ryan Champion (Mitsubishi).

M. Higgins/B. Thomas (Ford Focus WRC) 2h. 01m. 34.3s.

T. McNulty/E. O’Donnell (Subaru WRC) 2h. 02m. 11.9s.

E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 2h. 03m. 39.0s.

E. Boland/F. Regan (Subaru WRC) 2h. 04m. 29.2s.

D. McGarrity/D. O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) 2h. 04m. 29.2s.

R. Galligan/G. Shinnors (Mitsubishi) 2h. 11m. 00.2s.

C. Bennett/R. Bennett (Ford focus WRC) 2h. 13m. 05.1s.

G. Jennings/R. Kennedy (Mitsubishi) 2h. 14m. 08.4s.

A. Nesbitt/P. Robertson (Subaru) 2h. 15m. 41.1s.

R. Champion/C. Thorley (Mitsubishi) 2h. 16m. 08.2s