Moore third in Rallye Sunseeker

Reigning Irish Forest Rally champion Stephen Moore, driving his ‘06 specification Ford Focus WRC, finished third in Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth today.

The event, the opening round of the 2008 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship, was won by Marcus Dodd (Hyundai Accent WRC).

The rally also signalled the beginning of the 2008 British Mitsubishi Evolution Ralliart series with Scottish ace David Bogie taking top points.

The event also saw a fine performance from Enniskerry’s Daniel Barry.

Fifth overall in last year’s series, he used the experience and brought his Mitsubishi home some 15 seconds behind Bogie to claim second place in the Mitsubishi series and seventh overall in the event.

Another Irish driver, Richard Cathcart (Mitsubishi), was 10th overall and fifth in the Mitsubishi series.

Elsewhere, Neil McCance and Billy Coleman Award winner Keith Cronin were sixth and seventh of the Mitsubishi contenders, just outside the top 10 overall.

After clutch problems during last night’s two stages, Dodd set a string of fastest stage times to move into the lead early today.

However, he could not ease off as Andy Burton (Peugeot Cosworth) remained within striking distance through the short and snappy stages in the forests of Ringwood and Wareham.

Moore held a steady third. His fellow Irish ace, Sean Devine retired his Subaru with gearbox problems, a similar difficulty caused the demise of Jonny Greer (Mitsubishi).

Burton headed the time sheets on stages seven and nine, but Dodd took yet another Rallye Sunseeker victory courtesy of fastest times on the final three tests.

Results:

1. Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) 58m. 09.8s.

2. Andy Burton/Shelley Rogerson (Peugeot Cosworth) 58m. 52.9s.

3. Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC) 59m. 31.2s.

4. Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop (Subaru WRC) 1h. 00m. 01.2s.

5. Will Nicholls/Nick Broom (Subaru WRC) 1h. 00m. 08.4s.

6. David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 01m. 30.3s.

7. Daniel Barry/Mark Bowens (Mitsubsihi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 01m. 30.3s.

8. Seb Ling/Aled Rees (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 01m. 35.3s.

9. Nik Elsmore/Paul Wakeley (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 01m. 36.7s.

10. Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1h. 01m. 43.7s.

11. Neil McCance/Graham Hopewell Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h. 01m. 49.9s. 12. Keith Cronin/Anthony O’Connell (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1h. 02m. 21.2s.