Forest win boosts Cork crew’s bid
Their Subaru Impreza 555 was over thirty seconds ahead of the Toyota Celica of Eddie Kinirons/Greg Shinnors with the Subaru of Kevin O’Kane/Francis Regan taking third after the late retirement of local driver, John Drislane/Paul Goodman (Subaru). The Mitchelstown based event was the second round of the KBB Doors National Forest Championship.
Dermot Kelly extricated an eight second lead on the opening seven mile stage at Cambaun. McCarthy was his closest rival with Eddie Kinirons (Toyota Celica) holding third, 21 seconds off the leader.
Kelly rolled his Escort WRC midway through the second stage (Ardpatrick) and lost over ninety seconds to his rivals.
Kinirons, without sixth gear was the fastest through the stage promoting him into a twelve second lead over McCarthy, who spun his Subaru 555 on two separate occasions.
James Murphy (Escort Cosworth) was only a second slower than Kinirons through the stage and as a result, he moved swiftly into third.
John Drislane, who journeyed from New York to make his annual appearance in the Mitchelstown event, held joint fourth in his McKinstry hired Subaru with late entrant, Brian McCluskey (Escort WRC). Kevin O’Kane (Subaru) had an untroubled run to sixth ahead of the Escort WRC of John Donnelly that had no anti lag.
On the stage in Kilworth Wood, McCarthy set the pace and duly took a narrow four second lead into the service halt. A composed Drislane was third, 27 seconds off second place. O’Kane continued untroubled in fourth followed by McCluskey, John McGaffin (Subaru Legacy) and James Murphy.
The latter lost considerable time when he overshot at two hairpins. The top Group N exponent was John Shanahan.
For the second time in as many events, Kieran Molloy retired his Mitsubishi, this time with a blown turbo. Meanwhile, Dermot Kelly, without the windscreen for the third stage completed the top ten, he was only three seconds off McCarthy’s time on the third stage.
On the repeat of the Cambaun stage, McCarthy punched in the fastest time and did likewise on the fifth stage to extend his lead to 22 seconds.
Drislane held on to third some 38 seconds behind the Celica of Kinirons. The unflappable O’Kane held fourth with John Donnelly’s Escort now back on full power slotting into fifth spot.
Dermot Kelly continued his move up the top ten and held equal seventh with the Subaru Legacy of John McGaffin as the crews entered the final stage at Kilworth. Brian McCluskey and John Shanahan were next with the latter being hampered by clutch problems.
McCarthy set the seal on a fine win with another fastest time to finish 34 seconds ahead of Kinirons.
At the finish, he remarked, “I’m delighted, it was harder this time around.”
Drislane’s Subaru failed to make it to the finish due to engine problems and O’Kane, who was only two seconds in arrears entering the final stage, took a deserved third. Kelly eventually finished fourth to retain his championship bid.
Apart from the stage where he rolled his Escort, there was just four seconds between himself and rally winner, however, one sensed McCarthy was pacing himself against the former champion. John Donnelly duly finished fifth followed by James Murphy, Brian McCluskey and John McGaffin. John Shanahan won Group N, on the final loop, he sliced almost a minute off his previous times. The top ten was completed by the Subaru WRC of Kevin Lynch.
*Wexford’s, Michael B Roche and local driver, John McNamara shared a win apiece in the Clare Hillclimb weekend in Carron. Roche (Delta) edged out McNamara on Saturday’s test but the Ballyvaughan man dominated proceedings yesterday ahead of another local driver, Sylvester Mullins (Sark). Roche finished fourth behind Paul O’Connell (Delta).
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