Formation of Rallies Council set for green light
The meeting was called by the Association of Munster Motor Clubs, who recently voiced their dissatisfaction at the way Irish rallying is being run by the governing body, Motorsport Ireland.
The 18 clubs that attended the meeting included two clubs from Northern Ireland along with officials from the Irish Rally Competitors Association (IRCA).
The three-hour meeting discussed many elements of proposed changes and in particular to the setting of bogey times and aspects related to safety officers. Irrespective of recognition from Motorsport Ireland, the group are pressing ahead with the formation of a “Rallies Council” that will include a member from every club organising a stage rally in Ireland.
They claim this will provide clubs with a forum to enable them to air their views on changes within the sport. The group, who will meet again to appoint a chairman, were unanimous that changes to the rule governing “bogey times” should not be implemented as there is no specific request from the FIA to have it in the first instance.
Another issue that is causing grave concern among organisers of stage rallying is the plan to have a safety officer traverse a stage just prior to the final 00 car. The group were adamant that this could lead to a situation where no car traverses a stage for several minutes leading to a dangerous situation.
The group are also opposed to plans to raise the status of safety officers, the final decision, they claim, should always be with the clerk of the course. Although invited, there was no official representation from Motorsport Ireland.
Documentation concerning yesterday’s meeting will be forwarded to the governing body in the coming days.
Meanwhile, former Formula 3 racing star, Martin O’Connell, driving an Escort Cosworth, won the Carlow Rallysprint, the final motorsport event of the year that attracted an entry of 186 competitors at Mondello Park. O’Connell emerged the victor with some 17 seconds to spare over the Subaru WRC of Adrian McElvaney, Kevin Barrett, also in a Subaru WRC, was third. O’Connell was fastest on the first of the three timed sprints.
On the initial run, Kevin Barrett (Subaru WRC) was a match for O’Connell, illustrated by the fact that there was only sixteen hundredths of a second between them. Adrian McElvaney, driving a Stan Harper prepared Subaru WRC, slotted into third, despite a spin as Wesley Patterson (Escort), Garry Jennings (Peugeot 106) and Mark Courtney (Mitsubishi Evo7) completed the top six.
Rainy conditions saw the advantage favour the four-wheel drive cars and Barrett took the lead, albeit by a tenth of a second from O’Connell, who was followed by David James and Tommy Graham. The latter lost time on the initial run when he was baulked by a fellow competitor.
On the final run, Barrett saw his chance of victory disappear when he spun and this allowed O’Connell emerge victorious. A gallant McElvaney came through to claim the runner-up spot from the unlucky Barrett. Graham duly finished fourth in a top six completed by the Mitsubishis of Dominic Loughran and Mark Courtney.
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