Barrable’s good show in Czech event
Barrable, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday, finished fifth overall in round nine of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. On the seventh stage, he lost time with an overshoot and on stage nine, his Skoda Ireland ended up in a field for some 40 seconds.
The rally was marred by a fatal accident when a competing car went off the road and hit a number of spectators that allegedly, were in a prohibited zone, one spectator was killed and another seriously injured. The results of the rally were based on those at the end of S.S. 13 – with Juho Hanninen (Skoda) taking victory. His main rival, Jan Kopecky (Skoda) retired on S.S. 13 with engine troubles. Series leader, Andreas Mikkelsen, who led the rally from the fourth until the seventh stage where his Skoda suffered one of two punctures, was eighth.
Meanwhile, Cronin was well on course for a podium finish in the Citroen Racing Trophy category of the Rallye Terre de Lozere until his Michael O’Brien Plant Hire Citroen DS3 burst a wheel on the penultimate test. The Ballylickey driver was only 2.9 seconds off the pace on Saturday’s opening stage but burst a brake pipe on the third stage.
He arrived at the service park in third position – just 8.5 seconds behind category leader, Jean Sebastien Vigion. Out on S.S. 4, Cronin lost time with a puncture and ended the leg in fourth place – 31.3 seconds behind Vigion. Yesterday, he was quickest on S.S. 8 and held joint third – 13.6 seconds behind new leader, Quentin Gilbert and just 2.2 off second spot. However, on the penultimate test, his bid came to an end, Gilbert won the category. Germain Bonnefis (Peugeot 207 S2000) was the overall winner.
The Hewison Autotest Championship got underway with a double header at Vernon Mount, Cork. In the Munster Car Club event on Saturday, Northern Ireland’s, Steven Ferguson (Mini Special) took victory ahead of the similar car of JJ Farrell. Winning four of the 12 tests, he finished 1.9 seconds in front of Farrell. Waterford’s, Paddy Power (Mini Moke) was third. Yesterday, at the second round organised by the Cork Motor Club, Ferguson took another victory with Farrell just a tenth of a second behind. Robin Lyons (Mini Saloon) was third.
The Orchard Motorsport Cork “20” International Rally was launched at the Silver Springs Moran Hotel over the weekend. The event, the final and deciding round of the Irish Tarmac Championship, will consist of eight stages near Macroom on Saturday, Oct 6 and six stages in the Mallow region on Sunday, Oct 7.
Speaking at the launch, Brian Stinson of Orchard Motorsport urged competitors to support the final round of the Tarmac series and inreturn, pledged to underpin the 2013 event.
Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner can reveal that the West Cork Rally is set to become part of the Modified category of the Irish TarmacChampionship in 2014.
It’s inclusion, apparently assisted by the Munster Car Club, who are a full round of the series, is a major boost for the Clonakilty-based event that has been trying for a number of years to become part of the Tarmac series. The decision made by the TROA (Tarmac Rally Organisers Association) at a meeting last week, is a glorious opportunity for the Cork Motor Club organisers to become a full round in the not too distant future.
In recent times, the rally has fallen from its halcyon days but this latest decision could be the beginning of a new dawn. Meanwhile, the International Rally Isle of Man will return to the Tarmac series next year, albeit as a round of the Historic category.
In motorcycling, Fermanagh’s Lee Johnston (Ducati) won an exciting Grand Final at the fourth round of the Adelaide Masters series at Mondello Park yesterday. He edged out American teenage sensation, PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) as the duo swapped the lead twice during the final lap. Pole sitter, Johnston was beaten to the first corner by Waterford’s, Brian McCormack (CD Honda) but Jacobsen out-braked both of them at Dunlop to move into lead on the opening lap. The American led until the seventh lap when Johnston sneaked ahead at Mazda corner to set up a cracking finish that finally went his way. McCormack was third and still leads the Superbike and Supersport Championships. Cork rider, Brian Coomey won the Cup category.
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