Gass wins rally title

Darren Gass is the 2012 Irish Tarmac Rally Champion after this weekend’s Cork “20” International Rally.

Gass was crowned champion before the event even began as title rival Garry Jennings was unable to enter a car for the rally, meaning Gass could not be caught on the leaderboard.

Despite the knowledge of knowing he had won the title Gass started well but it was Daragh O’Riordan who led from stage one, with Gass 11 seconds back.

The Armagh driver began to close the gap across the next three stages however on Stage 5 Gass crashed out, breaking his steering rack and ending his involvement in the rally.

O’Riordan and co-driver Tony McDaid then led the procession in their Subaru over the next nine stages to win the event by four minutes and six seconds from Declan Boyle in second and Denis Cronin finishing third, over seven minutes behind the leader.

With Armagh driver Gass winning his first Tarmac Rally Championship, Sam Moffett also secured his own title as he took the Group N Tarmac title.

The Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year finished fifth in Cork, which was enough to secure the title in his Mitsubishi Evo 9.