CLARE STAGES RALLY 2000

Victory on the penultimate round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Lynch Hotels Clare Stages Rally, saw Donegal's Paul Harris take his fifth championship win of the season ahead of reigning Champion Niall Maguire.   Separated now by just a single point today's result now sees the title fight go to the tenth and final round the Fastnet Stages Rally on October 29th.

Harris set the pace on the opening stage of the day when he was fastest by a massive 10 seconds but overheating problems saw him drop to fifth on stage 2.   This left the very much on form Donal O'Donovan set the pace in his Eircom.net Toyota Celica however he reign at the top was short lived.   Shortly into stage three the Cork driver experienced brake problems and crashed out of the event.

While O'Donovan joined Tommy Graham who retired at the end of stage 1 with gearbox trouble on the retirement list it was Tim McNulty who took the leaders jersey in his Pierce Construction backed Celica but a series of problems who drop him back down to 8th by the rally finish.

A hard charging Harris regained his early lead on stage four from where he controlled the rally.   Local hero Anthony O'Halloran, who had the full support of the large gathering of local spectators, made a very impressive four wheel drive debut finishing an excellent 3rd overall in his Westair Aviation backed Subaru Impreza.   Stepping up from an aging Opel Manta to the McKinstry run Subaru, O’Halloran started off slowly but fastest times on the Ruan stage showed the he could mix it at the front.

Another great local performance was that of Richard Casey driving a Ford Escort MK11 who finished an impressive 5th overall after some superb driving.   Ollie O'Donovan rounded off the top six in his RS2000 Escort.   New Dunlop National Group N Champion Patrick Elliot was once again the Group N winner finishing 10th overall.