Billy Coleman Award Qualifiers

Skoda to run 3 cars in Rally GB?

Australia kicks off

Only one stage was held tonight - a super special.
SS 1, Langley Park Super Special Stage 2.20km

1st Car: 6:42
Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Time
1 Sainz Ford Focus WRC 1:30,7
1 Auriol Peugeot 206 WRC 1:30,7
3 Delecour Ford Focus RS WRC 1:31,3
4 Hagstrom Toyota Corolla WRC 1:31,5
5 Gronholm Peugeot 206 WRC 1:31,8

This event saw the new experimental seeding being implemented with the leading drivers picking their running place
Colin McRae had first choice, picking 14, Makinen chose 13, Burns 12, Sainz 11 and Rovanpera 10th but Didier Auriol and Gilles Panizzi chose 8th and 7th respectively, thus allowing Gronholm to pick 10th, perhaps offering a slight advantage as they implemented some sort of team orders.
Any advantage obtained was short lived as the organisers decided to wet the stage to keep dust down.

Mitsubishi Hopeful of Australia

Hyundai to announce driver line up after Australia

Losing driver Alister McRae to Mitsubishi will not hamper its progress next year was the claim by MSD this week despite the fact that Ericssons or Kankunnens contracts have not been renewed yet. Options for the Milton Keynes-based team include Freddy Loix, who has lost his seat at Mitsuibishi following the signing of McRae and Francois Delecour, and also Didier Auriol, who has been left out in the cold at Peugeot. "We've been talking to many drivers including Kenneth and Juha," said Hyundai team boss David Whitehead. "It's just a question of finalising the details. We are awfully close to being able to make an announcement. It will probably come shortly after Australia." That leaves the MSD-run team with the possibility of taking on all new drivers for 2002, but Whitehead is confident that he can put together a competitive line-up. "It wouldn't worry us to have a completely new line-up for next year," said Whitehead. "Any of the drivers available would be able to acclimatise quickly to a new car. There are some very, very talented drivers out there." Hyundai's best result of the year to date was a sixth place for McRae on Rally Portugal in March. Kankkunen has competed on selected events this season, as has Piero Liatti, while McRae and Eriksson did Hyundai's full WRC programme.

Subaru optimistic about Australia

The Subaru World Rally Team will be running three cars in Australia for Richard Burns / Robert Reid, Petter Solberg / Phil Mills and Toshihiro Arai / Glenn Macneall. Richard and Petter will be nominated to score manufacturers' points for Subaru.
The Subaru Allstars team will be running Impreza WRC2001's for Oman's Hamed Al Wahaibi and the Austrian driver Achim Mörtl. Subaru Team Principal David Lapworth stated that "Australia is a very fast gravel event, and one that we have enjoyed considerable success on in the past. The Impreza seems well suited to the stage conditions, and after our last gravel outing in New Zealand we're confident we have the most competitive package. The cars we will use in Australia incorporate a few small developments, but on the whole they are similar in specification to those that were used in New Zealand.
It's going to be an interesting event this year. The organisational changes that allow drivers to pick their own road positions should put an end to the tactical driving we're seen in the past. Now I expect we'll see the drivers going flat out from the start, and the only tactical thinking will depend on how important it is for individual drivers to score points in the championship. Our team objective for this season remains to get Richard the drivers' championship, and in Australia that means beating Tommi and Colin. If we can help him to achieve this then we'll be in a really good position for Rally GB."
Meanwhile Subaru is the subject of a rumour that senior management in Japan has clared the way for a possible sponsorship deal that will see the 2002 cars run in a Marlboro livery Subaru has not had a major sponsor since BAR left for Formula 1 with the 555 brand.This of course would mean that the colour of the cars would be red.

Jim Clark Rally Preview / Irish Interest

This year's Jim Clark Memorial Rally has now been confirmed as going ahead with a new, re-scheduled date of Friday 2nd – Saturday 3rd November. The rally had originally been postponed to December from its normal running in July, as a consequence of the Foot and Mouth crisis. However, with the cancellation of both the British and Scottish Rally Championships, the organising committee has decided to bring forward the staging of the event to the first weekend in November when it will become the penultimate round in this year's Formula Rally Championship for the Manufacturer-backed 1600 series.
This year also sees it as a round of the Formula Rally Championship with 2 irish crews in the top ten:
1 Martin Rowe Aston-Le-Walls Chris Wood Huddersfield Ford Puma
2 Justin Dale Chilbolton Andrew Bargery Hove Peugeot 106 SuperGTI
3 Patrick Magaud France Guylene Brun France Ford Puma`
4 Matts Andersson Sweden Claire Mole Paxton Proton Satria Kit Car
5 David Higgins Llanwnog Michael Gibson Lisbane NI Volkswagen Polo
6 Martin Sansom Sidcup Phil Wells Dartford Peugeot 106 Super GTI
7 Max McKillan Dublin Nikky Beech Oxon Citroen Saxo Kit Car
8 Liam Brady Ireland Greg Shinnors Bruff Proton Satria Kit Car
9 Paul Wedgbury Bridgnorth Neil Dashfield Burn On Sea Citroen Saxo Kit Car
10 Ian Barrett Shepley Andy Coupland South Elmsall Proton Satria Kit Car

Some of the National event entries are :
1 Marcus Dodd Poole John Bennie Glasgow Subaru Impreza WRC
2 John Indri Langham Dave Engwell Laindon MG Metro 6R4
3 Tim McNulty Ireland TBA Kelso Subaru Impreza
4 Peadar Hurson Warrenpoint Ian Porter Newry Toyota Celica
5 Phil Walker Killearn Peter Martin Cockermouth Mazda 323
6 Tony Cope Helmshore TBA . Ford Escort Cosworth
7 George McDonald Aboyne Ian Nicoll Forfar Vauxhall Corsa Kit Car
8 Dougi Hall Appelby Gareth Williams Barrow-In Furness Ford Escort RS
9 David Brown Osmotherley Peter Hudson Darlington Ford Puma 4x4 Evo
10 Tim Ball Savernake Rob Watson Kintbury Darrian T90
They are joined by
37 Nigel Hicklin Ballymena TBA Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 N4
46 Alyn Spiers Markethill Sheila Thompson Douglas Suzuki Swift GTI A5
96 Andrew Connor Co-Donegal Kevin Conner Co-Donegal Honda Civic N2

Hantunen partners Makinen in Australia

Timo Hantunen is one of Finland's most experienced men in motorsport, the 51 year old having contested 934 events, winning no fewer than 120 as a driver and co-driver. Timo's affinity with motorsport is evident from a long list of disciplines in which he has competed, including motocross and enduro, where he has won 53 events, circuit racing, ice-racing, rallysprints, 125cc and 250cc karting. He has also competed on snowscooters and powerboats. "We used to compete in at least two events each weekend!" says Timo. "We'd do enduro on a Saturday and a motocross on the Sunday, and it was the same with the rallies." Timo will be no stranger alongside Tommi Makinen, the Finns having competed together in the 1989 FIA World Rally Championship. He also navigated Juha Kankkunen in the late seventies and early eighties, and has partnered Sebastian Lindholm. With his wealth of expertise currently directed towards Finland's young driver training programme, the Jyvaskyla-based Finn is looking forward to returning to the FIA World Rally Championship as it reaches a nail-biting climax

What of Freddy Loix ?

The future for Freddy Loix looks uncertain following Mitsubishi's decision to sign Alister McRae and Francois Delecour for 2002. Wednesdays announcement from the Japanese manufacturer makes no mention of the Belgian who has been Tommi Makinen's team mate for the past three years. With Makinen choosing to leave Mitsubishi for Subaru, the team has decided to take on two new drivers instead of just one. One option for Loix could be a straight switch with McRae to replace him at Hyundai. The manufacturer has struggled for funding this year and Loix has backing from tobacco giant Marlboro. Another option could be a rumoured Ford 'B-team' to be run by preparation specialist Mike Little with funding from Marlboro, although Loix has already denied he will be a part of the squad. The Mitsubishi deal rules out the possibility of reigning world champion Marcus Gronholm joining the manufacturer. It had been said that the Finn is unhappy about having to share his number one status with Richard Burns who is joining him at Peugeot next year.

Shaun Gallagher to join Peugeot 206 Challenge

Once again Peugeot UK will launch the Super 206 Cup in 2002. This will surely be yet again the best one-make series in the UK. As with the Prize fund and exciting calendar for the Super 106 Cup, this promises to be tough attracting young drivers striving to attain World Rally recognition as with Colin McRae, Richard Burns.
Shaun Gallagher is the proud new owner of the very first 2002 Super Challenge 206 Cup car. Technical specification of Peugeot 206 as follows; 3 door 206 XSi , 5 speed synchro competition gearbox with ZF limited slip diff, weld in roll cages, power in the region of 150 bhp. Donor cars available January, parts kit available February, first event is most likely to be scheduled for April 2002. After competing in 2001 super 106 Cup Challenge, Shaun particularly relishes the fact that every car must use every part of the kit with NOTHING added and NOTHING taken away.! Engines will be sealed and no choice with tyres will ensure there will be no individual performance advantage.
Driver Profile:
Shaun Gallagher, 21 comes from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. He started rallying in 1997. He has since recorded many Class positions in his Toyota Corolla on various rounds of the Irish Tarmac Championship. Mechanical failure events peaked and took its toll on Gallagher Rallying in 1999 seeing Shaun drop out of a number of National events in strong class positions. Highlights include Class 2nd win in 2000Killarney International Rally of Lakes.
In 2001 he decided to rally in the UK to compete in the Peugeot Super 106 Cup generally regarded as the best one make championship in the world. A mixed season to date has shown him to endure, survive and gain much valuable experience. In latter events he has proved himself as one of the "Irish pace setters" on tarmac and looks forward to establishing his pace on gravel. He started the season with a successful trip to the 1st round of the French 106 cup taking home a well-respected finish. The event posed much learning experience and but again mechanical problems never allowed Shaun to fulfil his potential. A well deserved result of 4th overall behind Rory Galligan in Round 4 Caerwent Rally in Wales left him hungry to challenge further 106 cup events in "Irish style".

Sponsors for 2001 Shaun Gallagher Rallying has successfully attracted some new local business interest and sponsorship for this current season. Pearse Road Tyres, Sligo & Letterkenny, Tyrecare, Cavan, Sikkens Paints, Ciaran Larkin Car Sales, Sean Doherty & Sons Fruit & Veg. A new "Color Scheme": was selected for the grand attack of the super 106 Cup challenge. The 106 exterior has been skillfully designed and sponsored by Graphic Express. Team profile has been increased with the inclusion of a new Navigator on board named Greg Shinnors who has some experience of the "unforgiving" forests and is on board for remaining 106 Cup event.

We wish him the best of luck in 2002

Mitsubishi Announce 2002 line up

Ralliart Inc. today (Wednesday) announced the Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe World Rally Team driver line-up for 2002 and 2003, consisting of France's François Delecour, partnered by Daniel Grataloup, and Britain's Alister McRae, co-driven by David Senior. The combination of Delecour and McRae should produce one of the strongest pairings in the championship. In an era of specialist drivers for different surfaces, the Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe team is delighted to have secured the services of two genuine all-rounders, who both have proven speed and ability on all the surfaces which make up the modern World Rally Championship. In addition to outright speed and ability on the stages, both François and Alister have demonstrated the necessary skills required to develop a new car, which will prove useful as the team moves forward with the Lancer Evolution WRC, Mitsubishi's first world rally car. François spent the 2001 season competing with Ford in the third works Focus' and it was a year he enjoyed. However, the opportunity to join Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe was one that he could not pass up. "It will be very good to drive for Mitsubishi, a team that has produced a four-times world champion - it's a fantastic opportunity for me. I have been extremely impressed with the car during 2001, particularly on the Safari, where Tommi was so fast and the car was so strong on a very difficult rally. I realise there is a new car but with Mitsubishi's history, I'm positive it will be successful and I'm very pleased to be part of the team," commented François. Complimenting François' vast experience and flamboyant nature is Alister McRae's more reserved and calculating style. Two years in the Hyundai Accent World Rally Car, developing it alongside achieving laudable results, means he brings an excellent combination of skills to Mitsubishi. "For me, this is a very exciting time and I'm very much looking forward to working with Mitsubishi," said Alister. "The team clearly is one that knows how to succeed, as four drivers' and one manufacturers' championship demonstrates. And for next year, I'm sure we can help develop the car further and win rallies and more championships in the future."

Irish result from Belgium

Last weekend sees a variety of Irish crews returning to Belgium for the Rally of Flanders which took place over Saturday and Sunday 20th/21st October. The event started in the area of Halluin and was split into 7 stages on Saturday and 14 on Sunday over a total competitive dsistance of 260Km.
Top Five Finishers.....
1 Claude Tanghe / Kathy Brulant Ford Escort
2 Jose Barbara / Chantel Barbara Subaru Impreza
3 Franck Pavy / Gwanelle Lepoec Mitsubishi Evo 5
4 Eric Bauduin / Stephane Dehaynin Peugeot 306 Maxi
5 Tom Holton / Andrew Cullen (Toyota Celica)

Other Irish Results:
19 o/a James Foley / Fulton Grant Honda Civic (despite problems on day 2)
31 o/ a James Cassidy / Frank Cassidy Renault 11 (Also took 3rd in class)
Willie Fanin / Brian Duggan Mitsubishi Evo 5 retired with mechanical problems en route to ES3

Dominic Naughton ,John Tully , Enda Keenan and John Kearney withdrew their entries prior to the event..

Well done to all.......

Delecour to leave Ford after Australia

Former Monte Carlo Rally winner Francois Delecour is being linked with at least three works teams for 2002 season and will leave Ford after the Rally Australia in a fortnight's time. Delecour who joined Ford from Peugeot had been locked in stalemate for a Ford contract for 2002 and is now reported to be unable to agree terms for next season Malcolm Wilson. Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Citroen are the three names being mentioned but he is remaining tight lipped at present .Following his decision , he admitted that at his age it was a financial decision that he was taking.
Malcolm Wilson later announced that his place at Ford would be taken by Marko Martin who will join already signed Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae
Another signing for Ford is that of Francois Duval who will drive for Ford in the S1600 along with some drives on other WRC rounds in a Focs WRC.

Irish Result in Bulldog Rally

Irish crews featured well in the Bulldog Rally last Saturday but eventual winner Marcus Dodd renewd his status as reigning ANCRO champion for his 2nd year. The battle behind Dodd raged for 2nd place between McHale and Stephen Finlay driving a "new" Subaru WRC from McKinstries stable. McHale had the early advantage in his Corolla but let it slip to Finlay during the final stages:

Top Five Finishers:
1 Marcus Dodd / John Bennie Subaru Impreza
2 Stephen Finlay / Rory Kennedy Subaru Impreza
3 Austin McHAle / Brian Murphy Toyota Corolla
4 Pete Littler / Andy Marchbank Hyundai Accent WRC
5 Alistair Ginley / Andrew Bargery Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6

Eamonn Boland / Anthony Nestor finished 8th overall after problems dropped him from 5th .Derek Mc Garrity and Dermot O Gorman who retired after SS4 following problems and Stephen Harron / Sean Mullaly in their Subaru retired on SS2 while 5th overall

Slightly further afield Congratulations to Francis Corrigan and Niall Driver who finished 5th overall in their Mitsubishi in the Jersey Tarmac Rally

Evans and Higgins get Rally GB drives.

Gwyndaf Evans will make just one more appearance for Seat on the Network Q Rally of Great Britain in a Cordoba World Rally Car E3, having been released temporarily from his MG contract.The former British Champion was meant to drive a Super 1600 MG ZR on his home round of the World Championship, but as the front-wheel-drive machine isn't ready, he will use an Evo 3 Seat instead, with Seat Sport and Seat UK backing. He will be co-driven for the first time by Chris Patterson, Brian & Lizs son(Rally Bulletins)

Meanwhile another driver to be given a break is Mark Higgins when Ford announced he will drive the third official Ford entry on the Rally of Great Britain (23-25 November). "Mark has worked hard testing and developing the Focus RS WRC rally car for Ford this season," commented Ford Martini team director, Malcolm Wilson. "The Rally GB outing is a gesture of thanks for Mark's patience and diligence during a difficult year for rallying in Britain. He has always gone well on his home event and we are delighted to give him this opportunity to go well again." Earlier this year Higgins was scheduled to drive the official Ford Focus rally car on each of the seven rounds of the 2001 British Rally Championship. However, the series was ultimately cancelled after problems caused by foot & mouth outbreaks.

Makinen makes quick exit in Corsica

Tommi Makinen retired from the Tour de Corse after a bad accident on stage five. The stage was stopped after the Finn went off the road - a small fire in the car was put out by a helicopter crew while co-driver Risto Mannisenmaki remained inside the vehicle awaiting medical assistance as a precaution. Some earlier reports suggest the car was on a wall and spectators were balancing it to stop it from going over a drop.
Risto was taken by air ambulance to Ajaccio hospital for precautionary checks, having complained of back pain. Upon examination, local doctors decided it would be prudent to transfer him to hospital in Marseille for further investigation using the facilities available on the mainland. Risto then travelled toMarseille that evening by air ambulance, accompanied by the team doctor, Later reports stated he was to have a back operation on Monday after they reportedly found he had sustained a crushed vertebra, but a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan suggests that he has damaged a disc. Doctors were to delay the operation to allow the swelling to diminish and anticipate that he will make a full recovery. However, he is not expected to be fit in time for the Rally Australia. Latest news is that followin a sucessful operation Risto is on his way to recovery

No Luck of the Irish for Seamus Burke

Mark Lovell won the Lake Superior Rally in what was the closest finish in the Pro Rally championship ever. A mere 3 seconds seperated Lovell's Subaru from 2nd place Rhys Millen in the Mitsubishi
Early dramas set in before the event when Richard Tuthills Hyundai was sidelined with overheating problems.Following discussions with Hyundai management Irishman Noel Lawlor handed Tuthill the keys of his car and volounteered to take the role of spectator. Another Irishman to suffer ill luck was SEAMUS BURKE who with FRANK CUNNINGHAM alonside him in their Mitsubishi suffered a roll on the 6th Stage while holding the lead in the event by over 1 minute. The crew managed to unwedge the car from the trees but it was too damaged to continue , thus guaranteeing Lovell the Championship.
Another early exit was David Higgins who blew the engine on the 2nd stage in his Subaru.
The Second day brought the event to a nailbiting finish when Mark Lovell and Rhys Millen were locked in an even tie going into the final stage of the rally, with only eight mile's to decide the winner, and a revved up Patrick Richard hot on their heels. Both drivers drove superbly putting in excellent performances, in the end Lovell won, but by the slightest of margins, just 3 seconds seperated him from Rhys Millen. Richard Tuthill's run with Hyundai came to a halt after SS14, the team withdrawing the car with terminal overheating problems. Until that point Tuthill was maintaining a comfortable top-ten position.
Top Five Finishers
1 Mark Lovell / Michael Kidd 02 Subaru WRX 02:11:35
2 Rhys Millen / Lauchlin O'Sullivan 00 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 02:11:38
3 Patrick Richard / Ben Bradley 02 Subaru WRX 02:11:57
4 Karl Scheible / Brian Maxwell 02 Subaru WRX 02:12:20
5 Mark Nelson / Alex Gelsomino 00 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 02:15:28

Skoda all set for Corsica

The Rallye de France – 45th Tour de Corse, round 12 of the 2001 World Rally Championship will mark the penultimate appearance of Skoda Motorsport in this year's championship. With the exception of the tests the Mlada Boleslav based team carried out in Corsica in September, prior to the San Remo Rally, the Octavia WRCs will be challenging Corsica's asphalt for the very first time. Most of the Skoda Motorsport team have already transferred directly from Italy to the rally HQ in Ajaccio since there is just a fortnight between the two events. The Skoda Motorsport team are entering the established line up of factory crews Armin Schwarz/Manfred Hiemer and Bruno Thiry/Stephane Prevot. Both drivers contested in Corsica in the past, however with the new stage routes modified from the original both will have to work on new pace notes. 38 year old Armin Schwarz will be at a disadvantage to his team mate since he was forced to retire immediately after the first stage of the San Remo Rally. Schwarz said: "Of course I will be missing the kilometres I could have done in Italy. There are not too many tarmac rallies and therefore every competition kilometre we do is extremely helpful. And it goes without saying that there are of course some differences between Italy and Corsica. However, we will do our best to bring back a reasonable result from the island." Bruno Thiry who finished 13th overall and 7th within the factory nominated drivers, is quietly hopeful ahead of Corsica. Those hopes have been encouraged by the progress the Octavia WRC made over the course of the Italian event. The Belgian said : "The improvement was really evident. We were encouraged by the 4th fastest time overall in the ultimate stage of Leg 3 and also by how well the Octavia WRC handled the frequent weather changes. The car behaved very well on dry surfaces, as well as on wetter stages, something which often causes problems. Also the shock absorbers felt much better towards the end than at the beginning. The outlook for Corsica is good."
Latest Update.........
The Skoda Motorsport World Rally team has put the finishing touches to its two Octavia WRC's during a final shakedown ahead of the Tour de Corse, round 12 of the World Rally Championship, with the cars racing over the tyre hungry passes, which in spite of brilliant autumn sunshine are still in places treacherously wet. Both crews of Armin Schwarz/Manfred Hiemer and Bruno Thiry/Stephane Prevot were trying out new suspension set ups after their last outing in San Remo, with the cars being pushed over a course which in the hot weather could potentially be faster than the Italian event. Skoda Motorsport's 38 year old Armin Schwarz said he regretted that the team did nothave as much time as they would have liked to test out the new set up, in particular a new front suspension system on his Octavia WRC. He said: "We are not really able to put the suspension to a complete test, over this amount of time it is just a trial. That makes me unhappy. But that's what we always want, more time to push the car."

Hyundai all set for Corsica

Hyundai Castrol World Rally Team crews head to the Mediterranean Island of Corsica next week for the twelfth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Alister McRae and David Senior and Piero Liatti and co-driver Carlo Cassina will be looking for an improved result on the final tarmac round of the season. The Corsican rally – Rallye de France-Tour de Corse – is the most specialised and challenging of all asphalt rounds of the Championship. It takes competing crews high into the Island's mountains on roads that are incredibly tight and twisty, making a precise driving line vital, or the crew can pay dearly for any mistake. The roads can be bumpy with autumn leaves littering the corners, and the changeable weather in addition makes the stages even more of a challenge. Hyundai Castrol crews are prepared for the challenge that lies in wait, on what is considered to be the ultimate tarmac event, and are looking forward to improving recent performance. The team's tarmac specialist Piero Liatti who has a string of points-finishing positions on this event, is excited to be heading to the sun-drenched holiday Island. "I love the Island of Corsica – the combination of the sea and the mountains make it a fantastic place and it's an event I enjoy. It is much shorter than in previous years, but it doesn't demand any less of the drivers – it is still very twisty, very narrow and requires absolute accuracy," commented the likeable Italian. Team-mate Alister McRae is also looking forward to the event which he knows will be a challenge. "We saw how difficult it was in Sanremo for anyone to keep up with the French manufacturers, Citroen and Peugeot, and Corsica will be very much the same," said the 30-year-old Scot. "Those cars are so good on tarmac that it will again be hard to be as competitive, but I'll certainly try as hard as I can."
Meanwhile Hyundai are still yet to finalise drivers for 2002 as neither Eriksson , McRae or Liatti are under contract for 2002.Top of the prospective list is Delecour an Kankunnen as MSd has stated that the Korean mark is keen to sign a household name.

Makinen Quits Mitsubishi /Burns quits Subaru

Tommi Makinen signs for the Subaru World Rally Team The Subaru World Rally Team announced today that Tommi Makinen will join the team in 2002. The four-time World Rally Champion, and co-driver Risto Mannisenmaki, will join Subaru on a two year contract. "I felt it was time for a change, and I'm delighted that Subaru has given me this fantastic opportunity," said 37 year old Tommi. "The team has a clear concept of how to win the WRC, and I'm proud that I'm going to be to be part of that. I have a lot of respect for Subaru and I am really looking forward to working with everyone there." Team Principal David Lapworth said, "No driver even comes close to matching Tommi's record of achievements over the last five years. When he joins us next season the sky's the limit on what we can achieve as a team. Tommi will be the perfect team leader and it will be our primary goal to make him World Champion in 2002."
Meanwhile Richard Burns future with Subaru lies in doubth and it appears that his move to Peugeot is again back on the cards even prompting comments from Dave Lapworth "It's no great secret that he's expressed an interest in leaving the team, the difference is that we can sit down and discuss it. Once he indicated he was thinking of leaving, our priority was to make sure that we had an alternative top driver."
Latest update Burns has announced his exit from Subaru for Peugeot.Peugoet's 2002 line up will now be Marcus Gronholm, Richard Burns - 1, 2 and Harii Rovanpera will share the third spot with tarmac master Gilles Panizzi.

Mayo Single Stage

Running out of Achill Island the event has attracted a top class entry:
TOP TEN (PROVISIONAL)
1. Left vacant in memory of Fisher family
2. Tim Mc Nulty/Julian Nagle Subaru Impreza
3. David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn Escort Cos
4. Rory O Connor/Francis Kenny Escort WRC
5. Tommy Graham/Antony Nestor Escort WRC
6. Sean McArdle/TBN Toyota Celica
7. Noel McCarrick /TBN Subaru Impreza
8. Ivan Stewart/ Joe Friel Escort Cos
9. Joe McHugh/Dermot McHugh Escort Cos
10. Trevor Cathers / Gordon Noble Mitsubishi


Rally Headquarters for the event is The Ostan Achill Acla at Achill Sound in Co Mayo and the rally will take place over 32 stage miles with 1 familiarisation run and 3 timed runs. Clerk of the course is Eddie Quinn who along with a large amount oif help from Mayo Motorsport Club and the newly formed Western Marshals Club have worked very hard to make this event happen and request that all spectators respect the private property along the route . First car away at 11.00am , disinfective proceedures will be placed on the Achill Island bridge and everybody is requested to use them

Crk on Suir Single Stage Top Entries

This event , the first being run by a near all Female crew , is based in Carrick on Suir with rally headquarters in the Carrig Hotel and first car is away at 10.00am
Classes for this event are amalgamated to 11 classes.
Top Entries are :
1 Ray Breen / Podge Newe Subaru Impreza
2 Richard Curran / Joseph O'Brien Escort Cosworth
3 Jimmy Lambert / James Coleman Ford Escort Mk2
4 David James / Ron Guha Ford Escort BDX
5 Willie O'Dwyer / Andrew Purcell Metro 6R4
6 Shay Power / Martin Croke Ford Escort Mk2
7 John Moynihan / Thomas Moynihan Ford Escort Mk2
8 Roy White / Des Cooney Mitsubishi Evo6
9 Eamon Murphy / Noel Coady Ford Escort MK2
10 John Nolan / TBA Ford Escort MK2
11 Fergal Allen / Tony Quigley BMW M3
12 Kieran Molloy / Brian Boland Mitsubishi Evo6
14 Colm Doyle / Michael Maher Subaru Impreza
15 Liam Wall / Thomas Kelly Ford Escort Mk2
16 Alan Smithwick / Barry Roche Ford Escort Mk2
17 Godfrey Kirby / Subaru Impreza
18 Allen Treacy / Bob Fitzgerald Toyota Corolla
19 David Percy / Owen Percy Ford Escort
20 Gordon Percy / Joe Shinnors Ford Escort Mk2

New Focus for Monte and Delecour contract reaches stalemate

Ford have announced a revision of the Focus is to appear in Monte Carlo in 2002 , as is keeping with tradition.Main changes are to the aerodynamics and electronics in the car and Malcolm Wilson stated that the engine is to remain the same.
Meanwhile talks betwen Delecour and Ford for his contract renewal have reached stalemate with both parties waiting for the other to make a move.Delecour is believed to be linked with a drive with Hyundai while Sainz has denied any possability of moving thus Ford are claiming budget restrictions on running 3 equal drivers.

Irish Contingent off to Belgium

This weekend sees a variety of Irish crews returning to Belgium for the Rally of Flanders which takes place over Saturday and Sunday 20th/21st October. The event starts in the area of Halluin and is split into 7 stages on Saturday and 14 on Sunday over a total competitive dsistance of 260Km.
Irish Entries include:.....
JamesFoley / Fulton Grant (Honda Civic)
Tom Holton / Andrew Cullen (Toyota Celica)
James / Frank Cassidy (Renault 11)
John Kearney / Sean Moriarty (Ford Escort Mrk II)
Enda / Laura Keenan (Ford Escort Mrk II)
Dominic Naughton / Con Mulcany (Vauxhall Nova)
John Tully / Brian Duggan (Ford Escort)
Latest update Willie Fanin has got an entry with Brian Duggan alongside in his Mitsubishi Evo 5 John Tully , Enda Keenan and John Kearney have withdrawn.
Best of Luck to all competing.......

Rory Galligan unlucky in Kent rally

Gary Jennings was the overall winner in this the 6th round of the Peugeot 106 cup which formed part of the Rally of Kent last weekend.Rory Galligan started the event with high hopes for a good finish but his chances of the elusive win that would give secure his championship was not to appear.Rory unfortunately crashed out of the event on the first stage when he slipped off the road on a damp piece of tarmac damaging a wheel and ripping out a driveshaft . Gary was not without his problems when he went off the road and admitted to visitung the ditch a few times.Another Irishman Kris Meeke posted the fastest time on stage 2 and stage 3 ,where Shaun Gallagher dropped nearly 2 minutes when off the road , and dropped time to Jennings on the 4th but all was to end on SS5 when he slipped off the road damaging a steering arm Ade McElvaney was one of the top runners until stage 10 when he suffered a punctured radiator after catching a Ford Ka .Shaun Gallagher continued his fight during the day setting top three times but his earlier loss kept him down the leaderboard. Overall standings were as follows:
1st Gary Jennings
2nd Ryan Champion
3rd Daniel Dunbabin
Another Irishman making his debut was Graham McClintock who received the Total Quartz award for his efforts which would have seen him feature well up in the results were it not for a lot of penalties

Duval scores win for Ford in Kent

After a tensely fought battle in the Barretts Rally of Kent, Francois Duvall proved the stronger of three drivers who fought all day long for victory. Duval's Ford Puma Super 1600 ultimately prevailed over championship leader, Justin Dale (Peugeot 106 Super Gti) and his Ford works team mate, Martin Rowe, to secure a vital victory and twenty welcome manufacturer points for Ford. On a day where the winning margin of Round 5 of the 2001 Formula Rally Championship was always going to be seconds, it turned out to be just four that separated the Belgian from Dale. Duval 's result spared Ford any embarassment after they had instructed Martin Rowe and Patrick Magaud to go flat out only for Magauds engine to expire but all was spared when Duvals tidier driving kept the times down for the day.
Overall results:
1 Francois Duval / Jean-Marc Fortin Ford Puma Super 1600 1:19:27
2 Justin Dale / Andrew Bargery Super 1600 Peugeot 106 Gti +0:04
3 Martin Rowe/Chris Wood Ford Puma Super 1600 +0.11
4 Martin Sansom / Phil Wells Peugeot 106 GTi +2.02
5 Simon Mauger / Andy Street Proton Satria +8.36

New British Rally Championship

The Latest regulations for the 2003 British Rally Championship seem to be bringing old problems back to life Under the new rules the Super1600 cars will run at the head of the field with any WRC cars running last .One-make and Grp N cars will run in between. Hardly a great idea for all competitors who have used their budget to step up to WRC machinery this year. Further confusion abounds with the idea that there will be no outright winner only a sub catergory winner with the manufacturers position going to the top S1600 works entry. One would think that after previous years experience First Motorsport (the promoters) would have learned their leasons
It will be interesting to see if The Manx , Ulster and Jim Clark "jump" at the chance to join the championship which would leave ane Irish Tarmac contenders running at the end of the field

Rory Galligan Looks forward to Kent rally

The penultimate round of the Peugeot Super 106 Cup takes place this weekend when over 20 crews descend on the town of Ashford, Kent. With such a tight battle at the top of the Peugeot championship table, the Rally of Kent will undoubtedly be a deciding factor in the title challenge.
The Super 106 Cup is notorious for its competitiveness and with four different winners in just five rounds it is possibly the most competitive one make series in Europe. The Rally of Kent will surely no different. This event has 16 short stages and because each stage is less than 4 miles long just one slip by any of the crews could end their chances.
Rory Galligan is fresh from his victory on round 5, the Scottish Rally, and he knows how important this event is, "This is a crucial round for us, a good result will put us in an excellent position in the championship" commented the Meath driver. Rory will need to draw on his wealth of experience and his immense ability under pressure if he is to finish with top honours this weekend. On this event Rory will renew his partnership experienced Super 106 Cup co-driver, Billy McCullins…….Claire Walsh

Delecour seeks improved deal from Ford

Francois Delecour has denied that he is considering leaving Ford to take a place at Mitsubishi but has added that he wants a better deal from Ford. Delecour, who is regarded as Fords number Three driver to McRae and Sainz left Peugeot last year amid much publicity.Malcolm Wilson is keen to retain his talents and discussions and proposals are being held.. Delecour who at 39 years old is regarded as one of the more senior figures in World Rallying has also contemplated a change to his tarmac driving style after a gratifying experiment with his braking technique on the last, wet stage at Sanremo. "Most of the time, with all cars, I love rain and this car I didn't understand. But the people from Brembo came to me and said, 'You never brake. They are cold, compared to Colin and Carlos.' Today, I was thinking I was not going fast enough, then on the last stage, I said, 'I have nothing to lose, Marcus will probably catch us.' With the modern car with brakes so big and diffs, you have to drive with the left foot technique"

Tommi Makinen may change

Mitsubishi's Tommi Makinen is the latest to hit the headlines with rumours of changing manufacturers for 2003 being rife linking him to deals with both Subaru and Citroen. Tommis manager Timo Jouki said that all would be revealed soon and that any manufacturer that could was interested in ending Tommis seven year stint with Mitsubishi. Further speculation follows the release that Makinen is being given a test in a Subaru later this week and prompting Mitsubishi's Andrew Cowen to request that Tommi makes his mind up quickly in order for them to have time to find a replacement if required.
Tommi admits to being not too enthusiastic with the New WRC following a disappointing San Remo , in which he pulled the front wheel off following a last- minute accident

Loeb joins WRC list ?

French Super 1600 driver Sebastian Loeb is the latest "possibility" to be added to Citroens list of drivers for 2002 following his sensational second place in San Remo in the Xsara WRC. Citroen Sport boss Guy Frequelin has insisted that while he is delighted with Sebastiens progress and results , no drivers or programme has been decided for 2002. Hyundai have also expressed an interest in signing Sebastian who is presently leading the Super 1600 Championship

Seamus Burke Lets Lovell ahead

Mark Lovell captured his fifth win in the SCCA ProRally Championship at the Prescott Forest Rally in Arizona. Lovell, with co-driver Mike Kidd aboard a Subaru WRX, held a nearly five minute advantage over Noel Lawler and Charles Bradley in a Hyundai Tiburon. Mark Nelson and Alex Gelsomino grabbed third in a Mitsubishi Evo VI, 30 seconds behind Lawler , while the Lancer Evo IV of Tim Paterson and Scott Ferguson took fourth. Fifth overall, and the first two-wheel drive finisher, was the Mazda RX7 of Andrew Havas and John Allen. Lovell, snapped up the lead from a rapidly fading Seamus Burke halfway through Leg One never looked back after Seamus Burke had to make one of the most difficult decisions of his season yesterday - and withdrew from a rally he had hoped to win. Leading the unadjusted drivers championship points over Subaru works driver Mark Lovell by 6 points, a strong finish was essential to keep Burke's Drivers Championship hopes alive. The extensive damage to the car, and the nearly 30 minutes in time penalties that the team accrued making roadside repairs were more than could be made up even under the best of circumstances. Noel Lawler and co-driver Charles Bradley, the 1999 SCCA champions were more than pleased to be back on the podium after a 13-month hiatus. The jubilant Irishmen drove a hard rally, the punishing roads giving their Hyundai the longest workout of the season. By the final stage, the duo was battling turbo, starter, and clutch problems, but wouldn't relent. "The monkey is finally off our back," said Bradley. With only two weeks to the final SCCA ProRally of the 2001 season, the Lake Superior ProRally, held in Upper Michigan. Several championships have been decided, but the overall title will depend on a particular combination of wins versus DNFs between drivers Mark Lovell and Seamus Burke, and co-drivers Frank Cunningham and Steve Turvey

Mc Rae not looking forward to Corsica

Colin McRae feels that Ford may suffer for another severe beating on the Tour of Corsica as the Focus needs further development for tarmac rallies. McRae speaking after San Remo admitted the Ford is "still not competitive on tarmac" and while he says that everyone seems to be blaming the Pirelli tyres he feels the whole package is not there. " For sure there needs to be work done on the tyres, but there needs to be work done on the car. I think it's a bit of everything. I think just getting in the top six will be a task in itself," McRae said. Mc Rae seems to have benefitted from Mitsubishis problems but he was quick to discount that their problems were tilting the WRC towards him. Makinen and McRae are now joint leaders(40 pts) with Carlos Sainz 7 points behind and Richard Burns afurther 2pts back. Ford look likely to secure the manufactureres title with a 16pt advantage over Mitsubishi.