West Coast Rally Championship

Top Part West Coast Rally Championship

Round 3 Review 10/6/2011

Top 10 Driver Standings

Kerry’s Mike Quinn (Ford Escort MK11) moves into the overall lead in the driver’s standings with 58 points after a terrific performance on the Woodlands House Hotel Circuit of Munster Stages Rally saw him finish 4^th overall along with winning the highly competitive 2 wheel drive award. The result saw the Kerry man score 2^nd placed championship points and replace 2009 champion Niall Maguire at the top of the driver’s standings. Moving up the leader board from 5^th after round 2 to 2^nd overall with 43 points is Tipperary’s David Percy (Ford Escort) followed in 3^rd place by the Subaru N11 of reining Top Part West Coast champion Shane Maguire on 41 points and takes the overall Group N lead. Having missed the opening round in Birr Edward O’Callaghan (Ford Escort MK11) took maximum points on his home event and moves up 4 places to 4^th overall. Monaghan’s Niall Maguire (Subaru S11WRC) lead the overall driver standing’s going into round 3 but a non start in Limerick see’s the former 3 time champion drop down to 5^th place with a total of 39 points. Three points behind Maguire is Galway’s Richard Burke (Subaru Impreza) who also drops out of the top 3 into 6^th place after mechanical damage forced him to retire on the penultimate stage. Limerick’s Anthony Collin’s (Honda Civic) remains in 7^th place on 35 points while former Group N leader Andrew Slattery drops to 8^th after a non finish. Galway’s Neil Pierce (Honda Civic) moves up to 9^th place with 31 points as his fellow County man Paul Curley (Honda Civic) rounds off the top 10 in the driver’s standings with 29 points.

Top 10 Co-Driver Standings

Clare’s Grainne McEnery retains her overall lead in the co driver standings with 58 points and now moves into a 18 point lead over last years winning championship co driver Monaghan’s Enda Sherry. The Monaghan co driver moved up from 7^th place after round 2 after co driving for Shane Maguire in Limerick as Shane’s usual co driver Charlie McEnery was unavailable. Also moving up the leader board with a total of 38 points is Kerry co driver Donal Falvey who now lies in 3^rd position just 1 point ahead of Galway’s John Burke. Three co drivers are tied for 5^th place, Tipperary’s Shaun Forde, Galway’s Jason Ollerenshaw and Enda O’Leary on 33 points. In 6^th place on 24 points is Keith Gardiner followed in 7^th place by Cork’s Mike Cleary with 23 points. Having missed round 3 Clare’s Charlie McEnery drops to 8^th place on 22 points followed by Limerick’s Sean Mullally, Clare’s Ciara O’Connell, Galway’s Dave Ray and Limerick’s Ger Clancy who are all tied for 9^th place on 21 points. Ger Clancy missed the opening 2 rounds but scored maximum points in Limerick after co driving Edward O’Callaghan to a terrific 3^rd overall. Taking the final place in the top 10 co driver standings with a total of 19 points is Galway’s John Connelly.

Overall Leader’s – Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery

Group N Leader’s – Shane Maguire/Shaun Forde

Top 2 Wheel Drive Leader’s – Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery

Junior Championship Standings

Kerry’s Darren Young and co driver Kenneth Quirke (Honda Civic) extend their overall lead in the Top Part West Coast Junior Championship after taking their first Junior rally win in Limerick and now hold a 39 point lead over Limerick’s Sean Liston/Katrina Walsh (Vauxhall Nova). The Limerick crew were forced to retire on their home event but when dropped scores come into account they are still in with a chance to take the overall victory in the championship with 3 rounds still remaining. Galway’s Damien Boyle/Joseph Boyle (Honda Civic) joined the championship in Limerick and finished 2^nd overall in the Junior rally which saw them score 2^nd placed points to move then into joint 3^rd place with 20 points. Joining the Galway crew in 3^rd are Clare’s Martin Casey and Kerry co driver Katie Quinn who were non starters in Limerick. Tied for 5^th place are Limerick’s David Carmody (Honda Civic) and last years Junior champions Cal McCarty and co driver Eamon Dullea (Honda Civic) as both crew’s were non starters in Limerick.

Historic Championship Standings

Limerick’s David Dee retains his overall lead in the driver standings of the Top part west Coast Historic Championship with a total of 60 points while his co driver Rita Dee heads the co driver standing with 62 points. Longford’s Philip McKibbin (Ford Cortina) moves into 2^nd place on 40 points after finishing 2^nd overall on round 3. Last year’s Historic championship winning co driver Tommy Commane moves closer to defending his title after co driving Abbeyfeale’s Denis Collins to victory in Limerick. The Kerry man is on a total of 43 points and if a dropped score were taken into account he would be joint 1^st place with Rita Dee. Kerry’s Gerard McCarthy (Triumph TR7) drop one place to 3^rd on 22 points after a non start on round 3. Longford co driver Andrew McKibbin and Kerry co driver Michael Dowling are tied for 3^rd place on 20 points. Abbeyfeale’s Denis Collins (Ford Escort MK1) signed up for the championship in Limerick and drove a superb rally to finish 1^st overall in the Historic’s and score maximum championship points to move straight into 4^th place in the driver standings while a non finish for Kerry driver Sean Kelleher (Talbot Sunbeam) drops him to 5^th place.

Class Leader’s

Cls 2 – Michael Conneely/Aisling Grimes

Cls 3 – Declan Gannon/Alan Leonard

Cls 4 – Shane Maguire/Shaun Forde

Cls 5 – Shane Timony/Jeffery Case

Cls 6 – Paul Curley/Jason Ollerenshaw

Cls 7 – Kieran O’Connell/Gerard Buckley

Cls 8 – Niall Maguire/John Conneely

Cls 9 – Tom Ryan/Ciara O’Connell

Cls 10 – Declan O’Regan/Joseph Dunne

Cls 11 – Anthony Collins/Donal Falvey

Cls 12 – Liam Mulcaire/Shane Meade

Cls 13 – David Percy/Mike Cleary

Cls 14 – Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery

Cls 15 – Richard Burke/John Burke

Cls 16 – Darren Young/Kenneth Quirke

Cls 17 – David Dee/Rita Dee

Class 18 – Gerard McCarty/Tommy Commane.

Provisional Overall and Class points after round 3 are available @ www.westcoast-rally.com. Points after round 3 will remain provisional until the 23/6/2011 and will be made final on the 24/6/2011. Any queries on points please contact championship registrar Gary Leonard @ 0879005617

The championship next moves to Galway on the 28^th August as Galway Motor Club host round 4 of the championship the MOR Oil Galway Summer Rally. The rally will be based in the Lough Rea Hotel & Spa in Loughrea. Further information will be available on www.westcoast-rally.com and we will also e mail competitors information on the event as we get it.

Regards

Seamus O’Connor

Championship PRO

Mob – 0876615991

E-mail - westcoastchampionshippro@yahoo.ie or soconnorkmc@yahoo.ie

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Round 3 Preview

Woodland House Hotel Circuit of Munster Stages rally 5th June 2011

Round 3 of Irelands premier regional rally championship the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship moves to Limerick this June bank holiday weekend for the Woodlands House Hotel Circuit of Munster Rally organised by Limerick Motor Club. 9 special stages await the championship crews with the organisers running a 3 X 3 stage format with centralised service are in the Abbeyfeale Mart complex after stages 3 and 6. Saturday 4^th June will see the competing crews sign on for recce which will take place at Rally HQ the Woodlands House Hotel Adare between 8.30am & 11.30am with mechanical scrutiny taken place at the NCT Centre, Ballysimon Limerick City between 2pm and 7pm. Sunday 5^th of June will start with a compulsory safety briefing for all crews before the 1^st car leaves the start ramp at 8.30am for the first loop of 3 stages in the Broadford/Tournafulla areas. First car due for the 1^st service halt of the day will be 11.33am with competing crews than repeating the opening loop of stages with the 1^st competing car due back to the final service halt of the rally at 14.13. A repeat loop of 3

stages will finish of the rally with the winning crew due back to the finish ramp at Rally HQ at 17.22.

Championship Review After Round 2

Top 10 Driver Standings

Former double Top Part West Coast Rally Champion Niall Maguire (Subaru S11 WRC) takes over the lead of the overall driver standings on 39 points after round 2 the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally. Niall who previously was crowned champion in 1999 and 2009 finished 3^rd overall in Kerry but as rally winner Darren Gass was not registered Niall received 2^nd placed points in the championship. Kerry man Mike Quinn (Ford Escort MK11) is just 1 point behind Maguire on 38 points followed by Galway’s Richard Burke who moves up 1 place on the leader board to 3^rd with 35 points. Tipperary’s Andrew Slattery (Subaru N10) moves up 3 places after round 2 to 4^th overall with 31 points followed by fellow Tipperary driver David Percy (Ford Escort)who moves up 7 places to 5^th with 25 points. After leading the driver’s standings after Birr 2010 champion Shane Maguire (Subaru N11) drops down the leader board to joint 6^th with Kildare’s Kevin Barrett (Subaru S11 WRC) both on 22 points. Barrett who had a non finish on round 1 got his championship title hopes back on track scoring maximum point in Kerry. Limerick’s Anthony Collin’s (Honda Civic) and Galway’s Eamon Deveron (Ford Escort) both move up the leader board to hold joint 7th on 21 points followed by Limerick’s Ed O’Callaghan (Ford Escort) who missed the opening round but put in a fine performance in Kerry to take 3^rd place overall points and is in 8^th place with 19 points. Galway’s Pat Kelly (Subaru Impreza) moves down to 9^th place with 18 points after a non finish in Kerry followed by Paul Curly (Honda Civic) on 17 points the Galway man rounding off the top 10.

Top 10 Co-Driver Standings

Clare’s Grainne McEnery takes over the overall lead in the co driver’s standings with 38 points having moved up 1 place after round 2. Galway’s John Burke is also on the move up the standings and is now in 2^nd place with 36. Tipperary’s Shaun Forde moves up 3 places to 3^rd with 32 points. Galway’s Keith Gardiner is another co driver to move up the standings to 4^th with 24 points followed by Kerry’s Donal Falvey who is in 5^th just 1 point behind Gardiner. Having lead the co driver standings after Birr Charlie McEnery drops to 6^th with 22 points after the Clare man had a non finish in Kerry. Limerick’s Sean Mullally who had a non finish and Monaghan’s Enda Sherry who was a non starter on round 1 are joint 7^th with 21 points. Sherry scored maximum points in Kerry having guided Darren Gass to victory. Galway’s Jason Ollerenshaw moves up the standings from 14^th to 8^th with 20 points followed by fellow Galway co driver John Conneely who drops to 9^th with 19 points. Donegal’s Raymond Scott was a non starter in Birr but a fine performance co driving Ed O’Callaghan in Kerry netted the Donegal man 3^rd placed championship points to be joint 9^th in the standings on 19 points. Offaly’s Mark Kane round’s off the top 10 on 17 points having dropped down the leader board after a non start in Kerry.

Junior Championship Standing’s

Kerry Darren Young (Honda Civic) and co driver Kenneth Quirke lead the Junior championship with 40 points and now hold a 19 point advantage after round 2. Limerick’s Sean Liston (Vauxhall Nova) and co driver Katrina Walsh who didn’t start round 1 move into 2^nd place after scoring maximum points in Kerry. Clare’s Martin Casey (Honda Civic) and Kerry co driver Katie Quinn are just 1 point behind in 3^rd position. Limerick’s David Carmody (Honda Civic) is in 4^th position after having two non finishes as Cork’s Cal McCarty/Eamon Dullea (Honda Civic) round off the top 5.

Historic Championship

Limerick’s David & Rita Dee (Mini Cooper) take over the overall lead of the 2011 Historic category after scoring maximum points in Kerry and now hold an 18 point lead with 40 points. Having lead the Historic championship after Birr a non finish in Kerry see’s 2010 Historic champions Gerard McCarty (Triumph TR7) and co driver Tommy Commane drop to 2^nd place with 22 points. Longford’s Philip & Andrew McKibbin (Ford Cortina) are in 3^rd place with Philip on 21 points and Andrew on 20 points. Kerry’s Sean Kelliher (Talbot Sunbeam) and co driver Mike Dowling made a return to rallying after a few years absence and are in 4^th place just 2 points off of McKibbin.

Overall Two Wheel Drive Standing’s

Kerry’s Mike Quinn & Clare co driver Grainne McEnery lead the two wheel drive standings from Limerick’s Anthony Collins and Galway co driver Keith Gardiner. Tipperary’s David Percy and Kerry’s Donal Falvey are in 3^rd place.

Overall Group N Standing’s

Tipperary crew Andrew Slattery and co driver Shaun Forde take over the lead of the Group N award from Shane Maguire/Charlie McEnery with Kerry’s Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley in 3^rd place.

Full Overall and Class points are available on www.westcoast-rally.com

Next counting round of the championship is the Woodland’s Hotel Circuit of Munster Rally on the 5^th June 2011.

Top Part Open New Shops

Our championship sponsors the Top Part Group are opening 3 new Top Bike shops in Tralee, Ennis & Shannon and will be specialising in all your cycling needs. Please log on to www.topbike.ie for more information on products and services Top Bike provide.

Regards

Seamus O’Connor

Championship PRO

Tel 00353 876615991