O’Riordan Fastest on the Fastnet – Motorsport.ie

The Cork/Derry pairing of Daragh O’Riordan and Tony McDaid took a convincing win on the weekend’s Fastnet Rally organised by Skibbereen and District Car Club.

O’Riordan took the lead on the first test of the morning, and despite impressive pace from his rivals throughout the day, the Middleton man build on his lead to arrive back at the Westlodge Hotel 1 minute and 17 seconds ahead of his nearest pursuer. Second overall went to , who like O’Riordan, were in a Ford Fiesta World Rally Car. Despite this being only White’s second outing the car, the Tipperary driver upped his pace as the day progressed and there is little doubt he’ll be in the hunt for national championship honours next season. Taking third overall and top 2 wheel drive honours was Declan Gallagher and Ryan Moore in the giant killing Toyota Starlet with the pair taking 2 fastest overall times including the Power Stage.

Clonakilty driver Kevin Kelleher was the top local finisher taking fifth overall in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car while Welshman Melvyn Evans was the top overseas driver, bringing home his Subaru in fourth. Among the ever popular Ford Escorts, it was Gary Kiernan who triumphed, leading home the more powerful Escorts of Jonathan Pringle and Chris Armstrong. Robert Duggan continued his remarkable season in his Peugeot 208 R2 finishing ninth overall and first front wheel drive car while David Guest and Paddy Robinson rounded out the top 10 and also took the Group N class in their Mitsubishi. There was early drama in the junior section with top seed Cormac Phelan crashing out on the opening stage of the morning. Gary McNamee picked up the pieces setting an impressive pace to win the section but it was James Bradley, who elected not to do the event, that was crowned the 2015 Irish Junior National Rally Champion.

Defending Hewison Autotest champion Steven Ferguson scored his second win of the season to take the lead in the series. He dominated the Galway round in Ballinasloe to finish six seconds clear of ten times title holder Eamonn Byrne, with the Wicklowman’s nephew Daniel close behind in third place.

SKIBBEREEN & DISTRICT C C WEST LODGE HOTEL FASTNET STAGES RALLY AT BANTRY
(FINAL ROUND OF TRITON SHOWERS NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AND ROUND OF
PLASTICBAGS.IE SOUTHERN 4 RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Daragh O’Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 63m 02s,
2 Roy White/James O’Brien (Fiesta WRC) 64m 19s,
3 Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet) 64m 31s,
4 Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh (Impreza WRC) 64m 43s,
5 Kevin Kelleher/Brian Duggan (Impreza WRC) 65m 26s,
6 Gary Kiernan/James O’Reilly (Escort) 65m 46s,
7 Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne (Escort) 66m 00s,
8 Chris Armstrong/James Fulton (Escort) 66m 12s,
9 Rob Duggan/Donagh Crowley (Peugeot 208 R2) 66m 28s,
10 David Guest/Paddy Robinson (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 66m 30s.
Motorsport Safety Team Group N award: David Guest/Paddy Robinson.
rally.ie Two wheel drive award: Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore.
Juniors: 1 Gary McNamee/John McCabe (Civic) 45m 17s,
2 Jason O’Brien/Sarah Lawlor (Civic) 45m 59s,
3 John O’Sullivan/John Lynch (Civic) 46m 18s.

GALWAY M C AUTOTEST AT THE MART, BALLINASLOE, CO GALWAY (ROUND 5 OF HEWISON
TROPHY CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Steven Ferguson (Mini Special) 565.0s,
2 Eamonn Byrne (Mini) 571.0s,
3 Daniel Byrne (Mini) 573.5s,
4 Guy Foster (Mini Special) 584.5s,
5 Paul Mooney (Nova) 584.5s,
6 Robin Lyons (Mini) 584.9s,
7 David Thompson (Nova) 585.5s,
8 Paddy Power (Mini Moke) 592.3s,
9 Alan Coyle (Mini Special) 594.4s,
10 Darren Quille (Westfield) 596.7s,
11 Chris Grimes (Mini) 607.9s,
12 Timmy Lynch (Westfield) 610.7s.
Class winners: Eamonn Byrne, Guy Foster, Darren Quille, Paul Mooney.

CO CAVAN M C LOOSE SURFACE AUTOCROSS AT LATTON (ROUND 5 OF MC BLINDS
CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Joseph Smith (Escort) 6m 00.13s,
2 Chris Snow Jnr (Civic) 6m 14.19s,
3 Justin Smyth (Escort) 6m 18.01s,
4 Danny McCormack (Corsa) 6m 20.42s,
5 Noel Cooke (Escort) 6m 23.75s,
6 Alan Pickens (Nova) 6m 24.34s.
Class winners: Alan Pickens, Justin Smyth, Niall Connolly (Sunbeam) 6m
35.25s, Chris Snow Jnr, Oliver McCormack (Nova) 6m 31.69s, Sean Casey (Rage
Buggy) 5m 55.60s. Best Junior: Niall McGaughran (Civic) 6m 37.92s.