Carlow Stages Rally

Last weekend saw Carlow Car Club run their popular stages rally, the third counting round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship. This year was also the tenth anniversary of the highly acclaimed mk2 challenge. The event opened with several slippy stages and proved a real test for eventual winners Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank who were closely followed by Melvyn Evans/Mark Glennerster whilst Roy White/James O’Brien finalised the top three. Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird ran out winners of the Mk2 challenge from Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan. Top Monaghan finisher Paul Sheridan guided Vivian Hamill to third place closely followed by Stephen Thornton who was navigating for Enda McNulty, finishing in fourth place Escort and 12th overall. In class 4, Danny Barry/Gordon Noble were victorious and fellow class runners Shane Maguire/Martin McGarrity took their Mitsubishi to 2nd in group N. Breen McGovern/Michael Sherdian took their Citroen Saxo to 6^th in class 6. Barry Treanor had a less fortunate event retiring on stage 6 whilst holding a fine 2nd in class 11.

Mayo Autocross

Well done to all local competitors who made the long journey West to compete in the ever popular Harringtons quarry Mayo loose surface Autocross. Local man Derek Deane won the event in a buggy, closely followed by Martin Tynan who was only 2.5 seconds adrift in his EVO 8. Mervin Deane rounded off the top 3, also in a buggy. Michael Conlon also made the trip to take 8th overall in his buggy. Andy and Derek Mackarel were double driving the Mackarel Garden Products backed EVO 4 but hit trouble with differential woes but despite this Andy managed 14th overall