Derek Mackarel with navigator Darren Curran took a start to finish victory on last weekend’s Willie Loughman Forestry Rally, round two of the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship. The pair completed the six stage event 20.6 seconds faster than second placed Jordan Hone/Paul Hone who were in a similar Ford Fiesta R5. Third place went to Stephen McCann/John McCabe who were just 0.2 seconds in arrears and also in a Fiesta R5. This event was Derek’s first ever outright victory in stage rallying.
Derek went on a big charge from the very start, mentioning that the very fast stages and great surface gave him great confidence. Winners of the opening championship round in Killarney, Jordan and Paul Hone’s day got off to a difficult start as they had a spin in SS1 and had difficulty getting the car faced the correct direction after as the stage was quite narrow where the spin occurred. The spin would cause them to lose around 25s.
Arthur Kierans guided Ryan McHugh to 8th OA and 1st in class 2. Michael Conlon/James McEneaney finished the event in 9th OA and 2nd in class 14. Ryan Farrell navigated Dylan Eves to 10th OA and 2nd class 2. Tommy Moffett/Domhnall Lennon finished 11th OA and 3rd class 2, making in a Monaghan Motor Club member one, two, three in the class.
In the UK, Killian McArdle navigated for Joseph Kelly in the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages Rally, round two of the British Rally Championship. They finished the event in 52nd OA and 7th in class N5.
Galway Motor Club hosted the latest round of the Endurance Trial Championship. Evin Hughes guided Karl O’Donoghue to 3rd OA and 1st class A2M. Caolan Treanor guided Darragh Egan to 22nd OA and 2nd in class A2S. Ciaran Maguire navigated Steve Martin to 17th OA and 2nd in class B. Finally, Sean and Caolin McCaffrey finished 26th OA and 7th in class B.
Oisín Sherlock – Club PRO
County Monaghan Motor Club 