Two class wins for locals in Fastnet Rally, while drama before rally forced change of plans

BY MARTIN WALSH

NOT all the drama was confined to the special stages of last weekend’s Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally, the final and deciding round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and a counter in the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and the IPS Packaging Southern 4 Rally Championship.

On the eve of the rally, the Skibbereen and District Car Club organisers had to make alternative plans when the proposed service park at the Rowa Pharmaceutical airstrip was heavily flooded. Fortunately, the Bantry Business Park complex along with the Barrett Agri and Bantry Skip Hire and Waste Disposal facilities on the outskirts of the town were made available to ensure the event could proceed as planned.

Durrus driver Ray O’Sullivan (Ford Escort) and Midleton’s Derek O’Brien on last weekend’s Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally. They were 20th overall.

From a local context, and aside from Daniel Cronin’s third place and Cal McCarthy’s fifth place finishes, locals didn’t enjoy the best of fortunes. Kilcrohane’s Jer O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta R5) and his Rosscarbery co-driver Alistair Wylie were 12th overall. Durrus driver Ray O’Sullivan (Ford Escort) and his Midleton co-driver Derek O’Brien finished 20th in general classification. Ardfield’s Eoghain Calnan (Ford Escort) and his brother Conor were 22nd with Durrus driver Etienne O’Sullivan and Bantry’s John Spillane (Honda Civic) 24th overall.

Within the various classes of the eight-stage event, there were just two class wins for local crews. Drimoleague’s Martin Lordan (Honda Civic) and his Reenascreena co-driver Aoife Ronan took victory in Class 9 and Ballydehob’s George Swanton/Labhaoise Hyland (Ford Escort) won Class 17 where they were the only starters.

Rosscarbery’s Jerry O’Mahony and his son Jonathan both competed in last weekend’s Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally; Jerry and co-driver Willie Buchannan (Ford Escort) were sixth in Class 12 while Jonathan and his driver Lisavaird’s Cathal McCarthy (Honda Civic) failed to finish.

Given that he hadn’t competed for almost seven years it was certainly a fine achievement for Martin Lordan. With the opening stage neutralised after Omagh’s Patrick O’Brien crashed his Skoda Fabia R5, the second stage at Mount Gabriel was the opening stage for all bar the top three seeds. Gary Lordan (Martin’s son), also in a Honda Civic, set the initial pace, 1.7s ahead of Martin, followed by Wicklow’s Kevin Flanagan (Mini Cooper) and Skibbereen’s Noel McCarthy (Ford Escort) and his Rathbarry co-driver Joseph O’Sullivan.

Due to an interruption on SS3, the fourth stage, a repeat of Mizen Head, was their next competitive stage. Martin Lordan moved into a 12.8-second lead over Gary Lordan but McCarthy/O’Sullivan retired following issues with the throttle control sensor.

Gary Lordan bowed out on SS5 when the relay fell off the dashboard and the car cut out. Despite intercom troubles, Martin Lordan enjoyed a 24.9-second lead over Flanagan after SS5 only for the latter to trim the margin to just 3.4 seconds entering the final stage. However, Lordan pushed hard and won by a margin of 14.9 seconds.

Durrus driver Etienne O’Sullivan and Bantry’s John Spillane (Honda Civic) were second in Class 11F.

Elsewhere, Rossmore’s Seamus O’Donovan and his Dunmanway co-driver Daniel O’Donovan (Honda Civic) were second in Class 1. Competing in Class 10, Bandon’s Victor and Susan Beamish (Vauxhall Nova) and the Skibbereen/Bandon pairing of Frank Hurley/Adrian Phelan (Ford Escort) were second and third respectively, the former missing out on a class win by just 3.8 seconds.

Durrus driver Etienne O’Sullivan and Bantry’s John Spillane (Honda Civic) were second in Class 11F. In Class 11R Schull’s Fergus Hurley (Ford Escort) and his Mitchelstown-based co-driver Eric Deane were third. There was also a third in Class 13 for Durrus driver Ray O’Sullivan (Ford Escort) and his Midleton co-driver Derek O’Brien while Kealkill’s David Cremin (Mitsubishi Lancer E7) and Bantry’s Johnny O’Shea were second in Class 15.

Irish Tarmac Junior champions Clonakilty’s Daragh O’Donovan and co-driver Michael White had a troubled event, they slid off on SS2 returned under Super Rally only to crash out on the final stage. Bandon’s Vincent McSweeney (Mitsubishi Lancer E7) and Michael Kearney along with Dunmanway’s Conor McCarthy and Dripsey’s Gavin Sheehan (Mitsubishi Lancer E10) were opening loop casualties, the former crashing near the stage finish of SS3 and the latter with a broken wishbone on the same stage, however, they still took second in class within the Triton series.