Storming up the Sperrins
Saturday 8th May sees round 4 of the N.I.
Hankook Championship move to Mid-Ulster with theTNR
Alu Systems Tour of the Sperrins rally. Last year’s
winner Derek Mc Garrity will lead the field away
from the start ramp at Walsh’s Hotel Maghera to
begin the 43 stage miles of the scenic Sperrins.
Clerk of the Course James Mc Keefry is delighted to
announce that already 120 entries have been received
with more applications continuing to come in each
day. Mc Keefry commented on the high quality entry
list with people travelling from England, Scotland
and many parts of Ireland to take part in the rally.
Six WRC’s are set to start the event and the crowd
entertaining mk2 escorts will be lead by Declan Mc
Naughton who missed out on last year’s win by just a
few seconds! Declan is hoping this year to finish in
front of Mc Garrity! Mc Naughton will face much
competition from other Mk2 drivers including local
man Camillus Bradley and the green machine of Adrian
Hetherington. He will also face fierce competition
from Dungiven’s Seamus O’Connell and the Circuit of
Ireland National winner John Waring who is seeded in
number 9.
Raymond Johnson is the top seeded Group N car but
he’ll be under pressure from local men Brian Muldoon
and Trevor Ferguson. In terms of the young guns
registered for the Hankook N.I Junior Championship,
the Junior battle could be between Desi Henry and
Graham Ballantine in the C2 and Evo 9 respectively.
The event has 3 stages which are run twice.
Spectators are urged to obey the marshals for their
own safety and we at Magherafelt Motorclub would
hope that all spectators will drive with caution and
show consideration for all other road users.
Programmes are available from Rally Headquarters and
local outlets. This year’s Tour of the Sperrins
Rally promises to be another action packed
championship round. So, who will drive the first
car over the finish ramp on Saturday afternoon?
Whilst Mc Garrity may be the favourite, those
Sperrins can catch out even the most experienced of
drivers.
Aidan Toner director of TNR Alu Systems is hoping
that a Mk2 Escort driver is on that podium, who will
pip it, we can only wait and see!
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