Greer Excels in Bishopscourt Rain
Severe weather including heavy snow during the days leading up to Rathfriland MC’s Race & Rally Stages at Bishopscourt threatened to disrupt the second round of the 2023 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship on Saturday 11 March. We needn’t have worried!
As it turned out, all was well on the day and the 85 cars on the entry list made it to the County Down race circuit on time. I was timekeeping with Goff and Nigel on the start line for all of the stages. BMMC/BRMC also provided several stage marshals throughout the event. While the weather remained dry for the first three slippery stages, the heavens opened prior to stage four and the heavy rain persisted until the end of the rally.
Last year’s winner Jonny Greer dominated the single-venue Race & Rally Stages once again. The Carryduff Citroen C3 Rally2 driver excelled in the tricky conditions and was fastest on four of the six sealed-surface stages.
Greer and co-driver Niall Burns won the event by 22 seconds from the Fiesta Rally2 of Castlederg’s Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist. Derek McGarrity/ Graham Henderson were third in their VW Polo GTI R5 a further 3.9 seconds behind.
Sayers had been in fourth, but he set fastest time on the final test in his new M-Sport supplied car and as a result overhauled both McGarrity and Desi Henry. McGarrity, a multi-winner here at Bishopscourt, was running in second place after SS5 but on that last stage he was held up by a struggling Henry who’s new Citroen C3 Rally2 had developed mechanical problems. McGarrity’s Polo actually pushed the Citroen over the flying finish!
The top fifteen finishers were all in R5/Rally2 cars. In fact a total of 27 of these machines started the rally.
Former NI Championship front runner Stephen Whitford and his co-driver Jonny Hart produced what was one of the drives of the rally. In a giant-killing performance, they won the 2-Wheel-Drive section in their little Class 3 Nissan Micra. The 2023 Micra Challenge competitors were 16th overall, 6.8 seconds ahead of the much more powerful Class 7 Ford Escort Mk.2 of Adrian Grant/Olivia Chambers. 85 started and 72 cars finished the Race & Rally Stages.
Jonny Greer took top Championship points at Bishopscourt but Gareth Sayers was running in Class 11 so Derek McGarrity claimed the runner-up points and Desi Henry third. Apparently only those in the FIA 4WD/2WD International Classes are eligible for overall points. Cars in the Open Class 11 are slightly more powerful and do not qualify. Sayers has registered for class points but crucially not for overall points. Very confusing for Joe Public. I did not know this was the case until it became clear after round one at Kirkistown in February.
The NI Championship resumes with the Maiden City Stages at Shackleton on Saturday 22 April as Jonny Greer continues his quest for a hat-trick of titles. Only three drivers have achieved that feat to date: Mervyn Hill (1990-1992) Kevin Lynch (2004-2006) and Derek McGarrity (2012-2014).
Deadline Looms for WRC Rally NI
Apparently the end of April is the deadline for a proposed Rally Northern Ireland to be included in the 2024 WRC calendar. We have been here before. Previous efforts to run the event in 2021 and then again in 2022 came to nothing. With no prospect of a Governing NI Executive at Stormont getting back to business any time soon, there doesn’t seem to be any financial support for such a venture. Unlike what has happened with the North West 200 Motorcycle Races, there doesn’t appear to be a fairy godfather around with pots of money to back a World Rally Championship round in Northern Ireland. That’s despite the benefits that such a venture would bring to the country’s tourism industry and to the local economy.
One of Rally NI’s biggest supporters is none other than Ian Paisley MP. Ironically, his party the DUP are the reason that there is no Northern Ireland Executive in place. Therefore it looks like it will be third time unlucky for Rally Northern Ireland! Just a suggestion, why don’t Motorsport Ireland try to get the brilliant Donegal Rally into the WRC?
Rally Diary
Sat. 8th April.
Circuit of Ireland 2023
Round 3 of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship this event is based in Cookstown with all of the closed-road stages in Co.Tyrone. There are 4 different stages, each of them run twice, giving a total of 70 stage-miles. Organised by the UAC and promoted by Cookstown Motor Club. We are timekeeping plus covering rescue and radio points as well as stage marshalling. The Service Park will be situated in the Cookstown 100 Motorcycle Race Pits area. Rally HQ plus the Rally Start (9am) and Finish (5pm) will be at Meteor Electrical, Corchoney Road, Cookstown. Marshals can sign-on with their stage commanders on the event or alternatively at rallyscore.net. A maximum entry of 120 cars are due to start with all the leading 2023 ITRC contenders taking part including Meirion Evans and Calum Devine in their VW Polos, Josh and Sam Moffett (Hyundai i20’s) plus NI Champion Jonny Greer in his Citroen C3.
Stage 1/5 is the nine miles of Wolfs Hill (FCD 09.23) It starts near Lough Fea and finishes south of Davagh Forest. SS2/6 is called Mucker and is also 9 miles. SS3/7 is The Hollow (8 miles) and then SS4/8 Shanmaghry (9 miles).
Sat. 22nd April.
Maiden City Stages
Round 3 of the 2023 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Organised by Maiden City Motor Club and based at the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry. This single-venue event rally will feature 6 stages and is sponsored by Eakin Brothers of Claudy. We are due to cover rescue, radio and other marshalling duties. The rally starts at 9.15am and is due to finish at 5pm. Marshals and Officials can sign-on remotely at rallyscore.net.
Monday 1st May.
May Day Stages Rally
This popular single-venue clubman event is organised by Enniskillen MC and based at Enniskillen St. Angelo Airport. Sponsored by Jennings Fuels & Lubricants. We have been asked to supply marshals, rescue crew plus radio cover. Sign-on remotely at rallyscore.net or alternatively at the venue on the day from 07.00. First car starts at 09.30.
