Round four of the Peugeot Service Club Irish 205 Challenge was very much like a tennis practice session for Andrew Slattery who served up fastest time after fastest time with only one return being made by his fellow championship drivers.
The event was hosted by the ALMC motor club and started from the City North Hotel based just ten minutes up the M1 motorway from Dublin. Nine special stages based around Duleek in County Meath lay ahead on a very changeable day.
Stage one was just over nine miles long and dry for all the crews. Slattery co driven by Donal Lynch was fastest by 14 seconds from championship leaders Kenny English/ Joe Bannerton who were surprised by the time taken by Slattery, feeling that had driven well with no mistakes. In trouble off the start line though was Noel Smith/ Dara Lyttle who found their car impossible to drive after the wheel alignment had been set wrong in the run up to the rally. They dropped 29 seconds which left them with a mountain to climb to get back into contention. Worse though befell Norman Dunne who had stand in co driver Niall Gavin alongside for the day when the brake trouble that had slowed him on the previous round raised its head again causing them a few heart stopping moments and losing 40 seconds.
Stage two was also just over nine miles but much tighter with several lethal sections of road with little or no grip. Slattery continued to pull away, taking another 14 seconds from English with Smith and Dunne just a second apart but now well behind as they both struggled through. Stage three was the longest and fastest stage at twelve mile, a flowing piece of road that suits the superb handling of the 205 gtis. Smith made some adjustments to his car before the start and kept in touch with Slattery, dropping only 3 seconds. English came next 6 seconds further back and Dunne just 3 slower and not needing his brakes as much when the road is flowing.
Arriving at the first service halt, Slatterys lead stood at 35 seconds over English with Smith third almost a minute back from the leader. Dunne was fourth and glad to have made service at all.
Slattery started the second loop of stages determined to open up more of a lead over English. The task was made easier when English out braked himself into a square corner and shot through the hedge braking a steering arm in the process and with it instant retirement. Smith and Dunne held position but still had to give best to Slattery.
By now the showers had started falling and stage five was treacherous with cars off everywhere. Smith broke the stranglehold of fastest times going 1 second better than Slattery with Dunne just 6 seconds down. Slattery returned to the top of the times on the next stage taking 2 seconds back.
The lead Slattery held over Smith now stood at 1 minute 7 seconds as the service crews repaired the cars for the last loop. With the roads now very tricky all three crews were happy to hold station and not risk losing valuable championship points so no heroics were planned. Slattery went fastest again in stage seven despite several overshoots on the stage as the conditions worsened. Stage eight was canned to the delight of the crews but stage nine was maybe the worse conditions ever faced by the drivers as a huge rainstorm left the stage resembling a river in places. Strangely the drivers were the closet they had been all rally with Smith and Dunne just 1 and 2 seconds slower respectively than Slattery.
A great and much needed victory for Andrew Slattery who now becomes joint championship leader with two rounds remaining. He also won class ten on the rally from last years I205C champion Ultan McGowan who failed to register in time for this years championship and missed out on what would have been second place points and prize money finishing just 11 seconds behind Slattery overall.
Final Results;
51st Andrew Slattery/Donal Lynch Peugeot 205 GTi 1:28:41
59th Noel Smith/Dara Lyttle Peugeot 205 GTi 1:30:02
65th Norman Dunne/Gavin Niall Peugeot 205 GTi 1:31:28
