Noel Smith from Cavan became the third winner of a round the Peugeot Service Club Irish 205 Challenge with a hard fought victory on the mountain roads around Clonmel in Tipperary on Sunday. Co driven by Dara Lyttle they immerged victorious after nine difficult stages to beat Kenny English by just 6 seconds.
Just the four crews still in with a chance of lifting the title started the event but right from the start the drama unfolded. Stage one was relatively short at just under seven miles but was full of tricky places to catch out anyone not fully awake. The stage started as a light drizzle fell and first challenge crew into the stage were the joint championship leaders and winners of the previous round Andrew Slattery/ Donal Lynch. Despite showing caution the stage would catch Slattery out when braking for a tight junction, the back of the car got loose, clipped a wall and turned the front wheel in against a stone breaking a driveshaft, forcing them to retire, a huge blow to their championship aspirations. The other crews got through unscathed with Smith setting fastest time by 9 seconds from Norman Dunne/ Niall Gavin who were 1 second up on Kenny English/ Joe Bannerton. Stage two was a fast flowing test close to ten miles long and English pulled 8 seconds back on Smith who overshot a junction. Dunne who really needed to be at the sharp end on this rally felt his engine was down on power for such a quick stage and dropped 12 seconds as a result. Stage three was the longest at twelve miles and a determined English pushed hard beating Smith by 13 seconds and taking the overall lead as they entered first service back in Clonmel. Also pushing hard was Dunne, but it was extracting his car from a ditch, which cost him over 8 minutes and left him to concentrate now on just finishing.
A repeat of the loop after service saw Smith fastest on the short stage four taking 3 seconds out of English and closing the gap to 9 seconds. Well fired up now and knowing he needed top points he went fastest again on stage six (stage five was cancelled) taking 25 seconds from English who was furious with himself for spinning at a very tight corner. Smiths lead stood at 16 seconds as they left second service and both through caution to the wind through stage seven with English taking just 1 second from Smith. The return to stage eight proved crucial to the outcome when English spun and gifted his rival a further 10 seconds pointing his car in the correct direction. Smith felt he was home and dry now but English risked everything through the last stage, faster by 19 seconds but just missing out on the win by 6 seconds.
Smith though deserved his first win and can now look forward to a brilliant final round battle with English for the title. Dunne brought his car home in third place to keep his chances alive albeit slim and the out of luck Slattery too can still figure in Wexford in five weeks.
Final Results;
57th Noel Smith/Dara Lyttle Peugeot 205 GTi 1:15:50
60th Kenny English/ Joe Bannerton Peugeot 205 GTi 1:15:56
87th Norman Dunne/Gavin Niall Peugeot 205 GTi 1:25:39
The Peugeot Service Club Irish 205 Challenge wish to thank the Tipperary Motor Club for an excellent event.
The Irish 205 challenge is proud to be sponsored by,
www.serviceclub.ie Slatterys of Puckane, Peugeot and Subaru dealerships
Total quartz lubricants
Blaklader workwear
Kumho tyres
Ears motorsport
