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Round 1 2008 Mayo Stages
MAHON WEATHERS THE STORMS
Picture courtesy of David Haddon Photography
The much anticipated start to the 2008 Irish 205 Challenge was a resounding success for the new drivers who entered Irelands best rally championship for beginners. The Mayo Stages based in Castlebar in the west of Ireland proved to be a huge challenge to all the drivers but first home was Barry Mahon from Tallaght in Dublin.
Storm force winds were forecast by the weathermen in the run up to the event, but no one could have forecast how much drama would unfold in the first four stages of this event. First of the 205s on the road was Norman Dunne/ Bernard Mc Sweeney who posted what looked like a good time but reported an overshoot at a junction and some trouble with the fuel pump. Next up was Shane Burns/ Sean Balfe also complaining of time lost. Barry Mahon/ Mark Feeley came next which was an achievement in its self after they had to change the clutch late the night, before posting a time 10 seconds faster than Dunne. Dj Browne/ Antony Madigan came through next with the fastest time, a full 10 seconds quicker again the Mahon and happy with his performance. The next group of cars through were all new boys to the challenge with Aidan Cooney/ Paddy O Donnell down 28 seconds on the lead with Ulton McGowan/ Niall Burns and Andy Slattery/ Shaun Forde on equal time just 2 seconds back. Sean Sharkey/ Marty Sherlock were settling into their first event and a hired car 20 seconds further adrift. Also settling in was Kenny and David English taking things steady to be sure a finish on this their first stage in a new car. First retirement was Damien and Thomas McGauran who pushed to hard towards the end of the stage only to catch something in a grass verge and roll out.
Stage two saw Aidan Cooney put in a brilliant if somewhat dubious time going 21 seconds quicker than Browne to take the lead. Slattery was 5 seconds down with Dunne and Sharkey just 1 second behind, Burns another second back and McGowan plus 3. Mahon again had trouble with overshoots and dropped another heap of time.
Stage three saw all hell break loose, first Dunne stuck it off for 20 minutes, Browne also in the hedge and Cooney burst his radiator putting him out. Sharkey would also depart just when he was getting in on the act when he forgot to switch on the fans at the stage end causing terminal head gasket damage. Slattery went quickest by 7 seconds from Mahon who now led. McGowan held on in third 38 seconds back, Burns now fourth, Browne fifth, English sixth and Dunne seventh.
Slattery now had the blood up and hammered through stage four, 20 seconds better than a subdued Mahon who was nursing his clutch and was desperate for a finish and points on the board. The others could not match this pace but held station as they headed for the second service halt of the day. Here trouble struck Slattery whose big effort on the stage had caused damage to the filler neck on the fuel tank. Repairs ran over the allotted service time and gained the Tipperary pair 30 seconds of penalties.
Stage five was cancelled so on to stage six where Mahon picked up the pace to go equal fastest with Slattery who was now 6 seconds behind with two stages to run. McGowan and Dunne were a second apart in here, McGowan making third place his own.
A tense start on stage seven saw Barry Mahon lose 3 seconds to Slattery with just one stage remaining the gap was just the same at 3 seconds. Could the novice on only his second rally knock the veteran of two seasons off the top ?.
Try as hard as he could Slattery would drop a second to Mahon on the final stage to come home in a brilliant second place. Ulton McGowan would settle for third place on his first outing as a driver in the 205 challenge with Shane Burns fourth just 9 seconds behind. Fifth place went to Dj Browne who will be wondering what he has to do to win after such a good start. Sixth place went to cousins Kenny and David English on their first ever rally. In the final points position is Norman Dunne who will be sick with temper for making such a mess of stage three and ruling himself out of a good haul of points.
The day however belonged to Barry Mahon who had such a tough run up to this event with the clutch dramas and the damaged inflicted on the test event he contested as a warm up.
He walks away with the 250 euro prize money for 1st place, Slattery 150 euro for second and McGowan 100 euro for third. Well done to all and look forward to the next I205C encounter on the Midland Stages rally on April 6th.
Thanks must go Mayo motor club and to CoC Jonny Rice and all who marshaled or helped for a great days rallying.
Thanks also to our sponsors
RORY GALLIGAN RALLYING
MARTISPORT
ABR SIGNS
KUMHO TYRES
EARS MOTORSPORT
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