Lynch wins Moonraker Rally
Leading from the start, Kevin Lynch and Francis Regan (Subaru WRC) won the Midleton Park Hotel Moonraker Rally, round four of the McCauley Trailers Irish Forest Rally Championship.
The Derry driver was well in control and headed into the penultimate stage with a 22 second lead.
A deer ran into his Subaru WRC and damaged the intercooler and steering along the way, but he managed to hold on and win by nine seconds.
Dubliner, Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Toyota Corolla) and Cork ace, John McCarthy and co-driver, Mick Morrissey, also in a Toyota Corolla, were second and third. MacHale took maximum points (20) in the championship with McCarthy’s 18 points promoting him to second in the eight round series.
Lynch was fastest on the opening three stages and held an eleven second lead at the second service halt.
The Mk. 2 Escort of Brian Lawlor was a superb fourth from Group N leader, Peter McCullagh (Mitsubishi).
Towards the finish, Lawlor lost over three minutes with an off track excursion and that allowed a hard charging James Coleman, also in an Escort take the honours in the two wheel drive class.
In Group N, John McLaughlin won out by a mere second ahead of Peter McCullagh.
The principal retirements were Dominic McNeill, his Escort WRC caught fire on the first stage where Pete Willoughby also retired his Mitsubishi with transmission problems. Pat Norris (Subaru WRC) retired with transmission failure.
1. K. Lynch/F. Regan (Subaru WRC) 43m. 48s.
2. G. MacHale/P. Nagle (Toyota Corolla WRC) 43m. 57s.
3. J. McCarthy/M. Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC) 44m. 37s.
4. J. McGlaughlin/D. Moynihan (Mitsubishi) 46m. 34s.
5. P. McCullagh/A. Dolan (Mitsubishi) 46m. 35s.
6. T. Harding/C. Boland (Subaru) 46m. 37s.
7. B. McGillen/D. Doherty (Subaru) 46m. 38s.
8. K. O'Kane/M. Hanna (Subaru WRC) 47m. 11s.
9. P. Elliott/M. Bowens (Mitsubishi) 47m. 55s.
10. J. Coleman/E. O'Neill (Escort) 47m. 59s.
