Henry’s new car gets first win
Organiser: Magherafelt and District MC When: May 12 Where: Cookstown, County Tyrone Championships: Northern Ireland Rally Championship Starters: 89 Stages: 6 Desi Henry and Liam Moynihan won the Tour of the Sperrins Rally by 12.9s with a start-to-finish lead in their Skoda Fabia R5, after second-placed Garry Jennings had a spin which opened a gap.
On the 3.5-mile SS1, Beltonanean, Henry was fastest by 1.6s. With SS2 and SS3 each measuring close to seven miles, the gap was upped to 3.2s. Jennings was closest throughout in what was viewed as a fun outing with sponsor Michael Moran in the co-driver’s seat.
“I knew the rally was over when that happened but we enjoyed it,” Jennings said about his spin.
The Subaru Impreza S12B snatched a fastest time on the Crockyneill repeat, ensuring Derek Mcgarrity and Paddy Robinson were third, 38s back in an S14-spec Impreza WRC.
After an early scare Ryan Loughran and Gareth Doherty won the two-wheel-drive class by 6.2s, ahead of Scot David Bogie and John Rowan (Escort Mk2) who were out to gain some asphalt miles before June’s Ypres Rally.
Paddy Mcveigh had early set-up worries, but despite limited seat time, finished sixth with Denver Rafferty, ahead of female duo Amy Cox and Caron Mccormack.
Clutch failure scuppered Alan Carmichael; while Hyundai R5 debutant Philip Allen went off.
Results
1 Desi Henry/ Liam Moynihan (Skoda Fabia R5) 29m51s; 2 Garry Jennings/ Michael Moran (Subaru Impreza S12B WRC) +12.9s; 3 Derek Mcgarrity/ Paddy Robinson (Subaru Impreza S14 WRC); 4 Ryan Loughran/ Gareth Doherty (Ford Escort Mk2); 5 David Bogie/john Rowan (Escort Mk2); 6 Paddy Mcveigh/ Denver Rafferty (Impreza S12B WRC); 7 Amy Cox/ Caron Mccormack (Skoda Fabia S2000); 8 James Laverty/ Barry Mcnulty (Impreza N12B); 9 Darren Mckelvey/aaron Johnston (Mitsubishi Lancer E9); 10 Stuart Biggerstaff/anthony Nestor (Subaru Impreza S9 WRC). Class winners: Ryan O’kane/james Duffin (Honda Civic); Laverty/ Mcnulty; Philip White/ Sam Mcmullan (Nissan Micra); Niall Donnelly/ Dave Brit (Escort Mk2); Andrew Bustard/ Gavin Doherty (Escort Mk2); Oran Donnelly/ Paul Hughes (Escort Mk2); Loughran/ Doherty; Jennings/ Moran; Henry/ Moynihan; Stanley Orr/ Graham Henderson (Ford Escort Mk1).