Fourth Toner Loughgall win

Loughgall Country Park Rally

Organiser: North Armagh MC When: July 7 Where: Loughgall Country Park, County Armagh Starters: 59 Stages: 6

After taking his fourth Loughgall win in a row, this time by 27.4s despite a stall, Ford Escort Mk2 campaigner Damian Toner says he will return.

With co-driver Joe Comerford, the County Armagh team were fastest on all but the last stage to keep 2014 winner Keith White behind in his Escort Mk1 under Paul Mulholland’s guidance. White jumped from fourth on the last 3.3-mile test with 1.5s splitting second to fourth at the finish.

John Bradley and Ryan Crozier dropped a place, 1.1s from White, on the last stage but had a podium finish by 0.4s. It was event newcomer Jason Black in fourth – the Toyota Starlet driver and Jack Mckenna were quick from the off with third fastest on SS1.

Father and daughter James and Rebecca Kennedy were fifth after the final stage shuffle, 1.7s back. Barry Morris was sixth, up from a previous best of 12th in 2016.

Results

1 Damian Toner/joe Comerford (Ford Escort Mk2) 24m22s; 2 Keith White/ Paul Mulholland (Ford Escort Mk1) +27s; 3 John Bradley/ Ryan Crozier (Escort Mk2); 4 Jason Black/jack Mckenna (Toyota Starlet); 5 James Kennedy/ Rebecca Kennedy (Escort Mk2); 6 Barry Morris/ Declan Campbell (Escort Mk2); 7 Mervyn Wedlock/andrew Wedlock (Escort Mk2); 8 John Devlin/john Mccarthy (Escort Mk2); 9 Andrew Mccormick/ Sam Mccormick (Vauxhall Chevette) 10 Darren Hamill/ Simon Devlin (Escort Mk2). Class winners: Kyle Elder/ Mark Elder (Honda Civic); Philip White/ Sam Mcmullan (Nissan Micra); Black/ Mckenna; William Mcclurkin/ Sarah Bell (Escort Mk2); Bradley/ Crozier; Toner/ Comerford; Adrian Grant/ Chris Grant (Subaru Impreza); Raymond Nelson/joe Camlin (Escort Mk1).