Debut Ford Fiesta R5 win for Mclaughlin duo after beating former victors
Organiser: Maiden City Motor Club When: August 3 Where: Ballykelly, County Londonderry Stages: 6 Starters: 57
Despite almost overshooting an opening stage chicane, Aaron and Noelle Mclaughlin scored their first outright rally win together in a Ford Fiesta R5 by 1m15s.
Twelve months earlier it was Barry Morris who won the Dogleap for the first time, and he started as favourite in a newly built Den Motorsport Darrian T90 GTR – having borrowed his father’s example last season. A wet SS3 did not work in the favour of the lightweight car but second at the finish was Morris and Declan Campbell’s best result of the year.
Mclaughlin was fastest on five of the six stages as Gareth Sayers, who retired his Fiesta R5 with mechanical issues on SS5 while in second, got the better of him by 4.6s on the 6.2-mile SS4.
Trevor Mcconnell was at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer E6 and, with former Northern Ireland Rally Championship junior winner Gareth Deazley alongside, secured the final podium place just 7.2s behind Morris/campbell.
Niall Magee co-drove Alan Mcgeehan to a win in 2016 but roles were reversed this year in a Group A Subaru Impreza, fourth overall
The final run for the podium was close with just 2.5s the gap and another 2.6s further back, to Andrew Bustard and Kyle White, fifth in an E10-spec Lancer.
James Leckey improved on his 12th at the Loughgall Park Rally with sixth this time around in his Impreza, ahead of front-wheeldrive winner Lee Mclaughlin and Martin Ferren (Honda Civic).
Results
1 Aaron/noelle Mclaughlin (Ford Fiesta R5) 37m59.8s; 2 Barry Morris/declan Campbell (Darrian T90 GTR) +1m15s; 3 Trevor Mcconnell/gareth Deazley (Mitsubishi Lancer E6); 4 Niall Magee/alan Mcgeehan (Subaru Impreza); 5 Andrew Bustard/kyle White (Lancer E9); 6 James Leckey/ciaran Carey (Impreza); 7 Lee Mclaughlin/martin Farren (Honda Civic); 8 Seamus Morris/jarlath Kelly (T90 GTR); 9 John/kayleigh Bonner (Ford Escort Mk2); 10 Dominic Mcneill/tommy Speers (Ford Fiesta Prototype).
Class winners: Christy Mclaughlin/ Garth Neill (Civic); Chris Mcgurk/ Liam Mcintyre (Lancer E10); Ronan Greene/ Mark Mcaleer (Vauxhall Nova); Mclaughlin/ Farren (Civic); Chris/ Conor Gillespie (Escort Mk2); James/ Rebecca Kennedy (Escort Mk2); Morris/ Campbell; Mcconnell/ Deazley; Mclaughlin/ Mclaughlin; Richard/susannah Hall (Ford Escort RS1800).