|
 Brendan Cumiskey and his co-driver Peter O’Toole, battled through treacherous conditions to win the very first round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland, the Safety Direct Galway International Rally. After a near-faultless performance they crossed the line 2 minutes 38.4 seconds ahead of previous leaders Owen Murphy and Greg Shinnors, who were slowed by a puncture in the final stages of the rally.
About to start its eighth season in the UK, the high-profile one-make series for Group N (production specification) Mitsubishi Lancers was launched in Ireland this weekend, when eight of the 12 registered Irish Evo Challenge crews lined-up in Galway for the two-day event, which also hosted the opening round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Featuring a total of 211 competitive kms, split into eight stages on Saturday and a further six on Sunday, competitors faced a real test of their abilities, as the overnight snow-fall on Friday created highly slippery conditions for the first loop of three stages. This was followed by the imminent thaw, coupled with heavy rain which resulted in large amounts of standing water later in the day.
However, the demanding conditions didn’t stop the initial Evolution Challenge leader and reigning Group N Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Colm Murphy. He not only blasted into the Evo Challenge lead by 20 seconds on the opening stage, but also recorded a time that was good enough to put him and co-driver Ger Loughrey into second place overall, ahead of a host of more powerful World Rally Cars.
What made Murphy’s time even more impressive was that this was his very first outing in a Mitsubishi, the Subaru convert adapting to his Lancer immediately, even though he had only previously driven the car a few miles from the start ramp to the stage arrival control.
Following the cancellation of SS3 due to the wintry conditions, teams were relieved to get to the first service halt of the day where results showed Murphy now in third place overall and 32 seconds ahead of second-placed Evo Challenge runner Cumiskey, who was a further 29 seconds ahead of Darren Caldwell/Martin Costello.
First of the Mitsubishi crews to hit problems due to the ice and snow was Owen Murphy/Greg Shinnors, who slid off the road on stage one and bent a steering arm, making their car even harder to control in the tricky conditions. Stanley Ballentine/Richard Hyland had their morning’s performance hampered when their car’s turbo expired, although the problem was rectified at the service halt.
The next loop of three stages saw Colm Murphy extend his lead to over a minute to Cumiskey, both drivers now settling into a rythymn, even though the conditions were still giving them a few heart-stopping moments. Caldwell hung to third place, although he had bent a track control arm when he clipped a bank on SS6.
However, that was to be the least of his worries, as on SS8, just before the finish of the day’s competition, his Evo left the road, went through a wall and came abruptly to rest against a tree. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but the same could not be said for his car and he had no choice but to retire on the spot.
Caldwell’s demise elevated Owen Murphy to third before the overnight halt, the 21-year old rapidly making up for lost time - even with a broken rear shock absorber. Ballentine held fourth, whist Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont were pleased with their fifth position, albeit frustrated to be catching slower cars in the stages. Tom Curley/Paul Horan and Michael Murray/Aidan Mannion in sixth and seventh respectively reported a fairly clean run so far, which was no mean feat considering the road conditions.
With the onset of heavy rain, just as cars headed to the first of Sunday’s stages, the going was to be no easier for competitors for the second day of competition. Following timing problems on SS9, organisers accredited crews with notional times. Then, just when Colm Murphy looked as though he was un-catchable, a shaft in his car’s transmission sheared as he went to leave the start line on SS10 and he retired on the spot.
Ballentine also suffered terminal transmission problems in the stage, but in contrast Owen Murphy was flying and had overhauled Cumiskey to take the lead - by just 0.8 of a second!
Having come to terms with his unusually handling car, Murphy proceeded to extend his lead, right up until SS13 - the penultimate stage – when he collected a puncture and had to drive almost 10 km on a flat tyre. With Murphy losing three minutes in the process, Cumiskey went back into the lead and, after a considered run through the final stage, he crossed the line to become the first ever winner of an Irish Evo Challenge round.
“Its great to be the first ever winner of the Evo Challenge in Ireland”, said Cumiskey. “It just goes to show that when the conditions are as bad as they were a consistent performance pays off. I’m also delighted with the car, as it never missed a beat and I must thank the JFR team for their efforts.”
Cuminsky collected a prize of four Pirelli tyres and was awarded also a voucher for winning the Performance Friction Cup. Murphy was presented with three tyres, the PIAA junior award and the Sunoco spirit award for his performance in a car with a broken shock absorber – both drivers walking away with prizes worth over €875.
After competing in the UK series last year, Carmichael was delighted to take his first Evo Challenge podium with a fine third and collecting two tyres in the process, even having been chased all day by Curley, who was getting ever more used to his car as the event went on.
Murray’s afternoon was the most dramatic of all the Evo Challenge runners, when the car ahead of him spun and, in an attempt to turn round, drove the wrong way down the stage. Although being slowed by spectators, the last thing Murray expected to see as he headed through SS12 was a car coming the other way and, although both drivers took evasive action, the resulting impact almost put the Evo driver out of the event. Shaken, but not stirred, Murray continued and made it back to the finish in Galway.
The Irish Evolution Challenge heads to West Cork for round two, which takes place on 15th & 16th March, when it is expected that even more competitors will sign-up for the Irish Mitsubishi series. In the mean time, the UK championship will get underway in Bournemouth with the Rallye Sunseeker on 22nd & 23rd February, with the Swedish series kicks off with a snow rally on 8th March in Lima.
The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland is supported by: Sunoco Racing Fuels, Pirelli tyres, Mitsubishi Motors Ireland, Performance Friction Brakes, Speedline Corse wheels, PIAA lights, Sparco racewear, Pacenotes and James Foley Rallysport, who are providing a Group N Lancer Evolution for the 2008 Champion to use in next year’s Rally Ireland.
1 Brendan Cumiskey (Dundalk)/Peter O’Toole (Clairemorris) 1:54:50.3
2 Owen Murphy (Kilrea)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) 1:57:28.7
3 Alan Carmichael (Ballymena)/Ivor Lamont (Ballymena) 2:00:01.7
4 Tom Curley (Oranmore)/Paul Horan (Ballygluan) 2:00:31.2
5 Michael Murray (Longford)/Aidan Mannion (Kilcolgan) 2:02:30.5
Retirements
SS8 Darren Caldwell (Navan)/Martin Costello (Trim) Accident
SS10 Colm Murphy (Dublin)/Ger Loughrey (Limerick) Transmission
SS10 Stanley Ballentine (Strabane)/Richard Hyland (Omagh) Transmission
Drivers
1 Brendan Cumiskey 12
2 Owen Murphy 10
3 Alan Carmichael 8
4 Tom Curley 7
5 Michael Murray 6
Co-drivers
1 Peter O’Toole 12
2 Ivor Lamont 10
3 Paul Horan 8
4 Aidan Marrion 7
|
