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Ballynahinch and District Motor Club held its annual McGrady Insurance sponsored Bishopcourt stages, the second round of the Hankook MSA N.I stage rally championship on Saturday 13 March.
Conditions for this all tarmac event were very good with dry roads and some sunshine thought-out the day. The format for this event was similar to previous years with 6 special stages run throughout the confines of Bishopscourt raceway.
All eyes where on defending champion and current points leader Derek McGarrity in his S12 Subaru. Derek and his co-driver James McKee didn’t disappoint and posted fastest on all 6 stages. Second place was a hard fought battle between George Robinson, currently third place in the championship in his Subaru and 21 year old Stuart Biggerstaff in his S9 Subrau.
Derek McGarrity claimed victory with a winning margin of 1 minute 14 seconds, but it came down to the wire for second place with George Robinson eventually taking it by 17 sec from Stuart Biggerstaff. Fourth was Gary White in his older 555 Subaru.
Group N Production battle was one of the closest fought, with Kieron Graffin taking the spoils, ahead of Alan Carmichael, Raymond Johnston and surprise newcomer Graham Ballantine, all in Evo 9 Mitsubishi.
Words and images by Warren McConnaughie from www.industryimage.com
McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages - top 10
1 Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 37m11.9s
2 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Impreza WRC) 38m26.0s
3 Stuart Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Impreza WRC) 38m43.7s
4 Gary White/Dominic Carson (Impreza) 39m22.7s
5 Kieron Graffin/Neil Doherty (Lancer Evo 9) 39m29.2s
6 Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont (Lancer Evo 9) 39m42.8s
7 Raymond Johnston/Fabian McAleer (Lancer Evo 9) 39m50.1s
8 Graham Ballantine/Donnacha O'Callaghan (Lancer Evo 9) 39m51.9s
9 Drew Stewart/Steven Park (Escort Mk2) 39m56.1s
10 James Kennedy/eather Kennedy (Escort Mk2) 39m59.0s
Hankook N.I. Rally Championship Standings after round two
1 Derek McGarrity 24pts
2= Stuart Biggerstaff 19pts
2=George Robinson 19pts
4 Raymond Johnston 13pts
5 Alan Carmichael 13pts
6 Drew Stewart 9pts
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