19/02/06 - Dungiven’s Kevin Lynch emerged victorious from the Eurocables Stages Rally, round one of the 2006 MSA Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

Based at County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit, the S9 Subaru pilot immediately set the circuit alight with fastest times on the opening three stages. Consistently a few seconds faster than his rivals, Lynch was simply dominating the event but the tide was set to turn over the final three tests.

A couple of mistakes during the closing miles dropped Lynch and navigator Martin McNicholl into the clutches of the chasing pack. A spin at the first corner of the fifth stage saw the KPL backed Subaru lose some of his advantage but with 13 seconds still in hand, Lynch looked like an almost certain bet for victory.

Meanwhile, Bangor’s Michael Curran was keeping a close eye on his rear view mirror. The Skoda Octavia WRC pilot, who sealed a deal to drive the Feckin’ Irish Whiskey backed car just two days before the start, was fighting for the runner-up spot with Fermanagh’s Raymond Johnston.

Slowed by another competitor through stages three and four, Curran had a clean run through the fifth test to set fastest time. He had the bit between his teeth and with one second in hand over Johnston, he pushed hard over the closing miles.

Curran and co-driver Fabian McShane set a blistering pace, setting fastest time on the sixth and final stage to seal the runner-up position. As they arrived at the final time control, it was only then that they realised how close they came to snatching a last gasp victory.

Unknown to Curran, rally leader Kevin Lynch had skated off the road at the hairpin during the final test, swiping his pristine Subaru against a wall of tyres. Facing the opposite direction, the defending champion had a gathering up session on his hands. Almost certain victory suddenly disappeared and Lynch was forced to go into ‘max attack’ mode!

The Harper Rally prepared Subaru eventually recovered and reached the finish with just four seconds to spare over Curran! A missing front bumper was testament to how close Lynch came to disaster but he survived to tell the tale. For the second year in succession, it was the KPL Subaru pilot who sprayed the champagne at the Eurocables Stages finish!

With Michael Curran finishing second in the hired Skoda ahead of Raymond Johnston and Richard Bell, Cookstown's Glenn Allen brought his Toyota Corolla WRC home ahead of Strabane's Sean Devine’s S9 specification Subaru. The construction company owner lost time on the opening test with gearbox troubles but recovered to take a top five result.

Completing the top six, Ballymena's Nigel Hicklin just pipped Dromara's Denis Biggerstaff on the final stage by 0.4 seconds to take sixth. Biggerstaff, who had Bangor's Jonathan MacDonald calling the notes, won the Kirkistown's New Year Stages in January but was forced to settle for seventh on this occasion.

Nail-biting finish to battle for Group N victory

Photos: John O'Neill

Greyabbey’s Dickie Curran had a tremendous battle with last year’s production category winner, Martin Elliott. After Curran grabbed the lead on the opening stage and extended it on the third by another three seconds, Elliott started a charge that would see a nail biting finish to the event.

Bit by bit, the Antrim man cut Curran’s advantage and with 1.2 seconds separating the two men, a final stage shoot-out was on the cards! Curran unleashed the power of his new Lancer but again it was Elliott who was fastest. However, it wasn’t enough to grab victory and Curran did enough to secure the win - by one tenth of a second!

Limavady’s Richard Hogg and Mark Hanna returned to the sport after a year’s absence and secured the final podium position ahead of Kircubbin’s Stephen Kelly and Sam Paul. Drumaness’ Gary Rodgers and Geoff Patterson finished fifth with Draperstown’s Paul McKenna and Charlie Beatty completing the top six.

Wesley Patterson takes two wheel drive honours

Photos: John O'Neill

Portadown’s Superdrive Motorsport Centre is sponsoring the two wheel drive category of this year’s MSA Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship, with prizes up for grabs for the top three two wheel drive competitors at each rally. This year’s Eurocables Stages Rally saw Lisburn’s Wesley Patterson bring his Mark 2 Escort home in 13th position, with Crumlin’s Rodney White taking his Sunbeam to 19th overall and Draperstown’s Camillus Bradley 23rd overall in his Mark 2 Escort.

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