22/10/06 - Four years of rallying, five championship titles, 16 wins in a row and approximately 140 fastest stage times (during those 16 rallies). Dungiven's Kevin Lynch has simply been unstoppable in recent times and the Dungiven pilot sealed his third Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship title with victory at last Saturday's McGrady Insurance Down Rally!

Lynch's main rival for the Pacenotes backed series was Glenn Allen but the Cookstown driver decided not to enter the Newcastle based event. Feeling that the title was already out of reach, Allen chose to save his funds for next year, so Lynch's opposition came from last year's winners, Sean Devine and Damian Duffin.

With some knowledge of the forest stages surrounding Newcastle, Devine grabbed the lead on the first stage while Neil McCance and Errol Clarke tied for second position in their Group N cars. Meanwhile, Lynch lost more than 10 seconds with an overshoot, finishing the opening test in fourth position.

One stage later and it was all change at the top as both Sean Devine and Neil McCance crashed out of the event. Devine was first to put his Subaru off, clipping a large boulder which ripped a rear wheel off. He was able to continue but the impact broke a brake pipe, and one mile later he skated straight into the undergrowth after losing all braking power. Neil McCance also came a cropper at the same boulder but the Comber driver lost the argument in even more spectacular fashion.

"It was a disaster!" McCance said after the incident. "We had a clean run through the first stage, well within ourselves, so we thought we'd have a crack at the second stage. Everything was going beautifully until we entered a 3 right over some bumps, which is a fifth gear corner for me. I dabbed the brakes, turned in and nailed her but the back end slid slightly wide. Any other corner we would have got away with it but there was a boulder the size of a Renault Laguna on the outside!"

"We hit it hard," McCance continued, "and she did a full 360 with the rear corner completely out of her. I wasn't expecting it at all. I was accelerating until the point of impact, the boost gauge was on max! It was the first time I blocked a stage and I don't like doing that but there was nothing I could do. As they say, the boulder jumped out in front of us!"

The accidents caused the cancellation of the stage, so all crews were awarded nominal times, leaving Kevin Lynch leading the event from Errol Clarke and Martin McGarrity. Clarke, driving a production category Impreza, was looking for maximum class points in an effort to close the gap to category leader, Stanley Ballantine. A non-finish could spell disaster, and would allow Ballantine to secure the Group N title.

Stage three saw Lynch and navigator Martin McNicholl surge ahead, taking 18 seconds out of their nearest rivals in one deft swoop. It was a sign of things to come as the KPL pilot continued to extend his lead, and a string of fastest or joint fastest times saw the Dungiven man arrive at the finish with the rally victory in one hand, and the championship title in the other!

"I don't think Sebastien Loeb has managed to win 16 rallies in a row yet," Lynch enthused, "It must be a record of some sort! The stages were difficult, it was slippery and narrow with plenty of jumps but we got the result in the end. I think it's time to move on now and let someone else have a crack at the championship next year!"

Errol Clarke and Martin McGarrity held second position for much of the day. The crew were having an excellent run in their Subaru and a steady drive through the final stage would have been enough to secure the runner-up spot. Unfortunately, a driveshaft broke at the start line, causing instant retirement and leaving Donagh Kelly, with Kevin Flanagan on the notes, to take second.

Just eight seconds adrift, Damien Tourish and Domnhall McElaney finished third overall while Darren Gass and Johnny Crozier were fourth in their Celica. It was young Gass' first outing in the ex-Nesbitt/Donnelly Celica, and he gradually upped his pace as the day progressed, enough to set joint fastest time on the final stage.

Completing the top six, Gareth Logan and Alan Purdy finished fifth overall while Stanley Ballantine and Richard Hyland finished sixth. They were also the leading championship registered Group N competitors, and the maximum points haul was enough to secure the 2006 production category title!

"That was my first time in the Evo 9," Ballantine said, "and it took some getting used to! The first stage was very slippery and I pulled the handbrake at the hairpin but we just went straight on. I lost a good bit of time there but it all came good in the end. It was good craic!"

Superdrive sponsored two wheel drive category

Among the two wheel drive competitors, Aidan and Damien Toner brought their Mark 2 Escort home in seventh position. A slow start saw them languishing behind both Mark Barnett and Martin McCormack during the early stages. Bit by bit, they clawed their way back into contention, and at the end of stage four, the two Toners were one second behind Barnett.

Feeling the pressure, Barnett knew he had to switch on 'max attack' mode! It was his only option but a heavy landing after a jump broke something in his steering, forcing him into retirement. Barnett's misfortune allowed Toner into the lead, and there the crew stayed until the finish.

"We were having a good battle with Mark Barnett and Martin McCormack," Toner said. "It's just a shame the way it ended. We were six seconds in front going into the last stage and had to stop at Geoffrey Nevin's accident. The stage was stopped and everyone was given nominal times, which handed the win to Martin. Then the club revised the times which gave the win back to me. It wasn't fair on Martin who thought he had won."

Six seconds adrift, Martin McCormack and Neil Doherty finished second in category and eighth overall, while Sean McBride and Niall McKenna were third in class. Paul Killen and Christian Cochrane finished fourth ahead of Andrew Trotter and Kevin Creighan, while Jonathan and Gareth Nevin completed the top six.

Round nine - Glens of Antrim Rally

Although both the overall and Group N titles have been decided, there are still some class battles that will go down to the wire at the final round on Saturday 4 November. The Glens of Antrim Rally is the traditional season finale. Based at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena, competitors will face 11 stages and a total of 43 stage miles.

ENDS.

McGrady Insurance Down Rally Top 10

1 Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl Impreza WRC 28m39s
2 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan Lancer Evo 6 29m57s
3 Damien Tourish/Domnhall McAlaney Lancer Evo 6 30m04s
4 Darren Gass/Johnny Crozier Celica GT4 30m16s
5 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy Lancer Evo 8 30m25s
6 Stanley Ballantine/Richard Hyland Lancer Evo 9 30m47s
7 Aidan Toner/Damien Toner Escort Mk2 30m47s
8 Martin McCormack/Neil Doherty Escort 30m53s
9 John Walker/David Meeke Lancer Evo 9 31m10s
10 Gary Rodgers/Brian Crawford Lancer Evo 6 31m31s

Class winners

C1 Paul Quinn/Gary Monern Ford Fiesta
C2 Gareth Logan/Alan Purdy Lancer Evo 8
C3 Sonya Mac/Safron Thomas Ford Ka
C4 Jonathan Nevin/Gareth Nevin Ford Escort
C5 Terry O'Hara/Eoighan Rogers Toyota Corolla
C6 Aidan Toner/Damien Toner Ford Escort
C7 Andrew Trotter/Kevin Creighan Ford Escort
C8 Darren Gass/Johnny Crozier Toyota Celica

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