27/09/08 - Kilrea's Conor McCloskey joined the rally winners' club on Saturday when he claimed his maiden victory at the McGillin Bushwhacker Rally, round eight of the Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship!

The 22-year-old set the stages alight at the Omagh Motor Club event, with fastest or equal fastest times on nine out of 10 stages in his hired Ford Focus WRC. Navigated by Francis Regan, it was a truly dominant display by the young driver, who is among the three main contenders for the 2008 title.

"I knew we had to win to keep the championship alive," McCloskey said. "We had a good start in the morning, although we were lucky on stage two as we stalled at the start, but everyone beat the bogey time anyway. After that we kept pushing and built a good lead. Going into the last two stages, I knew it was my rally to lose, so we kept it steady. It's good to get the win and it has taken a bit of pressure off!"

After McCloskey's retirement at Fermanagh's Fisher Engineering Stages just a couple of weeks ago, the victory throws him right back into the title hunt. But it's Sean Devine and Damien Duffin who continue to hold the upper hand. Despite hitting a deer on the final stage of the Bushwhacker event, they finished second overall, strengthening their championship challenge in the process.

Meanwhile, reigning champion Glenn Allen completed the top three in his Corolla WRC, but he desperately needs a victory to keep his title hopes alive. With seven rounds (out of 10) counting towards the final championship standings, Allen is on the back foot, as he only has one dropped score compared to Devine and McCloskey's two.

In the Sunoco Fuels Group N category, Neil McCance and Sean Ferris had another superb drive to seal the class honours as well as fourth overall. They headed home Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan, with Raymond Johnston and Richard Bell sixth.

Top Superdrive two-wheel-drive honours were awarded to Adrian Hetherington and Gary Nolan, as they powered their Escort into an excellent seventh overall. They finished more than one minute ahead of their nearest 2WD rivals, with Vivian and Paul Hamill claiming second ahead of James Kennedy and John Rowan.

Round nine of the Pacenotes series sees competitors return to County Down for the Castlewellan based FM Contracts Down Rally. The event, which marks the penultimate round of the series, takes place on 18 October, and features seven forestry stages.

McGillin Bushwhacker Rally - top 10 overall results

1 Conor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 36m50s
2 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 37m18s
3 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 37m36s
4 Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Lancer Evo 9) 38m15s
5 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Lancer Evo 9) 38m28s
6 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Lancer Evo 9) 39m12s
7 Adrian Hetherington/Gary Nolan (Escort MkII) 39m12s
8 John Cairns/James Cairns (Impreza) 39m18s
9 Cathal Rogers/Eoighan Rogers (Lancer Evo 9) 39m24s
10 Martin Cairns/Andrew Purcell (Impreza) 39m54s

Championship standings after round 8 (of 10)

1 Sean Devine - 84pts
2 Glenn Allen - 81pts
3 Conor McCloskey - 77pts
4 Neil McCance - 34pts
5 Peadar Hurson - 30pts
6 Derek McGarrity - 27pts