19 February 2008
After three years of association with a major tyre retailer,
the Ulster Rally has a new driving force! Toddsleap.com is
the proud main sponsor of the 2008 event, which runs over
the weekend of Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd August, 2008,
based once more in the City of Armagh.
Whilst the sponsorship deal is new, the association isn't.
For ten years, the popular Toddsleap.com rally stage in Tyrone
has been an integral part of the rally.
The highly experienced Michael Johnston returns as Clerk of
the Course for the 2008 event and describes this year's format
as, "Classic Ulster, but with a few unexpected twists!"
The event is once more centred on the historic city of Armagh,
with Rally HQ in the Armagh City Hotel. The schedule, which
has proved so popular with competitors over the years, consists
of the formal start of the International event in the Mall,
followed by three stages on the Friday evening.
These stages are then repeated by the International competitors,
who are joined by the National rally runners, giving everyone
the opportunity to tackle some classic Ulster stages in the
dark.
The Saturday leg consists of five stages run twice, giving
a total of 135 stage miles for the International crews and
85 stage miles for the National crews. As in previous years,
all servicing takes place in Armagh City, which is the focal
point for the weekend.
CoC Michael Johnston continued, "The 2008 route contains a
number of new stages and will provide a challenging test of
skill and commitment, in the best traditions of the Ulster
Rally."
Benny O'Hanlon, MD of Ballygawley-based Toddsleap.com, Ireland's
biggest off road and corporate entertainment centre said,
"We are delighted to be the main sponsors of the Ulster Rally
in 2008. The event promises world class rally action for drivers
and spectators alike. We are committed to driving the event
forward and are confident that the Toddsleap.com Ulster Rally
08 will be the biggest and most thrilling ever!"
Pictured at the recent Toddsleap.com Ulster Rally 2008 sponsorship
announcement, from left, Michael Johnston, Rally Clerk of
the Course, Mr Benny O'Hanlon, Managing Director Toddsleap
and Philip Murray, Rally Event Director.
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Dungannon's
Kris Meeke is feeling 'mighty' today as he has just scored
one of the most emphatic victories of his spectacular career
– winning the Philip White Tyres Ulster International Rally
over the weekend from an off form Eugene Donnelly.
'The Magician' was simply in a league of his own throughout
the two day event, setting blistering times in his Pirelli
Subaru WRC car at the start of each day and leaving his rivals
tasting Orchard County dust!
"It's amazing," said Meeke afterwards, "because up until a
fortnight ago I was planning to be on holiday the weekend
of the Ulster. Then the last minute offer of Mark Higgins'
car came from Pirelli at Lurgan Park and I jumped at it. It
was only my fourth event in a WRC car, but the Ulster is my
home rally and I felt comfortable from the off. The car was
superb and myself and co-driver Paul Nagle decided on a maximum
attack at the start of each day, which enabled us to build
a cushion which we held to the end!"
Current Irish Tarmac Championship leader Eugene Donnelly found
that his usual magic had gone awol on the Ulster, losing to
Meeke by almost three minutes, but second place still meant
a good points haul for 'The Genie' which means that only Mark
Higgins can challenge him for this year's ITC title – to be
decided in Cork in a few weeks time.
The National battle was a more closely fought affair, with
Camillus Bradley's superquick Mk2 Escort swapping seconds
with John Price's pocket rocket Metro 6R4. In the end it was
Hereford man Price who prevailed, his screaming 6R4 using
its four wheel drive to advantage on the tricky Armagh and
Tyrone lanes.
Lisburn brothers Phillip and Simon Morrow won the closely
contested Mitsubishi Evo Challenge at the Ulster International,
and need just a few more points to clinch the overall title,
with its golden prize of a Mitsubishi 'works' drive for next
season.
"This year's Ulster International has totally lived up to
its billing," said main sponsor Philip White of Philip White
Tyres. "Our congratulations go to Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle
for what was simply a magic performance. We look forward to
seeing Kris, Eugene and a host of other leading crews do battle
again next year on the Ulster, as it is always and will continue
to be a pivotal event in the Irish Tarmac Championship."
INTERNATIONAL RALLY RESULTS
1 KRIS MEEKE/PAUL NAGLE SUBARU S11 WRC 1:54:31.5
2 EUGENE DONNELLY/PAUL KIELY IMPREZA WRC 1:57:13.5
3 EAMONN BOLAND/FRANCIS REGAN SUBARU IMPREZA S12 1:59:16.0
4 MARK HIGGINS/RORY KENNEDY SUBARU IMPREZA 2:00:19.6
5 GWYNDAF EVANS/HUW LEWIS MITSUBISHI LANCER 2:01:06.2
6 COLM MURPHY/GER LOUGHREY SUBARU IMPREZA 2:03:28.7
7 PHILIP MORROW/SIMON MORROW MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:05:31.6
8 JAMES CULLEN/REBA GRAHAM MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:06:05.2
9 CONRAD RAUTENBACH/DAVID SENIOR CITROEN C2 S1600 2:07:10.7
10 SEBASTIAN LING/ALED REES MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:07:22.1
11 KEVIN O'DONOGHUE/JOE LEARY MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:07:42.8
12 JULIAN REYNOLDS/PATRICK WALSH MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:07:45.3
13 SEAN MCARDLE/DAMIAN GARVEY COROLLA WRC 2:09:13.2
14 DENIS BIGGERSTAFF/PAUL MCGEE SUBARU WRC 2:09:20.5
15 ROBERT SWANN/DARREN GARROD SUBARU IMPREZA 2:09:23.5
16 DAMON HARVEY/ALED DAVIES SUBARU IMPREZA N12 2:10:14.4
17 WYN HUMPHREYS/ALLY MACKAY SUBARU IMPREZA N12 2:11:24.9
18 CONNOR BYRNE/NIALL BYRNE MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:11:54.0
19 NIK ELSMORE/STEPHEN MCAULEY MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:12:24.0
20 DEREK BOYD/ROISIN BOYD MITSUBISHI EVO 9 2:13:08.4
NATIONAL RALLY RESULTS
1 JOHN PRICE/CAROLINE PRICE MG METRO 6R4 1:31:27.5
2 CAMILLUS BRADLEY/DANNY O'NEILL FORD ESCORT MKII 1:31:40.3
3 DAVID KYNASTON/ANDY RUSSELL AUDI A3 QUATTRO 1:31:49.2
4 PAUL BRITTON/MARTIN MCGARRITY SUBARU IMPREZA N10 1:33:11.4
5 RAYMOND CONLON/JAMES O'REILLY TOYOTA COROLLA 1:35:07.0
6 PAUL WARD/PETER WARD SUBARU IMPREZA 1:35:23.9
7 PADDY MCVEIGH/AIDAN CAMPBELL SUBARU IMPREZA 1:35:38.3
8 GERARD MCALEER/FRANK CONVILLE FORD ESCORT MKII 1:36:24.7
9 DAMIAN TONER/PADDY MCCAGUE FORD ESCORT MKII 1:36:41.9
10 STEVEN ARMSTRONG/LISA ARMSTRONG FORD ESCORT MKII 1:36:45.1
Here is the official photographer of the BRC (British Rally
Championship) web site. You can catch the
latest BRC pictures taken this year and no doubt the Ulster
Rally will be providing more spectacular photos.
Local photographer, Seamus Counihan of crspics.com
also covered the Ulster Rally and actually sponsored some
drivers.
John
O'Neill's website is another excellent place to visit
for local motorsport action.
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Here is the Local
Weather forcast courtecy of metcheck.com.
