Kenny Wins Epic Battle on Round One of the 2016 MSA ANICC McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship!
Kenny McKinstry and Aaron Faulkner stormed the final stage to take a superb victory on the Pacenotes Stages Rally, round one of the MSA ANICC McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. It turned out to be a frantic race, between the two multiple N.I Champions- Kenny in his S14 WRC Impreza, and Derek McGarrity in a 1600cc WRC Fiesta. Amazingly they were tied on time entering the final stage, but McGarrity’s car was in obvious trouble on the first lap, running on three cylinders. Kenny was unaware of this and was visibly on the limit. “I thought I wasn’t going to make it around the corners near the pits, we were really trying. It was a great race with Derek all day and I’m very happy.” As for Derek, he was the first to congratulate his long-time rival. “I’m not sure the cause of the misfire. It cleared on the second lap, so I don’t know why it happened. I must say that I really enjoyed driving this car though, it’s very good.”
Not too far back in third was Peader Hurson in his S10 Impreza WRC, the former Irish National Champion’s only drama was touching a bale in a half spin, in what were sometimes slippery conditions. Two wheel driver winner Wesley Patterson’s 2.5 MK2 Escort was showing signs from a small excursion, running wide whilst trying to overtake a slower Mitsubishi, but the Lisburn driver charged up to fourth overall overtaking Alastair Cochrane who had led the two wheel race for much of the day in his 2 litre MK2. The Bushmills farmer won class 6 ending up eighth overall. Emma McKinstry completed the family success with a fine fifth, whilst Matthew McGaffin powered his Group N Mitsubishi Evo 7 into an impressive sixth, ahead of former N.I champion- George Robinson in his Group A Evo 9. Jonny Morrow brought his Evo 6 into ninth ahead of Clive Kilpatrick’s Group N Evo 9.
In eleventh was championship sponsor Fintan McGrady, having a fine run in his 2.5 MK2 Escort, just 0.4 of a second ahead of Rodney White’s 2 litre Vauxhall engined Sunbeam. Significant retirements included former NI Champion Stuart Biggerstaff in his S9 Impreza, the similar car of Mark Massey with engine problems, Jonny Leonard’s Evo 6 with a damaged intercooler and Historic leader Richard Hall’s Sierra Cosworth with an oil pipe failure.
Other class winners were: Ian Dickson- class 1 (Ford Fiesta), Colin Price- class 3 (Vauxhall Corsa), Kyle White- class 4- (Citroen C2), Johnny Cargo- class 5 (MK2 Escort), Sam Ewart- class 11-Historic (MK2 Escort), Drew Wylie- class 12- FIA Historic (MK2 Escort).
Round two of the McGrady series is on the closed road stages of the Circuit of Ireland, which takes place after Easter this year on the weekend of the 7th to 9th April.
2016 McGrady Insurance MSA ANICC Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2016-Round One results
1st Kenny McKinstry / Aaron Faulkner Subaru Impreza S14 WRC 27:24.6
2nd Derek McGarrity / Nigel Magee Ford Fiesta WRC +0:13.2
3rd Peadar Hurson / Damien Connolly Subaru Impreza WRC +0:38.2
4th Wesley Patterson / Adam Carson Ford Escort RS +1:38.5
5th Emma McKinstry / Kenny Hull Subaru Impreza WRC +1:45.5
6th Matthew McGaffin / Andrew McGaffin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +1:56.8
7th George Robinson / Tommy Speers Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +2:01.2
8th Alastair Cochrane / David Turkington Ford Escort MkII +2:03.3
9th Jonny Morrow / Simon Morrow Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI +2:13.8
10th Clive Kilpatrick / Jay Colville Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +2:14.8
2016 McGrady Insurance MSA ANICC Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2016—Rounds
1 Pacenotes Stages-Kirkistown Tarmac 13th February
2 Circuit of Ireland National Tarmac 7th-9th April
3 Tour of the Sperrins Gravel 7th May
4 Mourne Rally Tarmac 11th June
5 Tyrone Stages Rally Tarmac 30th July
6 Ulster National Rally Tarmac 19th-20th August
7 Bushwhacker Rally Gravel 24th September
8 Down Rally Tarmac 15th October
*Reserve events- Enniskillen MC- 3th September, Ballynahinch & District MC- 12th November
To keep up to date please check out the NIRC Facebook page-http://www.facebook.com/nirallying and check out www.anicc.org.uk for the series regulations and latest points. Rally results available on www.rallyscore.net
Images thanks to www.philpics.net
Press Release issued by Andrew Bushe Promotions-
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