Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland
Round Seven Preview

ToddsLeap.com Ulster International Rally – 21st & 22nd August 2009. Irish and UK Evo Challenges meet for the first time on same event. Series leader Neil McCance forced to miss home event, which means one of three crews tying for second may come out on top. John McGlaughlin targets hat-trick of wins. UK Champion Daniel Barry joins Irish Evo series.
..14th August 2009

Next weekend’s Antrim-based ToddsLeap.com Ulster International Rally hosts the seventh round of this year’s Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland, when for the first time, the Irish one-make series for Group N Lancers converges with its UK counterpart.

Heading the Evolution Challenge charge are current British Rally Championship front-runners Keith Cronin and co-driver Greg Shinnors, who contested the first round of the Irish Mitsubishi series – the West Cork Rally in March – as a shake-down for their season ahead. Showing impressive pace all season, they are going to be the crew to beat this weekend.

However, they may we have their work cut out, as joining the Irish series for this event are recently crowned 2009 UK Evo Challenge Champions, Daniel Barry and Martin Brady, both also from Southern Ireland.

Next in line are winners of rounds five and six, John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson, who are another Mitsubishi pairing to show excellent form this season and are aiming for their third Evo Challenge victory in succession. In doing so, because of the absence of their regular sparring partners and current series leaders Neil McCance/Sean Ferris, McGlaughlin/Henderson will be looking to score as many points as possible.

Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont are another crew who have a foot in both the Irish and UK camps and will be aiming to put their local knowledge to good use, bearing in mind one of the stages passes Carmichael’s house!

Making a welcome return to the Evo Challenge fold since last year is Liam McFall with co-driver Ronnie Craig, whilst running further down the field than normal are Irish Evo Challenge regulars Stanley Ballantine/Donnacha O’Callaghan. Currently tying for second place in the series standings, they are destined to improve on their unusual seeding when cars are re-grouped on Saturday morning.

They are followed by another crew tying for second, William Mavitty/Keefe Kilcoyne, who are getting quicker event-by-event and could well be in with a chance if their recent form is anything to go by.

Rounding off the quality Evo Challenge field are the third crew to share the runner-up spot, Liam Egan and Mary O’Kane, the Galway-born driver making another of his regular trips from New York especially to compete in the Irish Mitsubishi series.

This year’s ToddsLeap.com Ulster International Rally starts and finishes in Antrim and features six timed special stages on Friday evening. Cars restart early on Saturday morning to contest another eight stages before the finish at 6.00pm, having covered an overall competitive distance of 127 miles.

The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland is supported by: Pirelli tyres, Sunoco Racing Fuels, James Foley Rallysport, Carbone Lorraine, Murray Motorsport, Speedline Corse wheels, PIAA lights, Pacenotes, Sparco racewear and Mitsubishi Motors Ireland.

Round seven entries – in start number order
6    Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick)
15  Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martin Brady (Navan)
18  John McGlaughlin (Cookstown)/Crawford Henderson (Magherafelt)
28  Alan Carmichael (Ballymena)/Ivor Lamont (Ballymena)
30  Liam McFall (Bushmills)/Ronnie Craig (Ballycastle)
42  Stanley Ballentine (Strabane)/Donnacha O’Callaghan (Mallow)
44  William Mavitty (Eniskillen)/Keefe Kilcoyne (Westport)
46  Liam Egan (New York)/Mary O’Kane (Maghera)

Series standings after round six
Drivers
1 Neil McCance 34
2= Liam Egan 32
2= Stanley Ballantine 32
2= William Mavitty 32
5= Keith Cronin 24
5= John McGlaughlin 24
7= Alan Carmichael 20
7= Geoff McMahon 20
9 Tom White 11
10 Brendan Cumiskey 8
11 Michael Murray  5
12 Alan Burrows 4
Co-drivers
1 Sean Ferris 34
2= Donnacha O’Callaghan 33
2= Keefe Kilcoyne 33
4= Greg Shinnors 24
4= Crawford Henderson 24
6 Robert Graham 21
7 Ivor Lamont 20
8 Colin Harkness 18
9 Mary O’Kane 14
10 Robert Murphy 11
11 Brian Daniels 6
12 Gavin Burrows 4

ENDS

Photo: William Mavitty and co-driver Keefe Kilcoyne are one of three crews currently tying for second place in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland and, in the absence of the series leaders, may well come out on top following this weekend’s round seven, the ToddsLeap.com Ulster International Rally (copyright free image).