All Set for Mayo Stages Rally 2022

 

Officials are checking paperwork one final time, Stage Commanders are conducting last-minute spot-checks, marshals are gathering their bibs and all-weather gear for a day out in the elements. Competitors are busy as nuts and bolts are being tightened on rally cars, race suits and helmets are being dusted down, and navigators are logging on to Google Maps to plot directions along the N17. The sense of excitement is palpable as officials, spectators and competitors alike eagerly wait for the high-octane action of McHugh’s Service Station Mayo Stages Rally 2022 to take place this week-end.

 

 

Rally Countdown ... all go from Friday evening

With competitors arriving from Friday afternoon on, the first task for the drivers and co-drivers after signing-on to the event at Claremorris Town Hall and Theatre which is Rally HQ for the event is on Saturday morning March 5th, when they drive the rally stages in their road cars making pacenotes to use the following day. Later in the day, the rally cars will be presented for scrutineering at McHugh’s Service Station in Ballindine where they have to pass stringent road and rally safety requirements before being allowed to take part in the rally.

 

 

Ceremonial Start

For the public, the rally gets underway in earnest on Saturday when the leading competitors as well as all the local drivers gather in the Square in Claremorris town centre for the Ceremonial Start which is sponsored by Western Truck & Trailer. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the rally cars and stars up close, and is especially suitable for families with small children. Part of the Square will be closed to traffic from 6pm with diversions in place. The rally cars will start arriving from 7pm with the cars passing over the starting ramp where the drivers will be interviewed at 8pm. Entertainment will take place during the evening.

 

 

When the flag drops….

The serious competition starts on Sunday morning, with the leading cars leaving the service park at 8.30 am to tackle the eight challenging special stages. The first stage Woodstock, sponsored by The Ranch, Claremorris runs for the first time at 8.45 am. Stage two, Logboy, sponsored by Gerry Ronan Transport gets underway at 9.25 am. The cars then return to the service park in Claremorris, adjacent to the N17 which is kindly sponsored by Heneghan Plant and Electric Skyline before tacking the loop of stages two more times (11.15 am & 1.45 pm) before a fourth loop commencing at  4.15 pm sees a variation of roads used in the centre of the previously used stages. The leading cars are due back at the rally finish which will be held in the service park at 5.25 pm. Full details of maps and times will be available in the rally programmes which will be on sale in shops and garages around the area from Friday evening. Online users can follow Onthepacenote on Facebook (www.facebook.com/onthepacenote) where Killian Duffy and Andy Walsh will have a mix of action and interviews as they will be speaking to all 140 crews at the end of each of the eight special stages on Facebook live. Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s Twitter (@mayomotorclub) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/mayomotorsportclub) accounts will be continually updated during the week-end. Rally updates will also be available during the day on local radio, as Midwest Radio and CRC (Claremorris Community Radio) will carry updates of the event.

 

 

 

High Quality Entry Field

(mix in with Martin Walsh’s report?)

For the first time in over a decade the Mayo Stages Rally, which is a counting round of the National, Border, West Coast and Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally series is running at maximum capacity

 

Seeded at No 1 is Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty in their Hyundai i20 R5, Moffett fresh from his victory at the Galway International Rally three weeks ago heads an entry list which contains five previous winners of the National Irish Rally Championships.

 

At 2 are Declan Boyle and James O’Reilly in their Fiesta WRC, Boyle is not only a previous three time Irish National Champion but also a three time previous winner of the Mayo event. No 3 Seeds are Robert Barrable and Paddy Robinson making a return in a VW Polo GTI R5. It’s 30 years since Peadar Hurson was Irish National Rally Champion, but the County Down driver will have No 4 on the door of his Ford Fiesta WRC as he hunts for a first Mayo Stages Rally win. Monaghan’s Stephen Wright, a former Northern Ireland Rally Champion is No 5 in his Ford Fiesta R5, former Irish Tarmac Champion Darren Gass brings his beautiful Citroen C3 Rally2 car west with No 6 on the doors. 2017 Mayo Stages Rally winner Joe McGonigle has his Rally2 Fiesta as No7 seed. Aidan Wray, Seamus Leonard and Tim McNulty fill the next three places in the top 10, all in Ford Fiesta’s.

 

The most successful Mayo Stages Rally driver with four wins to date is Monaghan’s Niall Maguire, the three time Irish National Rally Champion will raise eyebrows in Mayo as he making the switch from his usual Subaru and is seeded No 11 in a Fiesta R5. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Driver Eamonn Kelly takes to the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 with 12 on the doors while Brendan Cumiskey also in a VW Polo GTI R5 is 14. Top modified is Gary Kiernan as No 15 in his Ford Escort MK2 fresh from his national win at Galway three weeks ago, Kiernan, among others is likely to be mixing it with the 4wd boys. Gary McPhilips, Jason Black, father and son drivers Ed and Chris O Callaghan, all in Ford Escorts Mark 2’s and Kevin Kelleher in the World Rally Subaru car round off the Top 20. All of which are capable of top results.

 

 

Locals All Set For Mayo Stages Rally

Needless to say many local competitors will be hoping to get good results on their local event. Behind Westport driver David Carney in 23rd is Ballinrobe based husband and wife team John Warren and Ruthann O Connor who have 33 on the doors of their distinctive green McHale’s Engineering backed Toyota Corolla, the pair having set some top results in recent events in all corners of the country. Crossmolina’s Brian Moore a former Sligo Junior Rally winner is 58th. Aforementioned stage sponsor Gerry Ronan wheels out his Mitsubishi Evo IX in 70th, Belcarra’s Barry Cuffe has Michael Loughney alongside in his Ford Escort Mk2 at 78, the pair will be chased by Westport’s David Healy and Stephen McGing who are not far behind in 83rd in their Honda Civic. Castlebar’s Gerry Casey is another man out in a Ford Escort Mk2 with No 90 on the doors. Father and daughter team Keith and Sara Mcfadden from Turlough are 124 in their Renault Clio. James McGreal and Chris Mitchell are seeded 125 one place ahead of the local man with the most amounts of Mayo Rally Starts, Crossmolina’s John Duffy who will have John Egan alongside in his Honda Integra. Colm Connor and Ger Flanaghan are in 131th Place in a Honda Civic. It will be Flanaghan’s first outing in a rally car as the former young sports journalist of the year nominee swaps his tools for that of a navigator for the weekend, at 133 Gordon Nimmo has his daughter Zoe to guide him in his Fiesta, Ballina pairing of Martin Cawley and Kenneth Langan are 135 in their Peugeot 205 and Conway’s Castlebar mechanic Jamie Lally with Nathan Maguire alongside are contesting their first ever Rally in a Honda Integra in 136th.

 

In the Junior section of the event local interest lies with Lorcan Moore who is seeded as J6 in a Honda Civic and the Ballyhaunis family team of son Oisin Coffey driving and father Seamus on the pacenotes as they compete in their first rally together with J9 on the doors of their Mitsubishi Mirage.

 

 

Marshalling Information

A small army of volunteers is needed to ensure a safe running of the Mayo Stages Rally. If you would be interesting in lending your support to help out over the weekend and are over 18 years of age, please contact Chief Marshals Eddie Quinn (085 2614115) by text or David Doherty (087 2323113) – your assistance would be greatly appreciated.