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RALLY OF THE 1000 ENTRIES/RSMA FUND – KIRKISTOWN 30TH DECEMBER 2006
19th
December 2006. Former Production World Rally Champion Niall McShea is the latest driver to confirm he will be competing on the Sàturday 30th December Rally of the 1000 Entries at Kirkistown. Niall will be driving his brother’s potent Ford Orion RWD. Kieran Shaw is giving up his place in the list to allow NI Champion Kevin Lynch an entry. Although it is the Rally of the 1000 Entries, just 120 will be allowed to start on the day, and there is already a reserve list. Vodka Kick supremo Steve Perez has put in a ‘courtesy’ entry. Interestingly, the bidding for co-driving seats took a real upsurge just before the closing date last Friday and over £20,000 was pledged. The winning bidders will be announced shortly, along with the full seeding, on www.magherafeltmotorclub.co.uk. Cork’s Darren McCarthy is the winner of the draw to co-drive for Eugene Donnelly. When he got the phone call, McCarthy, normally seen in the organising team of rallies like West Cork and the Cork Forestry, thought it was someone winding him up! Naturally he can’t wait to get to Kirkistown! Top seeds will be:- 1 Gareth MacHale (Focus WRC): 2 Eugene Donnelly (Corolla WRC): 3 Gwyndaf Evans (Lancer): 4 Niall McShea (Ford Orion): 5 Kenny McKinstry (Impreza WRC): 6 Charlie Donnelly (Skoda WRC) 7 Kevin Lynch (Subaru Impreza WRC): 8 Glen Allen (Corolla WRC) 9 Denis Biggerstaff (Impreza WRC): 10 Kevin Barrett (Impreza WRC). The overall aim of the rally, apart from having a good day out, is to provide funds to enable Christopher Rogers, paralysed in a rally accident, travel to China for specialised treatment. As an extension of that, money from the rally is being used to kick-start the new Rally Specialist Medical Assistance Fund, to help in any future contingencies. Over £70,000 has been raised so far, with the aim being to make £100,000. The rally will start at 10.00 on Saturday 30th December. There will be six special stages, the final two very short, and proceedings should be wound up just after 4.00pm, before darkness sets in. What with motorbike road racer Robert Dunlop and his co-driver for the day, Pamela Ballantine, doing course car in a Ford Escort, and drivers of the calibre of World Rally star Gareth MacHale, Rally Champion brothers Eugene and Charlie Donnelly, former British Champion Gwyndaf Evans, former World Production Champion Niall McShea, NI Champion Kevin Lynch. It just goes on and on and is shaping up to be a great day at Kirkistown on Saturday 30th.
Further drivers who
should send the sparks flying include Monaghan’s Dessie
Keenan along with Camillus Bradley, Greg McCormack and
Trevor Moore all in Mk2 Escorts. Garry Jennings is
making the trip up from Fermanagh to compete in his
Lancer and Banbridge girl Emma McKinstry will also be
driving a Lancer.
ROAD RACER TO RALLY ROUND Legendary motorcycling road racer Robert Dunlop, with UTV / RPM presenter Pamela Ballantine navigating, is to drive the course opening Escort on the 30th December ‘Rallly of the 1000 Entries’ at Kirkistown. The entry is being backed by Circuit of Ireland sponsor John Conway of Meteor Electrical. The Mk2 Escort that Dunlop will drive is being supplied by Barry McKenna of DEN Motorsport. Robert Dunlop has won five Isle of Man TT’s, is 15 times a race winner at the North-West, has won the Macau Grand Prix , and is a record 8 times winner of the Cookstown ‘100’. Robert and his late brother Joey used to watch the Circuit of Ireland stages from near their home at Dunloy, and Robert commented, “This will be my first rally, and I’m really looking forward to it!” Pamela Ballantine said, “Can’t wait. I know how quick he is on a bike, and he can certainly ride a horse, so the rally car should be a doddle!” In many ways Robert is a road racing legend and is still competing with a Kennedy Equipment 125 Honda, but is spending as much time as he can looking after his two sons Michael and William in their race careers. His support for the rally is further testimony to the interest that the event is creating in the hearts of the community. A further interesting development for the Rally of the 1000 Entries is that Bertie Fisher’s widow Gladys is donating some of Bertie’s special trophies to be used for the good of the rally. Gladys’ generous action was prompted when she watched a UTV report about Christopher Rogers in relation to the rally. Christopher was paralysed from the waist down following a rally accident in Monaghan, where his co-driver Shane O’Neill tragically lost his life. The rally’s aim is to raise funds to help Christopher travel to China for new treatment and also go towards the new Rally Specialist Medical Assistance Fund. Top drivers scheduled to compete on the rally include former British Rally Champion and Ulster Rally winner Gwyndaf Evans, driving a Derrick Jobb Mitsubishi Lancer. Tarmac Champion co-driver Paul Kiely will co-drive. Interestingly Gwyndaf has just clinched the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge on the Wales Rally GB. Paul Kiely’s usual driver, Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly, will also be competing, and he will have a ‘guest’ co-driver, as his seat is up for auction. To bid for that, or indeed for more information about the rally, just log on to www.rsmafund.com or see here. Kenny McKinstry, Sean Devine, Denis Biggerstaff, Niall Maguire, Camillus Bradley are just a small cross-section of the drivers who will be competing. Support in general ranges right across the community for this special occasion. Issued by Brian & Liz Patterson: Tel: 0044 (2890) 844111.
Omagh’s Derrick Jobb has entered his ex-works Toyota Celica ‘205’ for the 30th November Rally of the 1000 Entries at Kirkistown, and the sensational news is that he is to be co-driven by former Captain of the Tyrone County GAA team, Peter Canavan. Canavan and Jobb met at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, where Jobb, a former International badminton player, was managing the NI Badminton team. They hatched the idea then for Canavan to co-drive on the Lark in the Park Rally. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte decreed the scheme too dangerous though, just one week before a major match, so the idea was put on the long finger. Lark in the Park’s loss was Rally of the 1000 Entries gain, and it is all stations go now for the 30th December event. The original concept of the Rally of the 1000 Entries was to raise funds to help Christopher Rogers, paralysed from the waist down following a rally accident in Monaghan four years ago, go to China for revolutionary new treatment. In addition the Rally Specialist Medical Assistance Fund has been set up to help with any other contingencies which may arise in the future. As well as competing himself, Derrick Jobb is supplying a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 for former British Champion Gwyndaf Evans to drive. Tarmac Champion co-driver Paul Kiely is co-driving for Gwyndaf. Many of the top drivers, such as Eugene Donnelly, Kenny McKinstry and Camillus Bradley are willing to take ‘guest’ co-drivers, as long as they bid for their seats through the Magherafelt Motor Club website! Ulster Television presenter Pamela Ballantine has offered her services as a co-driver, with the sponsorship going to the fund, and Cool FM presenter Sonia Mac, very much an up and coming rally driver herself in her Ford Ka, is also entering and hoping to do her bit for the new fund. For more information on the free draw, which includes a co-driving seat with Eugene Donnelly, a trip to the Monaco Grand Prix and a £500 voucher to a World Rally Champioinship round, and also details of how to bid for a co-drivers seat, simply go to www.magherafeltmotorclub.co.uk and submit your email address.
Otherwise the event, which has been formulated to raise funds to enable Christopher Rogers, badly hurt in a rally accident, where his co-driver Shane O’Neill was killed, make a trip to China for further medical treatmeant, is on course. As an extension of the fund-raising, a new Rally Specialist Medical Assistance Fund (RSMA) is being set up to provide future cover for other competitors. Top drivers who will be making an appearance include Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnely. His co-driving seat is now the 1st prize in the free draw that’s being run in association with the rally. Many of the other co-driving seats on the day are available to the highest bidder, with the proceeds going towards the fund. Kenny McKinstry and Emma McKinstry (Subaru and Lancer respectively), Glenn Allen (Corolla WRC), Kieran O’Neill (Kadett RWD), Niall Maguire(Escort G3) and Camillus Bradley (Escort RWD), are just a cross-section of the drivers who have entered the event. Go to www.rsmafund.com for your chance to bid and be part of the action. Young Alistair Fisher, the new NI Junior Stage Champion has entered in his ex Colin Britton Peugeot SuperCup 206, while Rally Preparation Specialist David Greer has put in entries for his two sons Jonathan and Barry. There are also some interesting ‘fantasy’ entries from drivers wishing to support the overall concept of the event, but without actually competing. Motorsport TV producer Alan ‘Plum’ Tyndall has entered in the well known RPM Previa with an astonishing five co-drivers, Donegal Oil supremo Roger McMahon has entered in a Dodge Ram and Kieran Bradley from Walsh’s Hotel in Maghera in a VW Beetle! All contributing to the objective of achieving 1000 entries. Many companies and bodies are supporting this initiative, Rogers Fencing through the efforts of MD Cathal Rogers and Van Parts Ireland have agreed to sponsor the event with various organisation all doing their bit to raise a much money as possible for the cause. The Fisher Foundation is also making a subsantial donation. The free draw, with the top prizes including a co-driving seat with Eugene Donnelly on the day, a trip to the Monaco Grand Prix and a £500 voucher to a World Rally Event, is simple and free to enter, it just requires submitting your e-mail address at www.magherafeltmotorclub.co.uk The level of support, up and down the chain, has been gratifying, and we hope that the momentum continues up to the rally on the 30th December, and beyond.
Almost 20,000 Euro was collected on the day and now the RSMA Fund Committee has learned that they are to be given the proceeds to help both Christopher Rogers and the overall fund. Event organisers, Ronnie Hawe, Cora Maguire, Dessie Keenan, Niall Maguire Enda Sherry and the rest of their organising team deserve great praise for their exceptional dedication to running a very successful event. A very big thank is also extended to Cavan Motor Club for the use of their venue free of charge on the day. The show of commitment and enthusiasm for the above event is very encouraging but now is the time to turn that commitment and enthusiasm into reality. If anyone intends to compete on the 30th of December in Kirkistown you need to get your fully completed entries into Bridget Averall ASAP at the address on the entry form as entries to the rally are on a 1st come 1st served basis. As things stand at the moment taking into account the auction seats and committed entries there are only about 40 places left, and we already have 2, possibly 3 entries coming from Yorkshire to do the rally and have received “entries” from Australia, America & New Zealand. Preparations for the event are coming along with various companies and individuals getting behind the rally to help stage what should be a once in lifetime event. Rogers Fencing Systems & Van Parts Ireland have kindly agreed to be the overall event sponsors covering any event running costs, Creagh Concrete have agreed to provide their spectacular bridge for the event to add interest both for the competitor and spectators alike, no longer can competitors complain that Kirkistown is flat!, and John Wilson Advertising has very kindly offered the door squares for the rally Free of Charge. Already the auction seats have attracted bids of approx £10,000 with the promise of more to come. Highest bids on 4wd cars at the moment are £1500 on both Gareth McHale and Eugene Donnelly with 2wd cars not far behind with Camillus Bradley currently having a bid of £700 and Frank Kelly close behind on £500. There are plenty of other seats available offering anyone the chance to navigate on the Rally in Kirkistown on the 30th December. Go to www.rsmafund.com for your chance to be part of the action. Investigations are being made on how to set up the fund as a charity and we have had the agreement of 4 very prominent people within motorsport circles to act as trustees, Rory Kennedy, British & Irish Navigator Champion Robert Harkness, ANICC, 2&4 Chairman and member of the MSA Kieran McAnallen, prominent business man and involved with the Fisher Foundation Frank O’Mahony, Chairman of Motorsport Ireland Rallies Committee. With the guidance of these people you can be sure that the fund will be in safe hands.
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