John Warren and his co-driver Ruthann O’Connor took their McHale Engineering Toyota Corolla to second place in Class 13 and 15th place overall from 140 starters at the Wexford Stages Rally on Sunday last.
Heavy overnight rain made for slippery conditions on the event which was based in New Ross. A margin of just four seconds separated Warren and Class 13 winner Chris O’Callaghan from Limerick after the first stage, the order was unchanged in the next stage despite an overshoot from Warren at a junction.
For the repeat of both stages, Warren gambled on sticking to the same tyre choice although conditions looked to be improving, this move paid dividends as despite a half spin on stage three he improved his times by over 10 seconds per stage.
"It was a tough decision, as even though the rain had stopped, a lot of wet patches and shiny tar remained. In hindsight, as conditions improved further for the last loop, the tyre choice, I felt, was too soft, but as we came off the last stage the rain began to fall again! It’s a calculated risk with tyres that is very difficult to get right," said Warren.
During the final loop of stages John and Ruthann kept their composure and for the third event in a row came away with a podium Class 13 finish.
"It was our first time competing in Wexford," said Ruthann afterwards, "and we really enjoyed the stages, the event was a credit to the Wexford Motorclub and mixing it on the stages with the likes of Irish Rally driver Craig Breen who just signed a full-time drive in the World Rally Championship with the M-Sport Ford World Rally team, was a fantastic way to spend a Sunday!"
John finished by again thanking Ruthann for her job on the pacenotes and the C-Sport service crew for their professional set up.
Mayo & District Motorsport Club – Margaret McGreal Fuel Economy Drive
On Sunday, October 24, Mayo & District Motorsport Club will host the third Margaret McGreal Fuel Economy Drive. This year the club have joined up with MS (Multiple Sclerosis ) Ireland and all funds raised will go towards this very worthy cause.
This is a road event with a difference, far removed from the annual Mayo stages rally which takes place every March. The Margaret McGreal Fuel Economy Drive is a family friendly road event. The objective is to drive a set route in ordinary passenger cars or motorbikes under normal driving conditions. The event is open to all road-worthy vehicles from pre-war cars to present day petrol or diesel models and motorbikes, (hybrid and electric cars are welcome to participate, however they are not eligible for an award ). Each competing vehicle starts with a full tank of fuel and on completion of the route they must refuel at a nominated filling station to calculate the fuel economy. Teams will be required to check in at various check points along the route. This is a fun event for all the family while at the same time raising funds for a worthy charity.
In March 2015 Mayo & District Motorsport club lost one of their dearest members when Margaret McGreal sadly passed away and her club mates held the inaugural ‘Fuel Economy Drive’ in her memory in August 2016, with the second event taking place the following year. Due to the pandemic the event scheduled for 2020 was postponed and now with restrictions easing, Mayo & District Motorsport Club are delighted to finally be back on track.
This year’s event will follow an exciting new route starting at the Sports & Leisure Centre in Foxford, the hometown of Margaret McGreal, passing the scenic shores of Lough Conn at Pontoon and on to Achill via Newport.
Registration takes place from 10am on Sunday, October 24 at the Foxford Sports & Leisure Centre (F26 ND92 ). The entry fee is €30 per car and €20 per motorbike. The first vehicle will leave at 12pm and at one-minute intervals thereafter. Due to Covid, the organisers would encourage online pre-registration where possible as this will reduce the need to complete registration forms on the day. For more information, please see www.mayomotorsportclub.com or contact the event secretary, Rachel, on (083 ) 0889677.
