Motorsport: Harris wins in Tipperary

Leading from start to finish. Paul Harris and his co-driver, Eugene O’Donnell (Subaru Impreza), the reigning national champions, won the six-stage Clonmel

Sun, 12 Aug, 2001 - 20:07

Leading from start to finish. Paul Harris and his co-driver, Eugene O’Donnell (Subaru Impreza), the reigning national champions, won the six-stage Clonmel

Arms Hotel Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

They had a minute to spare over the Subaru WRC of Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor with the Escort Cosworth of David Armstrong/ Herbie Blackburn surviving both the challenge of Michael Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman and their ailing Escort to clinch third.

Harris built up a 17 second lead but the turning point of the rally came on S.S. 3. Meagher’s Ford Focus WRC ground to halt after the throttle cable broke.

Eventually - after approximately seven minutes - he was able to finish the stage after he linked the snapped cable with his bootlace.

He went on to set a few fastest times and finished 37th.

There were no such worries for Harris who powered his way to a comfortable win. Behind the top three, Michael Barrable (Toyota) and Patrick Cahill (Subaru)

were fourth and fifth respectively.

The Group N award went to local Clonmel driver, Roy White. He also finished sixth overall after a masterful performance that kept his local fans happy.

Other local drivers to finish in the top ten were Jimmy Lambert and Kieran Molloy.

Rory Galligan was fifth fellow Irish driver, Adrian McElvaney ninth in the Welsh Rally won by Justin Dale.

John McCluskey (Peugeot 309) finished second in the fifth round of the British Rallycross Championship at Anglesea.

Keith Dempsey and Matt Griffin finished fourth and seventh respectively in the British Formula Renault Championship at Croft.

In Mondello Park, John O'Hara (Formula Europa) and Paul Dagg (Strykers) netted double wins and Andrew McKinney won the Fiat Uno championship race.

CLONMEL ARMS TIPPERARY STONETHROWERS RALLY:

1. P. Harris/E. O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza) 56M. 35S.

2. E. Boland/A. Nestor (Subaru WRC) 57M. 35S.

3. D. Armstrong/H. Blackburn (Escort Cosworth) 58M.

51S.

4. M. Barrable/D. O'Gorman (Toyota Celica) 59M. 25S.

5. P. Elliott/M. Cahill (Subaru) 59M. 43S.