Photo
by: James
Jess/JAMES JESS PHOTOGRAPHY
For
immediate release: 08 March 2010
Champion
Derek McGarrity eyes up
McGrady Insurance Stages hat-trick!
Round
two of the Hankook MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship
brings competitors to Bishopscourt Race Circuit this weekend
for the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally!
The event has attracted almost 100 crews to the venue, which
is based a few miles outside Downpatrick. And topping the entry
is round one winner and reigning champion, Derek McGarrity.
The Glengormley car and helicopter dealer will wheel out his
S12B specification Subaru Impreza World Rally Car in a bid to
maintain his winning streak at Bishopscourt. McGarrity has won
the McGrady Insurance sponsored event for the last two years
running, so another success in 2010 will complete a hat-trick
of victories.
Number two seeds, George Robinson and Tommy Speers, will be
aiming to stop the champion in his tracks. Robinson was on course
for finishing second overall at the season's opening event until
he was forced to complete the final miles in two-wheel-drive.
The incident dropped Robinson to third but at least he completed
the rally, unlike number three seeds for this weekend, Gary
White and Dominic Carson. The crew retired from round one after
they lost a wheel when their Impreza sheared wheel studs at
the start of stage one.
Stuart Biggerstaff is hoping to continue his run of great form
at this Saturday's event. The 21-year-old has made a scintillating
start to his stage rally career, having finished second overall
on each of his debut events. Biggerstaff, who will be navigated
by Damian McCann, is hopeful of securing another solid points
finish in what will be his third stage rally.
Raymond Johnston and Fabian McAleer will start the McGrady Insurance
Stages at number five in their Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
9. The crew are the leading Sunoco Fuels Group N entrants, and
they will face stiff opposition from Kieron Graffin, John McGlaughlin
and Alan Carmichael.
Drew Stewart, who dominated the two-wheel-drive category at
round one, will start Bishopscourt with number nine on his door.
Piloting his Mark 2 Escort, he will be aiming for another category
victory, although event sponsor, Fintan McGrady, will have other
ideas!
This Saturday's rally will also play host to a number of titanic
battles throughout the field. The Montgomery Motorsport Historic
category, Superdrive Junior category and Autofashion.ie Group
A Cup have all received entries from a number of leading competitors.
The action kicks off on Saturday morning at approximately 9am.
Competitors will face six stages, all based within the confines
of Bishopscourt Race Circuit. More details are available online
at www.nirally.com
and www.ballynahinchmotorclub.com.
ENDS.
McGrady Insurance Stages - top 10 entrants
1 Derek McGarrity/TBA (Impreza WRC)
2 George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Impreza WRC)
3 Gary White/Dominic Carson (Impreza 555)
4 Stuart Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Impreza WRC)
5 Raymond Johnston/Fabian McAleer (Lancer Evo 9)
6 Kieron Graffin/Neil Doherty (Lancer Evo 9)
7 John McGlaughlin/Graham Curry (Lancer Evo 9)
8 Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont (Lancer Evo 9)
9 Drew Stewart/Steven Park (Mark 2 Escort)
10 Fintan McGrady/Cormac McGrady (Mark 2 Escort)
Photograph: Attached photograph depicts Stuart Biggerstaff in
his Subaru Impreza WRC during the 2010 Pedro Pet Foods Stages.
Image may be used free of charge for editorial use with credit
to the photographer, James Jess/JAMES JESS PHOTOGRAPHY. Image
may not be sold, resold or used for commercial purposes. Copyright
remains with the photographer.
Regards,
Jonathan MacDonald
MediaJAM Communications
