Rathfriland Motor Club Ltd.
A-One Tyres Kilbroney Stages Rally
Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor 27th March 2004.

WHITE BY A WHISKER

Belfast's Gary White and Richard Curry won the 2004 A-One Tyres Kilbroney Stages
Rally in what turned out to be the closest finish yet in the history of the event.
The Rathfriland Motor Club organised event had attracted a top quality 62 car entry
with some of the finest talents in the country turning out to do battle over the 8
stages within the confines of Rostrevor Forest.
White's Escort Cosworth lead the cars out of the service area at 9.30 followed by
the similar car of Gerard McFall, but it was the Mk2 Escort of Camillus Bradley who
forged into an immediate lead by posting a time of 1min 50secs, with Young Glenn
Wilson on 1:54, White on 1:55 and McFall on 1:56. During the next 3 stages the
crews fought it out with never more than a few seconds splitting them up until the halfway halt. Camillus Bradley held on to the lead by 3 sec. from White, with Gerard McFall in third from in impressive Glenn Wilson and Philip Gillespie in fourth place in
the ex Kenny McKinstry F2 Escort.
Further down the field the battles raged among the smaller engine classes. In 6th
place the 2000cc class was headed by Brian Armstrong who had 5 secs. in hand over Stephen Armstrong. Local honours among the 1600cc cars was upheld by Banbridge's John Devlin and Shane Fitzpatrick who's Sunbeam held a slender 1 second advantage over Walter Nevin and Ronnie Stewart.
Armagh's Brian Black and Ian Crozier were again performing amazing stage times in
their 1300 Starlet and were holding 13th overall at the halfway halt after the demise
of the local Mini challenge of George Jennings/Trevor Barlow when the Mini broke a
drive shaft within sight of the finish of the first stage.
With the stage now turned around and the cars refettled the battle resumed with
stage 5. White set of in determined mood and immediately clipped back the 3 seconds lead from Bradley to draw level. Bradley attacked on the next stage but could only
equal White to hold the joint lead going into stage 7, which unfortunately would be
the last stage of the day. Stage 7 would be the decider for both men and both men prepared to give the last stage their all. First to enter was Gary White who stopped
the clocks at 2mins exactly having taken an amazing 3secs. of his previous stage time. Running third on the road was Camillus Bradley who put in a sterling performance to be only 1 sec. slower, but this was enough to relegate him to second spot. The last stage also produced a blistering time for Glenn Wilson who pipped Gerard McFall by 1 sec. for third place after a day long battle in which it was delightful to see the fastest four
wheel drive cars challenged by the fastest rear and front wheel drive cars in the
North of Ireland.
The class honours for class 6 went to Gerard McFall /Brendan Boyle with the Subaru
of last years winning navigator Dominic Carson/Billy Regan in 2nd. Class 5 naturally
went to Camillus Bradley/Danny O'Neill, Glenn Wilson/Philip Gillespie were 2nd and
Andy Hawthorn/Jillian Hawthorn clinched 3rd in their Vauxhall Astra.
Class 4 winners were Brian Armstrong/Terrance Taggart followed by Stephen Armstrong/Lisa Armstrong. Denis McKenna/Conor Foley were victorious in class 3
while John Devlin/Shane Fitzpatrick held of Ian Newport/Garnet McFetridge and
David McElroy/Mo Downey to claim class 2.
Brian Black/Ian Crozier had class 1b all to themselves with their giant killing
performance and the Nova of David Hyland/Chris Hamilton won class 1a .
Before the Champagne was sprayed at the finish Gary White took the opportunity
to commend Bradley on his performance throughout the day and acknowledged the pressure that he put him under to take victory for the second year in a row.
Rathfriland Motor Club would like to thank their sponsors, A-One Tyres, all the
marshals and officials who helped with the event and Newry & Mourne District Council
for the use of their facilities

Results 2004 A-One Tyres Kilbroney Stages Rally.
G.White/R.Curry Escort Cosworth 13:23
C.Bradley/D.Oneill Mk2 Escort 13:24
G.Wilson?P.Gillespie F2 Escort 13:41
G.McFall/B.Boyle Escort Cosworth 13:42
b.Armstrong/T.Taggart Escort Mk2 13:52
S.Armstrong/L.Armstrong Escort Mk2 13:58
B.O'Neill/E.O'Kane Escort Mk2 14:14
D.Connolly/I.Campbell Escort 14:15
G.McPolin/R.McPolin Escort Mk2 14:16
B.Black/I.Crozier Toyota Starlet 14:17