Birr Forestry Rally 2008 Results: Ray Breen wins to take the 2008 Hankook Tyres National Forestry Rally Championship title

Posted by Scott Coursey 7 October, 2008

birr08 Birr Forestry Rally 2008 Results: Ray Breen wins to take the 2008 Hankook Tyres National Forestry Rally Championship title

Three years after winning the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Kilkenny's, Ray Breen (Ford Focus WRC) has won the Hankook Tyres Irish Forestry Championship. He won the Nenagh based Birr Forest Rally, the final round of the series to clinch his second national title to equal Eugene Donnelly's record.

Breen, who was co-driven by Martin Brady, needed just to finish in the points. However, the Kilkenny driver sealed his title success with a five second victory over the Subaru WRC pairing of Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC). Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru WRC) were third - almost a minute adrift.

Breen led after the first stage where he powered his Ford Focus into a four second lead.
However, by the end of the second test, Harding was 13 seconds in front as he revelled in the conditions. The margin remained unchanged at the half way mark.

Highlights of Birr Forestry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loLt3_i3O30

Harding was on course for victory until a gearbox malady cost him time, indeed, his seven second lead entering the final stage proved insufficient. A dominant Breen took that stage victory by twelve seconds and event victory by five seconds. Denis Cronin (Subaru) in third was followed by Colin Britton (Mitsubishi) and John Reid (Toyota Corolla WRC). Seamus O'Connell (Escort) was the top two-wheel drive exponent.

After spraying the Champagne Ray stated:

To win the championship is absolutely Awesome, plus equalling Eugene’s record is outstanding and puts the icing on the cake for what tuned out be an incredible season”.

Onboard footage from Ray Breen during his 2008 Irish Forestry Championship winning campaign:

The recent Birr Forestry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XepRHdNATuY

Moonraker Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNWC_9_HNYw

Limerick Forest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTqk6kmzSlE

Carrick-on-Suir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJxvdMtLyJE

Tipp Forest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqHHMen9uas

Top Ten Results Birr Forestry Rally 2008:

1 Ray Breen/ Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC) 45m 44s,
2 Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555) 45m 49s,
3 Denis Cronin/Helen O’Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 46m 47s,
4 Colin Britton/Arthur Kierans (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 47m 11s,
5 John Reid/Enda Shields (Toyota Corolla WRC) 47m 18s,
6 Liam Ryan/Jonathan McGrath (Subaru Impreza WRX) 48m 38s,
7 Sean Heaney/Liam McLaughlin (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 48m 45s,
8 Seamus O’Connell/Sean Duggan (Ford Escort BDA) 48m 59s,
9 Connie Smith/Breen McNamee (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth) 49m 41s,
10 Moss Fitzgerald/Alistair Wyllie (Toyota Corolla RWD) 49m 48s.

Press release by Ireland Online

Social Bookmark this page: