Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland Rally 2003: Derek McGarrity wins the Circuit for the first time
Derek McGarrity, piloting an ex-Tommi Makinen Subaru S8 WRC, won his first Circuit of Ireland Rally with Chris Patterson in the co-drivers seat on the 2003 event.
McGarrity was never headed throughout the event, which was based in Fermanagh, and withstood the pressure from Andrew Nesbitt in another Subaru WRC. Nesbitt had several setbacks during the three day event including a one minute penalty on day one for a jump start, a down on power engine at times and power steering problems on the final day. He was never really able to rival McGarrity's times though, when the car was working.
Nesbitt, in the end, took 2nd place after dropping to fourth at one point with his problems. McGarrity's only real mishap, during the rally, happened on day one when he spun the car and lost 25s, otherwise he was pretty much able to control the pace.
Nesbitt in the same car on the 2002 Circuit:
Austin MacHale, who was making his first appearance in a Subaru (S7), suffered minor mechanical glitches over the weekend but was able to put up a charge on the last couple of stages to grab third from Eamonn Boland in his NVD Subaru WRC. Boland lost third after a spin and getting stuck between two banks just two stages from the finish. Fifth went to another Subaru of Maurice Gass.
Roy White won Group N in his Evo in sixth but the star of the category was Donegal's Shaun Gallagher, also in an Evo, who was 2nd in Group N and 7th o/a on his first competitive drive in a Group N car.
Major retirements included Eugene Donnelly who crashed his Subaru WRC heavily on SS10 and Peadar Hurson who withdrew his Subaru WRC after he became ill during the rally. Tim McNulty crashed his Subaru on day two and had to retire due to subsequent radiator damage.
In the end it was McGarrity who claimed his first Tarmac Championship win on the most famous rally in Ireland, a pretty special achievement.
The story of the 2003 Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland by SVS TV:
UAC Circuit of Ireland 2003 Top Ten Results:
1 Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 23m 06.4s
2 Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 24m 34.9s
3 Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 25m 55.1s
4 Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 25m 57.7s
5 Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 27m 37.7s
6 Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Gp N) 2h 32m 41.4s
7 Shaun Gallagher/Rory Kennedy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Gp N) 2h 33m 05.1s
8 Dickie Curran/Anthony Donnelly (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Gp N) 2h 34m 48.4s
9 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Gp N) 2h 36m 00.1s
10 Glyn Jones/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h 37m 21.8s
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