1st Derek McGarrity

Photo: Roy Dempster www.roydempster.com

The euroCABLES Stages Rally sponsored by Pedro Pet Foods Ltd was held at Kirkistown in perfect spring like conditions and boasted a capacity entry of 120 starters.

The six stage event, opening round of the 2009 Hankook MSA NI Rally Championship, was won by Derek McGarrity in his Subaru S12B WRC as he posted fastest times on all of the tests. Last year's NI rally champion Connor McCloskey, driving the same Ford Focus 05 WRC (prepared by McGeehan Motorsport) he used on last year's event, finished just over 26 seconds behind.

2nd Connor McCloskey

3rd Kenny McKinstry 

Kenny McKinstry, who came 3rd overall, was in the Ford Focus 05 WRC that McCloskey used to win the 2008 Bushwhacker and Down rallies. McCloskey and McKinstry both suffered some time loss on SS1 when they were held up by slower competitors, who joined the stage ahead of them as they completed their first lap.

Fourth place went to Denis Biggerstaff in the S9 Subaru despite numerous problems including hitting a bale and then a small fire. Seamus Leonard had been as high as third in his Subaru WRC but fell back to finish fifth. Former champion George Robinson ended the day sixth after setting some impressive times early on in a Subaru WRC. The McKinstry prepared Subarus of Alan Carmichael and English visitor Ray Brammer finished 7th and 8th respectively.

Group N winner Raymond Johnston 

Wesley Patterson took top two wheel drive honours in tenth overall ahead of a number of four wheel drive competitors. Raymond Johnston was first in Group N with a clean and tidy run ahead of Cathal Rogers, both were in Evo 9s.

Emma McKinstry had a day to forget as her Subaru suffered an exhaust fire on SS2 causing extensive damage to the rear of the car. Andrew Bushe who had been going well in the Saxo crashed into a haybale on SS5 and retired. Samantha Thom, who just recently passed her driving test, had a froughtful first stage rally suffering mechanical maladies from the start and eventually retiring her Peugeot 106 from the event.

2WD winner Wesley Patterson

Video highlights by waylanderwrc

Eurocables Pedro Pet Foods Stages Rally video by fishera70

Top Ten Results Eurocables Stages Rally Kirkistown 2009 

1 Derek McGarrity James McKee Subaru Impreza S12B  26:52.3
2 Connor McCloskey Francis Regan Ford Focus WRC  27:18.7  
3 Kenny McKinstry Noel Orr Ford Focus WRC  27:31.9 3 
4 Denis Biggerstaff Damian McCann Subaru Impreza S9   27:53.6 
5 Seamus Leonard John McCafferty Subaru Impreza S9  27:57.2  
6 George Robinson Tommy Speers Subaru Impreza S6   28:08.1
7 Alan Carmichael Ivor Lamont Subaru Impreza S9  28:17.0
8 Ray Brammer Matt Whattam Subaru Impreza S8  28:22.9
9 Kieron Graffin Vincent Fergus Subaru Impreza S9  28:28.3
10 Wesley Patterson Terence Teggart Ford Escort MK II RS  28:40.3

Rally winner Derek McGarrity 

Photos: Roy Dempster www.roydempster.com

Results: anicc.org.uk

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About the Author

Scott Coursey is the editor-in-chief of RallyBuzz.com and can be found on Twitter or on Facebook