1984 MCMC Roadside Stage Rally

Posted in Archives by February 28th, 2021
Pat Kirk and Paul Foley dominated the Maiden City, Roadside Garages Stage Rally in their Autoservices Nissan 240RS.

This report reproduced from Carsport, 1984

Convincing win for Pat Kirk

Report by Rory Kennedy.

Pat Kirk and Paul Foley took their Autotune Nissan 240RS to yet another convincing win in the recently held Maiden City Motor Club, Roadside Motor’s Stage Rally in Limavady.

Despite a somewhat under-subscribed entry, Paul Taylor (C.O.C.) and staff had laid out an excellent event consisting of ten special stages, four repeated twice, and two done in reverse, all in the Dungiven area. Scrutiny for the event took place in Roadside Motors, Limavady, sponsors of the event, and rally headquarters was set up in the spacious Gorteen Hotel, also in Limavady.

Dessie McCartney was a late entry and ran at the back of the field, but managed sixth place overall despite also falling foul of road penalties.

Pat Kirk lead the thirty crews away from the one o’clock start, to the first stage just outside Dungiven. Kirk dominated right from the start, as expected, taking fastest times on three of the first four stages, the only real challenge coming from relative newcomers to the rally world, Kevin Shaw and Seamus Boyle, in the ‘Beaver Kitchens‘ GpA RS2000, which incidentally he had on loan from his brother.

Ian Rock was an early retirement after SS2 in his rear-wheel-drive Fiesta, with mechanical difficulties. S. Marsden and P. McCrea were really getting their Escort twin cam to work on the slippy but mostly short tarmac stages holding third place after four stages. Dessie McCartney was next up in fourth place in his 1700 Sunbeam, followed by Elkin Robinson and Derek Smyth in their RS2000, who were joint with Fred Kane and W. Boggs in his new GpA Sunbeam.

William Braiden and Harry Bredin were unlucky to pick up a puncture on SS7 and put them out of the running.

The repeat of the first four stages followed and this was to bring many changes to the leader board. Pat Kirk continued to dominate, setting fastest on all four stages this time. Kevin Shaw maintained his second place from S. Marsden, and Joe Joe O’Kane with Patsy Donaghy in the hot seat for the day were now up to fourth after a spirited drive over the repeat loop of stages.

Dessie McCartney slowed slightly after a tyre change but still managed to hold on to fifth spot from Fred Kane, just one second behind. Willie Braiden and Harry Bredin dropped right out of the running after puncturing on SS7 dropping some 15 seconds, after setting some excellent times on the opening stages in their RS2000.

Donegal’s Eamon Harvey and Rory Kennedy did well to bring their 1600cc Sunbeam into fourth place overall.

With just two stages to go, fourth, fifth and sixth positions were divided by just three slender seconds, and still everything to go for. Pat Kirk and Paul Foley notched up another win for the very successful Autotune team, under the very capable management of Fred Kane, who was also competing. Kevin Shaw and Seamus Boyle, after a determined drive, were rewarded with 2nd place overall in their Group A car, and S. Marsden and P. McCrea finished a very healthy 3rd o/a.

Eamon Harvey and Rory Kennedy finished 4th o/a in their Downtown GpA Sunbeam after a late charge over the final stages. But it also must be pointed out that Joe Joe O’Kane was penalised 30 seconds road penalties for an alleged early arrival at a time control, robbing him of his fifth overall position on the final results.

Joe Joe O’Kane and Patsy Donaghy would have finished fifth overall were it not for a road penalty.

Elkin Robinson and Derek Smyth finished 5th overall in their RS2000 at the expense of Dessie McCartney who was also penalised 10 seconds road penalty for early arrival, and thus ended up in 6th place. Fred Kane also fell foul of the early arrival penalty costing him a 10 seconds penalty and 4th place. Eighth spot was filled by K. Moore in his Chevette, ninth spot Joe Joe O‘Kane, and tenth was Stephen Russell and Michael Pearson in their Northern Motorsport ex-John McCullough RS2000.

This was a very enjoyable event which ran exactly on time throughout the day, and a good choice of stages, with results and prize giving taking place very promptly after the event. There is no reason why this event shouldn’t attract more entries in years to come if it follows the same format of this year.

OVERALL RESULTS

  1. Pat Kirk/Paul Foley, (Nissan 240RS), 15:38;
  2. Kevin Shaw/Seamus Boyle, (RS2000), 15:53;
  3. S. Marsden/P. McCrea, (Escort Twin Cam), 16:08;
  4. Eamon Harvey/Rory Kennedy, (Sunbeam 1600), 16:18;
  5. Elkin Robinson/Derek Smyth, (RS2000), 16:21;
  6. Dessie McCartney/Unknown, (Sunbeam 1700), 16:22;
  7. Fred Kane/W. Boggs, (Sunbeam 1600), 16:27;
  8. K. Moore/Unknown, (Chevette), 16:44;
  9. J.J. O’Kane/Patsy Donaghy, (Avenger), 16:45:
  10. Stephen Russell/Michael Pearson, (RS2000), 16:53.