1974 Galway Hotel Rally

1974 Galway International Hotel Rally 

Galway Rally Again First Class – Preview by Brian Foley

With an entry of just on the 100 mark, this weekend’s Galway International Hotel Rally promises to be yet another top quality event in the grand manner that is now expected of the Galway Motor Club.

The fancied men for outright victory in this second round of the National Rally Championship for the Irish Shell and BP trophies are Dubliners Gerry Forde, Noel Smith and John Tansey in a trio of Porsche Carreras; John Keating (Kanturk) and Sean Campbell (Newry) in Ford RS Escorts;  Robert Ward (Donegal) in a BMW 2002, and Welsh visitor John Price in an Alpine Renault.  Northerners Joe Pat O’Kane and Fred Patterson will also be at the wheel of Porsches.

The battle for the Ladies’ Award will be between Rosemary Smith, Sue Sinclair, both in Opel Asconas, and Melanie Fitzgerald-Smith (Cork) in a Chrysler Avenger GT.  With Rosemary in the Group 2 car, entered by the British-based Dealer Team Opel, she will be well in the hunt for outright victory should the faster Porsches, Fords and BMWs run into trouble.

The rally, which carries almost £1000 in prizes, is scheduled to start on Saturday at 10 am from the Salthill Promenade car park.  Six special stages in the Loughrea-Gort area will be tackled twice, the stages and times of arrival of the first car on each lap are as follows:

• Bolleybeg: 11am – 1.50pm
• Knockatee: 11.18am – 2.08pm
• Francis’ Gap: 11.36am – 2.26pm
• Thoorballylee: 12.16pm – 3.06pm
• Lough Curta: 12.41pm – 3.31pm
• Peterswell: 12.55pm – 3.45pm

Sunday’s run commences at noon and the six stages to be covered twice, in the Moycullen-Oughterard area are:

• Gortgar: 12.43 – 2.50pm
• Killaguile: 1.28 – 3.35pm
• Porridgetown: 1.42 – 3.49pm
• Rosscahill: 2.06 – 4.13pm
• Tullykyne: 2.25 – 4.32pm

Results and awards will be presented at the International Hotel, Salthill, on Sunday night. 

1974 Galway International Hotel Rally 

Rally Field Halved By Tough Going (Probably by Brian Foley)

The field of 88 starters for last weekend’s big Galway International Hotel Rally was reduced to 44 finishers after 22 special stages over closed roads.  It produced a win for Newry-man Sean Campbell (Escort RS BDA) who seems to have overcome the many troubles which have dogged his rallying endeavours for the past couple of years.

At the finish, 1 minute 39 seconds separated him from Dublin solicitor Noel Smith, himself a former National Champion, in the only remaining Porsche Carrera, of which four had started the event.  Welshman John Price in his Renault Alpine secured third place.

Ray Murphy (of International Hotel fame) secured fifth place in his Vauxhall Magnum.  Murphy was the highest placed Galway driver, also winning the Group 1 category and contributing to a win for the private Vauxhall team in the team prize.

Second Galway driver was David Baynes (Escort Sport 1300) in 27th place overall, while Pat Higgins from Oughterard brought his Alfa Romeo home only 2 minutes 20 seconds behind in thirtieth place overall.  Mike Davis in an Avenger replaced brake pads during the rally and came home in fortieth place.

John Dempsey (Cooper S) retired from tenth place with a broken drive after 18 stages, and John Margetts (Opel Manta) bent a wall causing his retirement.  Bob Bradley retired his NSU during Saturday’s run..

Rosemary Smith won the Ladies’ Award (12th place overall) in the Dealer Opel Team Ascona, having overcome brake-locking problems during Saturday’s stages, and a punctured tyre which they changed during the long Tullykyne stage on Sunday.

The computer-produced results were available in the record time of two hours after the completion of the last stage. 

Overall Results (times in seconds)

1. Sean Campbell (Escort RS) 8756
2. Noel Smith (Porsche Carrera) 8855
3. John Price (Renault Alpine) 9007
4. K. Twomey (Escort) 9348
5. Ray Murphy (Vauxhall Magnum) 9587
6. Ronnie McCartney (Mazda RX3)
7. Jimmy Stewart (Ford Capri) 9641

Ladies’ Award: Rosemary Smith (Opel Ascona)

Galway Crews: 1st Ray Murphy 9587; 2nd David Baynes 10430;  3rd Pat Higgins 10570

Best Galway Novice Award: David Baynes