1980 Road Rally Championship

This series of reports appeared mostly in the Belfast Telegraph and are reproduced here thanks to the Drew Todd collection. Photographs are all from the Bryce Sands collection.

Round 1 – Cookstown Sizzler

THE 1980 Northern Ireland road rally championship starts tomorrow night with the Cookstown Sizzler rally, and a high class entry points to the most closely contested series since the late 1960s.

There are 67 entries for the rally and any one of the top 10 seeds could win the event. At No. 1 are 1979 champions Fred Crawford and Drew Todd in Fred’s immaculate Escort RS2000, who finished second in this event last year. Running at two is the similar car of Jimmy Logan who is concentrating on the road rally championship this year with Derek Ervine navigating.

Two more RS2000s follow crewed by John Jones/Ivor Ferguson and Robert Copeland/Peter Scott, but the Ford domination of the first 10 is broken by the Talbot Sunbeam of Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan.

These five drivers, who all won events last year, will be rotating the unpopular No. 1 position in the first five events of 1980.

Tommy Speers and Joe Law, winners of last week’s Icebreaker rally in their RS2000, are running at six and next in line is a brand new Escort driven by John Allen and crewed by his brother Jackson, who navigated Willie Hunter to two of his wins last year. Allen withdrew before the start of last Friday’s Enniskillen rally as his new engine had blown up, but it is hoped it will be repaired for the Cookstown rally.

The ever consistent Dan Doherty and Brian Russell (Sunbeam) are at eight, and the top 10 is completed by up-and-coming crews Kenny MecKinstry/John McGaffin (Escort) and Kevin O’Kane/Godfrey Crawford (Avenger).

The ban on racing tyres and Dunlop A2 tyres will apply to this event which starts at 9.0 pm from
Warnocks Service Station, Tullylagan (on the Cookstown-Dungannon Road). There are petrol halts at Churchtown (10.25 pm) and Little Bridge (11.55 pm). The finish is at Hanover House, Coagh, around 1 am.

Champions Handed “Sizzling” Victory

THE Cookstown Sizzler Rally, first round of the Northern Ireland road rally championship, was won by the 1979 champion crew Fred Crawford and Drew Todd (Ford Escort RS2000), who finished just over a minute ahead of Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan in a Talbot Sunbeam.

In third place came Robert Copeland, navigated by Peter Scott, also in a Mk. 1 Escort 2000. The 120-mile rally had an excellent entry of 67 cars and 21 of these were in the expert class.

The rally started from four miles south of Cookstown, and the first competitive section was to the west of that town and finished at Churchtown. On the way a number of crews had problems and among these were Tommy Speers and Joe Law (Escort RS2000), who had a throttle cable break and the similar car of Jimmy Logan/ Derek Ervine was also in difficulty and lost about three minutes with a puncture.

At the first petrol halt, the leaders were brothers John and Jackson Allen in their new Escort, which had its engine built on the day of the rally. They were 50 seconds ahead of top seeds Crawford and Todd. In third place, having a particularly good run, were Haydock and Rowan, in front of the fourth placed crew – Copeland/Scott.

As the rally proceeded to the north and east of Cookstown, Logan/Ervine put on the pressure and set best time on the first competitive section, beating Allen by three seconds. Next best were Copeland and then Haydock. The second petrol halt was in Little Bridge and still leading were the Allen brothers, who looked to be on their way to a superb first time win for their new car.

The final section was in the area to the north-west of Lough Neagh and the roads had become ice covered and very slippery. Haydock/Rowan in the Sunbeam found this much to their liking and they stretched their advantage over Copeland.

The leaders — the Allen Brothers — who looked to be on their way to a first time championship win were the victims of cruel luck, when only one and a half miles from the finish, the Escort’s differential broke and put them out of the event, handing the rally to Crawford/Todd.

Haydock’s excellent run saw him finish a minute ahead of Copeland, and Banbridge crew Kenny McKinstry and John McGaffin (Escort RS2000) had a consistent run to finish fourth overall, over two minutes ahead of the Sunbeams of Joe O’Kane and Dan Doherty.

RESULTS

1. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort), 7 mins. 45 secs.;
2. Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam), 8-59;
3. Robert Copeland/Peter Scott (Escort), 9-53;
4. Kenny McKinstry/John McGaffin (Escort), 11-08;
5. John Joe O’Kane/Brian Quinn (Sunbeam), 13-36;
6. Kevin O’Kane/Godfrey Crawford (Avenger), 15-43;
7. Ronnie Foreman/Stuart Carphin (Avenger), 18-27;
8. Trevor Jordan/Bobby Willis (Escort), 21-11;
9. Colin Clark/Paul Taylor (Escort), 25-50.

Round 2 – Maiden City Valentine Rally

Logan in Bogey Position

WHITEABBEY garage owner Jimmy Logan and his co-driver Derek Ervine move up to take their turn at the head of the Northern Ireland road rally championship field for tomorrow night’s second round of the series, the Valentine Rally.

Under a system introduced this year, the top five seeds rotate the disliked No. 1 position and the Logan Escort RS2000 moves up to lead the way for the first championship rally run by the Maiden City club.

Starting at No. 2 will be John Jones and Lenny Weir with Robert Copeland/Peter Scott at three, completing an all-Escort RS2000 top trio.

Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan break the sequence with their Talbot Sunbeam at four and then come current champions and championship leaders Fred Crawford and Drew Todd in another Escort RS2000.

The Allen brothers, John and Jackson, who led the first round until their Escort RS2000 broke its differential near the finish, start at six ahead of Tommy Speers and Joe Law (Escort RS2000) who won the Maiden City club’s “Shakedown” rally last year.

Dan Doherty/Brian Russell (Sunbeam), Kevin O’Kane/Godfrey Crawford (Avenger) and Dessie Boyd/TBA (Avenger) complete the top 10 in a rally which has attracted 19 expert crews.

The event starts from Hazletts garage, Claudy, at 9 pm tomorrow night and after a petrol halt at Donemana (11 pm) finishes the 120-mile route at the Beaufort Hotel back in Claudy around 1 pm.

Two in a Row by Crawford and Todd

AFTER two rounds of the Northern Ireland road rally championship, Fred Crawford’s superb driving and car preparation and Drew Todd’s efficient navigation have produced two wins, the second coming last night on Maiden City Motor Club’s Valentine Rally.

The Ford Escort RS2000 crew finished over five minutes in front of the Talbot Sunbeam of Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan — who also were second on the first event — and Sunbeams took the next three places in the hands of Dan Doherty/Brian Russell, Davy McIlroy/Ronnie McKee and Joe Joe O’Kane/Brian Quinn.

The well thought out 120 mile route started and finished in Claudy, with one petrol halt half way at Donemana and 20 of the 58 entries were in the expert class.

The first competitive section lasted 30 miles and brothers John and Jackson Allen Escort RS2000) who led for much of the first event until retiring with mechanical problems, took an immediate lead from Crawford and Todd, with Jimmy Logan/ Derek Ervine next best.
Only two minutes separated the first 10 crews though Robert Copeland/Peter Scott (Escort RS2000) were down in ninth place and Scott had been feeling ill and overshot a number of junctions. They were to retire shortly after this with engine trouble and Kevin O’Kane/Godfrey Crawford (Avenger) also dropped out with a broken gearbox.

Another 30 miles remained before the halt and Crawford put on the pressure to take the lead and at the break was seven seconds ahead of the Allens. John Jones/Lennie Weir (Escort RS2000) were challenging Logan for third place.

Positions here were:

1. Crawford/Todd, 2 minutes 12 seconds;
2. Allen Brothers 2.19;
3. Logan/Ervine 4.38;
4. Jones/Weir 4.49;
5. Haydock/Rowan 4.53;
6. Davy Mcellroy/Ronnie McKee 5.08.

Shortly after the restart the route went to the Douglas Bridge area, but the Allens unfortunately had their third retirement in three events with their new car when the engine expired. This took the pressure off Crawford, but he still extended his lead.

Logan was excluded by a marshal for continuing with a broken exhaust, as were Avenger crew Martin McGrory and David Hopper.

Tommy: Speers/Joe Law (RS2000) lost nine minutes when their car stuck in a drain after dropping a wheel off the road, and Jones lost three places plus a four minute time loss. |

The final section used the “Butterlope Glen” dnd the steep pass over the Sperrins below Dart Mountains. Crawford, uncharacteristically, damaged a wing but lost little time and swept on to his second successive win in the S.H. Busby backed Escort.

RESULTS

1. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort) 10 minutes 57;
2. Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam) 16.38;
3. Dan Doherty/Brian Russell. (Sunbeam) 18.15;
4. Davy McIlroy/Ronnie McKee (Sunbeam) 18.43;
5. Joe Joe O’Kane/Brian Quinn. (Sunbeam) 19.08;
6. John Jones/Lennie Weir (Escort) 19.38;
7. Dessie Boyd/Kevin Nixon (Avenger) 20.46;
8. Michael Barr/Terence Campbell (Avenger) 24.53;
9. Tommy Speers/Joe Law (Escort) 25.57;
10. Ronnie Beggs/Bob Foster (Avenger) 26.43.

Round 3 – Omagh Pre-Circuit

The motorsport action starts tonight with the Omagh Club’s Pre-Circuit Rally, third round of the Northern Ireland road rally series. The entry list is headed by the Escort RS2000 of John Jones who has former champion navigator Mike Hart, a local expert, alongside him.

Robert Copeland and Peter Scott are at No. 2 in their Escort RS2000 followed by the Sunbeam of Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan while current champions and series leaders Fred Crawford and Drew Todd start at No. 4 in their S. H. Busby Escort RS2000.

The Allen. brothers John and Jackson still searching for the reliability to match the speed of their new Escort are seeded at number 5.

Listed in the top 10, too are Kevin O’Kane and Godfrey Crawford but whether they make it or not will depend on completing their car in time. Kevin ‘has bought a new Lotus engine and gearbox and is trying to fit it into his Avenger Tiger!

The rally starts from the Omagh Showgrounds tonight at 9 pm and the 120 mile route will take competitors through the Fintona, Beragh, Sixmilecross aerate a petrol halt at Drumnakilly (11.45 pm). The second half is in the Maine, Newtownstewart area with the finish around 1 pm McGirrs on the Omagh/Gortin road

Copeland and Scott score Omagh win

ROBERT Copeland and Peter Scott, in the Yokohama Tyres backed Ford Escort RS2000, were the winners of last hight’s Pre-Circuit Rally, third round of the Northern Ireland road rally championship.

They finished some three minutes ahead of the Escorts of Jimmy Logan/Derek Ervine and Tommy Speers/Joe Law on the Omagh club round.

Rally favourite and championship leaders, Fred Crawford and Drew Todd were in second place until near the end when a small fire started in their Escort and they dropped to seventh place.

The rally received a disappointing small entry of only about 30 cars but nonetheless all the top championship contenders were in the top seeds.

Im accordance with the agreement for 1980 on seeding it was the turn of John Jones, navigated by top local man Mike Hart to lead the entry and running at No. 2 were Copeland and Scott, the latter crew having only just managed to make the start. Mechanic Harry Drain had been working flat out to fit a new suspension and only had it ready just in time.

The first section of the rally was in the Clanabogan area and immediately Copeland/Scott and the Allen brothers — hoping to Break their bad luck record — took an immediate lead followed by Crawford/Todd and Logan/Irvine. Crawford was having problems with his brakes and he was keen to get to petrol to see if he could do something about it.

As the rally went into the Seskinore area, top seed Jones became the first retirement: with mechanical problems and soon afterwards Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan (Sunbeam) who were lying in second place in the series, joined the spectators.

The first petrol halt was at Drumnakilly and all the leading cars were well behind schedule as one of the watches was set 20 minutes adrift and this made life difficult for the late runners. At the halt Copeland/Scott were leading by a minute from Crawford/Todd with Logan/Irvine and the Allen brothers tying for third. Speers/Law were tying for 5th place with Tommy Reid/Paul Phelan who were having a run on a navigation rally for the first time in many months.

The second half of the event went into Mountfield and Gortin Glen areas and although his brakes were now better, Crawford was in trouble with a small engine fire when one of the carburettors developed a leak. Stopping to extinguish it cost him 10 minutes and five places.

Logan was off the road for a few minutes and very nearly lost his second place to Speers who was pulling up the field. Jackson Allen was having a very rare night off and a couple of over-shoots left them only lying in 4th place but nonetheless he made the finish.

At the finish outside Omagh, Copeland and Scott had increased their lead over Logan/Ervine, with Speers and Law moving ahead of the Allens with Tommy Reid fifth. Ken McKinstry and John McGaffin finished sixth with Crawford and Todd dropping from a top place to seventh.

The Comber crew of Norman Kittle and Dessie Wilson were eighth in their RS2000 and the Avenger of Bangor crew Ronnie Beggs and Bob Foster finished ninth.

At the end it appeared a number of crews would be penalised for not stopping at give-way signs but the organisers had unfortunately omitted to give the compulsory list of locations and the penalties had to be deleted.

RESULTS

1. Robert Copeland/Peter Scott (Escort RS2000) 32;
2. Jimmy Logan/Derek Irvine (Escort RS2000). 35;
3. Tommy Speers/Joe Law (Escort RS2000) 35;
4. John and Jackson Allen (Escort RS2000) 37;
5. Tommy Reid/Paul Phelan (Escort RS2000) 39:
6. Kenny McKinstry/John McGaffin (Escort RS2000) 40;
7. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort RS2000) 43;
8. Norman Kittle/Dessie Wilson (Escort RS2000) 47;
9. Ronnie Beggs/Bob Foster (Avenger) 61;
10. Jimmy Lyons/John McCaffrey (Sunbeam) 62.

Round 4 – Newry Circuit of Down

Meanwhile the Northern Ireland Road Rally Championship continues tomorrow night with the Newry Club’s Circuit of Down Rally. It starts from Crowe’s Garage, Sprucefield roundabout at 9 p.m. and will cover a 120-mile route to: finish at the Belmont Hotel, Banbridge.

It is the turn of Robert Copeland and Peter Scott, winners of the previous round, to lead off from the number one position in their Escort RS 2000 and they will be followed by Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan, their Sunbeam being the only non-Escort entry in the top 10.

Reigning champions and winners of the first two rounds, Fred Crawford and Drew Todd, are at number three, Jimmy Logan and Derek Ervine at four and John Jones-Lenny Weir at five. The Allen brothers John and Jackson start at six ahead of Kenny McKinstry and John McGaffin and at number eight are Tommy Speers and Joe Law.

Tommy Reid, probably to be partnered by Paul Phelan, is at nine and Trevor Turkington, who has still to name his navigator, completes the top 10.

Three out of four for rally champions.

The Circuit of Down Rally, the fourth round of the Northern Ireland Road Rally Championship, was held over an excellent 130 mile route last Friday.

Roads were icy and many had a sprinkling of snow which made conditions treacherous. Last year’s champions Fred Crawford and Drew Todd claimed victory, their third this year. Robert Copeland and Peter Scott took second place and the local crew of Ken McKinstry and John McGaffin were third. All three crews were driving RS2000’s.

The event received a superb entry of 76 cars and the 135 mile route started from Fred Crowe’s garage at the Sprucefield roundabout. The first 60 miles of the event by-passed Banbridge and crossed the main Tandragee-Newry Road at Jerretspass on its way to the first petrol halt at McCammond’s filling station on the Newry-Markethill Road.

Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan were the first in trouble when they slid over a bank and off the road, losing about 15 minutes before spectators helped them back into the rally.

Shortly after this the organisers had one of their many checks at Give-Way signs and some leading competitors were penalised for not stopping completely, as is required by the RAC rules. Tommy Reid and Brian Quinn (RS 2000) retired immediately and John Jones/Lenny Weir in a similar car continued but this was to knock them well out of contention.

Tommy Speers and Joe Law (RS 2000) were excluded by the organisers for receiving illegal servicing — service crews are not allowed on road rally events.

John and Jackson Allen were setting faster times than anyone else in their RS2000 but were penalised for approaching a route check from the wrong direction. At petrol Crawford and Todd were leading by 44 seconds from Copeland/Scott, with McKinstry/McGaffin third, 21 seconds further behind. The Escorts of Trevor Turkington/Eric Hughes and Jimmy Logan/Derek Ervine were fourth and fifth.

The next 50 mile section was to prove very demanding as the conditions if anything, got worse and some of the hills on the narrow Armagh lanes were difficult for even the rally cars to climb. Here Logan and Ervine had a wrong approach to a route check and lost fifth place. At the second petrol halt, Crawford and Todd were still leading but now by only 20 seconds from Copeland and Scott.

McKinstry/McGaffin were in third place, over two minutes behind, with Turkington still fourth. Bangor driver Ronnie Beggs, navigated by Bob Foster, had moved up to fifth place in the Avenger.

The Class Three crews (Novices) ended their rally here but with the adverse conditions only three of them managed to make the control within the time allowed, and easily best of these was the Vauxhall Firenza of Peter Page and Roger Kennedy.

All that remained was a 25 mile section leading back to Banbridge and the Allens were easily best here, a minute in front of Crawford and two minutes better than Copeland. But of course, with their earlier penalty this was all to no avail and Crawford extended his lead in the event to win by one minute and 41 seconds.

This final section brought crews back to the finish outside Banbridge. On this section Crawford and Todd had increased their lead to win by two minutes from Copeland and Scott. McKinstry/McGaffin finished third, with Turkington/Hughes fourth and Beggs/Foster fifth. Haydock was sixth followed by the Allens, Jones and Logan. Logan and Ervine had lost their fifth place when they got a wrong approach at a check.

After four rounds Fred Crawford from Larne and Drew Todd from Bangor lead the championship by 7 points. The result leaves Crawford in a strong position for his second successive Northern Ireland championship, though there are five events remaining in the series. Copeland and Scott are now in a comfortable second place but will have to beat Crawford consistently for the rest of the year if they are to have any hope of winning the series.

The next round is the North Coast Rally organised by Coleraine and District Motor Club on April 18.

RESULTS

1. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort RS 2000) 56.53;
2. Robert Copeland/Peter Scott (Escort RS 2000) 58.54;
3. Kenny McKinstry/John McGaffin (Escort RS 2000) 64.01;
4. Trevor Turkington/Eric Hughes (Escort RS 2000) 71.15;
5. Ronnie Beggs/Bob Foster (Avenger) 75.04;
6. Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam) 78.03;
7. John and Jackson Allen, (Escort RS 2000) 83.42;
8. John Jones/Lennie Weir (Escort RS 2000) 86.29;
9. Jimmy Logan/Derek Ervine (Escort RS 2000) 90.55;
10. Tom Spence/Alastair Donaldson (Sunbeam) 95.00.

Class 2 – Semi-experts class:

1. Kenny Colbert/Colin Beatty (Sunbeam) 98.23 (11th O.A.).

Class,3 — Novice Class

1. Peter Page/Roger Kennedy (Vauxhall) 175,55;
2. Jim Jamison/Jim Craig (Escort) 249.08;
3. Danny Gordon/G. McNally (Escort) 281.56.

Round 5 Coleraine “North Coast”

The Coleraine and District Motor Club’s North Coast Rally, the fifth round of the Northern Ireland Road Rally Championship, starts in Portstewart at 10 p.m. on Friday and the sponsorship from Session Music, the musical equipment supply company, has enabled the club to attract a top quality Class One entry.

From the start at Cahore Motors, Station Road, Dungannon pair Trevor Haydock and Brian Rowan will lead the entry over the competitive sections across North Antrim to the first petrol halt at J. W. McMasters and Son, Ballymoney.

The crews will then head towards Magherafelt and the second stop at Drumrainey Service Station before tackling the last and most difficult section around and finally over the Sperrin Mountains to finish near Garvagh.

In what must surely be the most competitive entry ever received for a road rally in this area, a winner is hard to forecast but one thing is certain — the crews will spare nothing in their bid for glory and that means a close contest.

The prizes, presented by Session Music, will be distributed in the motor club’s clubrooms at Stone Row, Coleraine, at approximately 4.30 a.m. on Saturday.

ENTRY LIST

1. T. Haydock/B. Rowan, Dungannon, 1700 Sunbeam,
2. F. Crawford/D. Todd, Larne, RS 2000;
3. J. Jones/L. Weir, Belfast, RS 2000;
4. R. Copeland/P. Scott, Toome, RS 2000;
5. J. Allen/J, Allen, Armagh, RS 2000;
6. T. Speers/J. Law, Portglenone, RS 2000;
7. K. McMillan/D. Ervine, Newtownabbey, RS1800;
8. T. Reid/B. Quinn, Tandragee, RS 2000;
9. K. McKinstry/J. McGaffin, Banbridge, RS 2000;
10. A. Wilson/B. Dorman, Rasharkin, Fiesta;
11. D. Doherty/T.B.A., Glarryford, 1600 Sunbeam;
12. D. Mcllroy/R. McKee, Upperlands, 1600 Sunbeam;
13. Not Assigned
14. T. Spence/A. Donaldson, Dungannon, 1600 Sunbeam;
15. T. Turkington/E. Hughes, Newtownabbey, RS 2000.

Speers and Law best on “North Coast”

TOMMY SPEERS and Joe Law in their Crawford Machinery Escort RS 2000 won last night’s North Coast Rally from the similar car of Robert Copeland and Peter Scott, who just pipped another Escort RS 2000 – that of Northern Ireland’s road rally championship leaders Fred Crawford and Drew Todd for second place.

The well organised Coleraine and District Motor Club event unfortunately attracted a low entry of only 43 cars, of which 19 finished the 140 mile route.

The first section in the Bushmills area saw all the leading cars lose the same penalty, but the second section had the Allen Brothers (Escort RS 2000) once again take the lead of the rally only to retire before the first petrol halt with a damaged engine. Paul Murray and Derek
Ervine (RS 2000) also went out here with mechanical problems.

Speers/Law then took the lead from Crawford/Todd with Kenny McKinstry/John McGaffin, (RS 2000) and Dan Doherty/Brian Russell (Sunbeam) in third and fourth places. Copeland/Scott had lost time with a wrong-slot in a farmyard and were down in seventh place at the first petrol halt in Ballymoney.

Shortly after the restart McKinstry dropped out when a halfshaft broke and Doherty retired with a blown head gasket.

The route by-passed Garvagh and Maghera on the way to the second petrol halt outside Magherafelt and Copeland/Scott had a clear run here and set the best performance to move up to third just behind Crawford. Local crew Davy McIlroy/Ronnie McKee, (Sunbeam) were in fourth.

The final section’ used roads in the Tobermore area and finished with a run over Tullykeeran Mountain. A faultless run by Speers and Law consolidated their lead and Copeland/Scott did well enough to just beat Crawford/Todd and the battle for the championship series appears to be between the latter two crews. Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowa,n who finished fourth, are also in with a chance.

RESULTS

1. Tommy Speers/Joe Law (Escort RS 2000);
2. Robert Copeland/Peter Scott (Escort RS 2000);
3. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort RS 2000);
4. Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam);
5. Davey McIlroy/Ronnie McKee (Sunbeam);
6. Kenny Colbert/Colin Beatty (Sunbeam);
7. Tom Spence/Alistair Donaldson (Sunbeam);
8. John McCullough/Stuart Carphin (Escort RS 2000);
9. John Jones/Lenny Weir (Escort RS 2000);
10. William Hood/George Millar (Sunbeam).

Round 7 – Dungannon Moonraker

Allens beat their bad luck bogey

THE Dungannon Motor Club Moonraker Rally, seventh round of the Northern Ireland road rally
championship, proved a very satisfactory night for Armagh brothers John and Jackson Allen, who “broke their duck” by not alone finishing the rally, but actually winning the event in their
previously troublesome Escort. They have led many events this year, but unfortunately retired with a variety of problems.

Second place went to up-and-coming crew Kenny McKinstry and John McGaffin in another Escort, who were only a small amount behind the winners. In third place, with his best result ever was Trevor Jordan who was partnered in his Escort by Robert Harkness, making one of his rare forays these days into road rallying.

The rally started at a filling station on the as yet unopened Dungannon by-pass and the club received a superb entry of 69 cars for the 120-mile event which had a patrol halt after 40 miles on the North side of Dungannon, another after a further 60 miles in Caledon and finished in Armagh.

The maze of narrow tarmac roads which abound in the Dungannon area were incredibly slippery and as always kept the navigators on their toes.

Early on in the rally some of the leading crews lost a little time with navigational problems including championship leaders Fred Crawford/Drew Todd: (Escort) and Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam) as well as McKinstry/McGaffin. This left the Allen brothers taking an early initial lead along with Winston Henry and Peter Scott (Escort RS1800), but the latter crew had to return to a control just before the first petrol halt to get their card signed correctly by the marshal and this dropped them to second place at the break. Tied for third were Crawford, Haydock and McKinstry.

Shortly after the re-start there were dramatic changes in positions when Henry left the fray. It looked as if this would put paid to Scott’s chances of the Northern Ireland navigators championship where he was tied with Crawford’s navigator Todd at the start of the event.

But in the Cappagh area, Crawford lost 14 minutes and this was enough to drop them to sixth place at the finish and put Scott back in the lead in the series.

John Jones and Brian Russell (Escort) were another retirement on this section when their differential broke and Tommy Speers/Joe Law (Escort) dropped out of contention for a top placing
when they missed a single check.

The Allen brothers nearly lost the rally just before the second petrol halt when they had a navigational error which cost enough time to put Haydock and Rowan in the lead when the cars reached Caledon.

Unfortunately shortly after this Haydock’s Sunbeam was seen stopped with apparent mechanical problems and that was the end of his rally. At the finish in Armagh the results showed that the very popular Allen brothers had achieved their lifelong ambition and won a round of the Northern Ireland championship.

Crawford still leads the drivers section from Haydock and in the navigator series Scott leads by three points from Todd.

RESULTS – Moonraker

1. John and Jackson Allen (Escort);
2. Kenny McKinstry/John MeGaffin (Escort);
3. Trevor Jordan/Robert Harkness (Escort);
4. Kenny Colbert/Colin Beatty (Sunbeam);
5. John Morgan/Colm Quinn (Escort);
6. Fred Crawford/ Drew Todd (Escort);
7. Alan Blaney/ P. Williamson (Avenger);
8. Ian Boyle/Bobby Young (Toyota).

Class Two

1. Morgan/Quinn;
2. Blaney/Williamson;
3. Boyle/Young.

Final Round – Mid-Antrim Seven Towers
Crawford and Todd retain rally title

FRED Crawford and Drew Todd retained the Northern Ireland road rally championship with fourth place on last night’s final round, the Mid-Antrim Club’s Seven Towers Rally.

Victory went to local crew Tommy Speers and Joe Law in a Ford Escort RS 2000, who finished a comfortable eight minutes ahead of second placed Kenny McKinstry and John McGaffin in another Escort RS 2000.

McKinstry’s second place gave them the runners-up spot in the championship and for a time it looked as though they might actually take the title when a broken throttle cable dropped the Crawford/Todd Escort RS 2000 out of the top 10 early on.

In a tremendous third place was the Volkswagen Scirocco driven by racing driver Drew Wylie and
navigated by Bobby Willis. This was only Wylie’s second rally and suggests a fine future in the sport if he decides to switch.

The rally started at Malcolm Templeton’s garage on the outskirts of Ballymena. Top seeds Winston Henry and Peter Scott didn’t start the event as their Escort was not repaired from a previous
event which dropped Scott out of the race for the navigator’s championship.

McKinstry/McGaffin were running at two, Crawford/Todd at three and the other crew providing a challenge to Crawford and Todd were Trevor Haydock/Brian Rowan (Sunbeam), who were running at No: 4. The Allen brothers, who had won the last two championship rounds in their Escort, were seeded No. 5.

The initial rally leaders were the Allen brothers in their Escort but a message was sent to them about a family illness and they had to retire.

Crawford and Todd had only just passed the first time control when the throttle cable broke and they stopped to replace it. After fixing it they only got another couple of miles before the new cable slipped out and they had to stop again. This combination cost them a total of seven minutes and it looked as if the championship was slipping from their grasp.

At the first petrol halt McKinstry and Speers led, both having dropped 10 minutes; Haydock was on 11 and Wylie had lost 12 minutes. Crawford was on 16 minutes and lying in 10th place. On the way to second petrol there was a dramatic change shortly when Haydock and Rowan missed a secret check in a farmyard and shortly before the second break in Cloughmills a wheel bearing siezed and their rally was over.

McKinstry and John McGaffin had a number of navigational problems on this part of the rally and took eight minutes more than Speers/Law who always go well in this area and thus they pulled. into the lead.

At the halt Crawford and Todd were going well again and were now up to sixth place which with Haydock’s retirement was enough to give them the championship. Nonetheless on the way to the finish they pulled up another two places and made it to fourth just ahead of the Sunbeam of Norman Thompson and Derek Ervine.

Squeezing into the top 10 in ninth place were Ronnie Foreman and Neil Fitzsimons, driving a 1300cc Escort. With the ANICC meeting on Monday might to discuss a proposal to switch the championship next season to 1300 cc cars, it was a result which shows the lack of power may not necessarily mean uncompetitive motoring.

Results:

1. Tommy Speers/Joe Law (Escort)
2. Kenny McKinstry/John McGaffin (Escort);
3. Drew Wylie/Bobby Willis (Volkswagen);
4. Fred Crawford/Drew Todd (Escort);
5. Norman Thompson/Derek Ervine (Sunbeam);
6. Ken Moore/Des McCartney (Chevette);
7. Tom Spence/Alistair Donaldson (Sunbeam);
8. Bertie Quinn/Greer (Avenger);
9. Ronnie Foreman/Neil Fitzsimons (Escort);
10. Ian Clyde/Derek Murdoch (Escort).