Hunter Takes ALMC Victory

                                     PODCAST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT



It was a question of who could survive mother nature in Meath as the weather played it's part in an exciting ALMC Stages Rally. The day started dry but the rain wasn't long throwing a spanner in the works midway through the first loop as competitors struggled to cope with the changing weather conditions throughout the rest of the event.

First blood went to Hugh Hunter, the Welsh driver led after the first stage by seven seconds from Stephen Simpson and Gary Jennings who had set a time exactly the same to the nearest tenth of a second. However on stage 3 Jennings took the lead by 5 seconds setting up a nice fight going into the second loop. Stephen Simpson held third but his rally ended after hitting a bale on stage 4. On stage 6 an oil pressure problem ended Gary Jennings' rally. The event leader pulled off the stage and into retirement with two miles to go handing the lead back to Hugh Hunter. The Welsh man held first place until the end winning the event by 54 seconds. John Stone inherited second place but on the last stage he slipped to fourth. The battle of the afternoon was definitely between Damian Cole and Mick O'Brien. The pair were neck and neck for most of the day and at the finish line their times were inseparable to the nearest tenth of a second! It was Cole than won the battle as he had set the faster time on the final stage and took 2nd place overall. Mick O'Brien was still happy with taking 3rd.

Hugh Hunter and Andy Marchbank win by 54 seconds

In the modified section it was Frank Kelly that took the honours in class 14 beating Keith Robathan by just over a minute and a half. We were denied a close battle for the top spot after Adrian Hetherington unfortunately crashed out on stage 2. After that Kelly was in control till the end.

Frank Kelly and Jackie Elliot Win the Modified Section

  In Group N Merion Evans sadly crashed out of the lead on stage 8 after landing awkwardly over a jump. The UK driver was enjoying a good run and was leading the class by almost three minutes until his accident. That left Shane O'Rourke to take the win by well over two minutes from Joe Gallagher.

In the juniors it was Paul Jordan Hone who set the early pace leading by over 40 seconds but his rally ended after just two stages. Brian Brady took the lead on stage three and held it to the end winning the class by 28 seconds from Tom Holton. In the historics it was Christopher Lloyd who was the sole survivor after the retirement of Malcolm Pedlow on stage 2.




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