2000 Firecracker Rally Report
10 November 2000
The Stanley Gordon Oils Navigation Rally Championship ended with the Firecracker Rally, organised by the Ulster Automobile Club and run in the Downpatrick area. Championship leaders Eric and Glenn Patterson did not start the event, careful calculations having proved that they had done enough to win the championship anyway. Glenn would have had to travel back from Scotland, where he now works, to compete. This is the third year in a row that the Pattersons have won the championship, but they will not be contesting the championship next year.
Overall victory went to Phil Dorman and Brian Dorman, who finished the night with just one minute penalty, and reckoned that they would have had no penalties at all if one marshal had been a bit faster handing out the instructions. Just behind on 2 penalties were John Henderson and Lloyd Cochrane, who take the championship runner-up position. For the first time this year Class 3 crews tackled the full route, and David Somerville and Kyle Wethers finished an amazing third overall, with 3 penalties. Another Class 3 novice crew, Simon Jamison and Geoff Cunningham, finished fourth on 4 penalties, while Class 2 and fifth overall went to David Erwin and Alan Dorman who also got 4 penalties, but lost out on the tie break.
The large class 4 entry was won by Gordon Buckley and Peter Martin in a Subaru Impreza, while the rallyschool class 5 went to Ian and Brian Douglas in their Escort.
Class 2 in the championship went to Leslie Young and Lewis Boyd, while Class 3 has been won by Simon Jamison and Geoff Cunningham. The Club Team award went to Queen's University.
Results:
- Dorman/Dorman (Nova) 1 min
- Henderson/Cochrane (Sunbeam) 2 mins
- Somerville/Wethers (Peugeot 205) 3 mins
- Jamison/Cunningham (Peugeot 205) 4 mins
- Erwin/Dorman (Renault Clio) 4 mins
- Young/Boyd (Sierra) 5 mins
Posted by PMcCollum on 23/2/2010; Last updated by PMcCollum on 23/2/2010