Around a Pound Targa Rally Report

30 August 2014

 

Frank Lenehan,  navigated by Olwen Blair, won the inaugural  RMC Targa Rally, narrowly holding off the challenge from the Woodside family after 16 driving tests in the South Down area.

 

Dublin driver Lenehan emerged the winner by a margin of just 3 seconds ahead of the Mazda MX5 of Robert Woodside Jr who in turn completed the route 7 seconds ahead of his father Robert Woodside Sr.

 

The rally, which attracted support from local retailers Around A Pound and Banbridge District Council, saw crews show off their driving skills on a route which snaked from Newry, through the outskirts of Rathfriland to Ballyroney and Katesbridge and back.

 

The route saw crews tackle short driving tests against the clock in private yards and lanes, following a set route through cones and bales, with penalties awarded for touching markers or taking the wrong route.

 

40 cars made the start of the event from the Sheepbridge Inn just outside Newry at 10 am on Saturday morning and crews jumped straight into action with their first test in Around A Pound’s yard, a short distance from the start. 15 further tests follow before the cars arrived back at the Sheepbridge for the finish.  

 

Results:

 

1.    Frank Lenehan/Olwen Blair – Toyota Starlet – 822 seconds

2.    Robert Woodside Jr/Dean Beckett – Mazda MX5 – 825 seconds

3.    Robert Wooside Sr/David Allen – Escort MkII – 832 seconds

4.    Tim Woodside/Stephen Harkins – Mazda MX5 – 836 seconds

5.    Damien Mooney/Brendan Mooney – Citroen Saxo – 847 seconds

6.    Alan Harryman/Suzi Graham – Mazda MX5 – 850 seconds

 

Posted by PMcCollum on 1/9/2014; Last updated by PMcCollum on 1/9/2014