Trevor J Harding Wins. Full Results Available
Entry List, Final Instructions and more...

Full Results here 

1 Trevor J Harding / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555) 00:42:35.8
2 Pat O'Connell / Mark Wiley (Mit Lancer Evo 7) 00:43:17.0
3 Mark Sheahan / Jonathan McGrath (Mit Lancer Evo 9) 00:44:37.9
4 Stephen McGrath / Kevin Joyce (Mit Lancer Evo 6) 00:45:14.1
5 John McLoughlin / Ray Fitzpatrick (Mit Lancer Evo 9) 00:45:22.5
6 Brian Lawlor / Peter Kavanagh (Ford Escort Mk II) 00:45:38.4
7 Craig Breen / Gareth Roberts (Citroen C2R2) 00:45:59.7
8 Shay Power / John Rafters (Ford Escort Mk II) 00:45:59.7
9 John Reid / Enda Shields (Toyota Corolla WRC) 00:46:06.8
10 Patrick Keenan / Barry McNulty (Mit Lancer Evo 9) 00:46:15.3

Leaders After
SS1 Ray Breen/Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2-6 Trevor J Harding / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)

Stage Winners
SS1 Ray Breen/Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC)
SS2 Trevor J Harding / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS3 Trevor J Harding / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)
SS4 Jeremy Drislane / Liam McLoughan (Mit Lancer Evo 8)
SS5 Pat O'Connell / Mark Wiley (Mit Lancer Evo 7)
SS6 Trevor J Harding / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza 555)

Full Results here

Click here for the Full Entry List

Click here for the Final Instructions

Late Entries (Wednesday the 25th)
Sarah Moynihan / Amy Moynihan     Cork    EVO 8   Class 8
Ger Britt/Daire Murphy    Kilkenny     Opel Corsa      Class 2

2009 Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally (Event Preview)

The woods around Kilsheelan will come alive next weekend with the sound rallycars as the Carrick on Suir Motor Club host the Wm.Loughman Forestry Rally sponsored by Murphy Bros Agri Contractors and Plant Hire, Keltech Engineering and The Carrraig Hotel. The rally will be based in Carrick on Suir with the headquarters in the Carraig Hotel and will be the second round of the 2009 Petro Systems National Forestry Rally Championship.

Clerk of the Course Terence Kearney and his team have worked hard over the winter months in preparation and can now announce that the event will feature the longest special stage in the 2009 National Forestry Rally Championship. The rally will have a three stage repeated layout, giving a total of six stages containing 66kms of gravel action. Terence reports that all three tests are in excellent condition and the event will hinge on the running of the Gurteen special stage at 20.5 kilometres long. Terence also reports the rally will feature centralised Scrutiny/Parc Ferme, Service and Refuelling Area in Murphy Bros, Mount Bolton, Portlaw, and Co.Waterford.

The 2009 event will be counting rounds in the following Championships.

   1. (Round 2) National Forestry Championship.
   2. (Round 2) Junior Rally Championship.
   3. (Round 2) Trition Showers South East Stages Rally Championship.

The Rally will officially start on Sunday morning at 9.15 am on the main street in Carrick on Suir, outside the Carraig Hotel Headquarters. From there the competing cars will make their way to stage one Clondonnell, which is located between Rathgormuck and Clonmel. At 7kms this will serve as a wake up call because there’s only a short road section before the crews enter the daunting 20kms of the Gurteen complex for stage two. The finish of the Gurteen test is near Kilsheelan and the competitors will have time to recover as they travel the 15km road distance to the third stage in the opening loop.

Stage three the renowned Anner special stage is located near Ninemilehouse and will prove a stern test. This year’s running of the stage will see the cars enter the wood to their left and climb for the first 3kms. After a succession of hairpin bends in the middle of the stage the last third is up hill with two big jumps at high speed heading to the finish. After returning to service in Murphy Bros, in Portlaw the three stages will be repeated and the cars will then return to the finish ramp in Carrick at 4.20pm.

    Time Schedule
Start Control ---09:30
S.S.1 F.C.D. ---10:00
S.S.2 F.C.D. ---10:30
S.S.3 F.C.D. ---11:32
Service --- 12:25
S.S.4 F.C.D. --- 13:56
S.S.5 F.C.D. --- 14:26
S.S.6 F.C.D. --- 15:28
Final Control — 16:21

Carrick Club member and reigning National Forestry Champion Ray Breen will be the number one seed and will start as hot favourite to take victory on his home event for the second year in row. Ray had a dream season in 2008, winning the National Forestry title and racking up five victories along the way. In rallying nothing is guaranteed and on the opening round of the 2009 season in Mitchelstown three weeks ago Ray suffered technical gremlins in the engine management system of his Ford Focus which ended his rally on stage four. Speaking to Ray after the event he stated, “the problem was quickly solved and we must now treat the Carrick event as the beginning of our season”.

In at number two we have the flamboyant Trevor J Harding in the TJH backed Subaru Impreza. Trevor made two worthwhile appearances in last year’s championship. Taking victory on the last stage in Wexford and finishing second in Birr. In Mitchelstown three weeks ago it was the pairing of Harding and Andrew Purcell that set the stages alight. On every junction the crowds were cheering as the spectacular Harding flicked the car from side to side on the approach and was tail happy on the exit of every corner. Chatting to Andrew as part of this preview he commented “We already have an eye on the Championship as Ray has dropped points on the opening round”. He went on to say, “We need to keep scoring as much points as possible on every event from now on”.

Completing the top five positions we have 2008 National Forestry Championship runner up John Reid in the Toyota Corolla, James Murphy in the Black Ford Escort WRC and Pat O’Connell driving a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7. James reports that he was delighted with his class win in Tipperary and the car was sent to the North of Ireland for some basic maintenance and will be ready for Carrick. Pat set the fastest stage time on the first test in Mitchelstown and will be hoping for the same start in Carrick.

Moving to the Rear wheel drive section or should I say the sideways action, Frank Kelly in his splendid Mk11 Escort took class five honours from the opening round and will compete in the Omagh Motor Club Spring Rally on Saturday the 28th of February, that evening if all is ok with the car he will make the long haul down to Carrick. “We all wish him well”. Jason Roche needed some rear axel repair work on his Escort after Mitchelstown but reports the car will be gleaming for the start in Carrick on Sunday. Brian Lawlor suffered a half shaft break on stage two of the Tipp opener, which ended his rally. On hearing about the 20km stage of Gurteen Brian stated, “I can’t wait to have a good cut in there”.

After Ray’s disappointment the Breen family didn’t leave Mitchelstown empty handed as Ray’s son Craig took top honours in class 9 the junior category. After switching from a karting career to rallying for the 2009 season, Craig has made the transition look easy and has impressed on both tarmac and gravel events even at this early point of the year. For the Carrick rally he will be driving a Citroen C2R2 and will be hoping to make it two wins on the trot in the Junior Championship.

Other Club members to keep an eye on include Michael Cuddihy in his Orange Toyota Starlet. Michael was the class three winner in Mitchelstown and will know the Anner stage like the back of his hand as he lives nearby. Alan Commins is another club member who had a good result on the season opener. Alan is disappointed that his home stage of Ahenny is not running this year but looks forward to the day in the woods around Kilsheelan. Connie Delaney will be out in the very demanding class eight and will be hoping to keep the four wheels on his wagon. Also entered is Gemma Kerley in a Honda Civic, In Mk11 Escorts we have the trio of Donagh O’Sullivan, Noel Wade and James Coleman.

Each stage has a number of great spectating points. Stage one and four Clondonnell is totally land locked, with no access roads leading to it. Access and parking will be limited on the road near the start. There are some great viewing points on the stage and for the avid rally fan the walk into the test will be worth it, but you will need to be there early. Stage two and five Gurteen offers the best option for spectating. The stage starts at Boola Bridge and first spectating opportunity will be at Harney’s Cross Roads. There’s only a short walk from the Clonmel road to the junction in the wood, the competing car will enter the junction coming down hill and turn square right. The junction offers good views of the entrance and exit of the corner. The next sequence of viewing points are located near Kilsheelan and are within walking distance from the road between Carrick on Suir and Clonmel. Stage three and six the Anner has only one viewing location, which is located near Boherboy. This part of the stage will be well known, as the forestry entrance is only a short distance away from a hairpin bend. There will be plenty of sideways action here.
Full Colour Programmes with Stage Map Details will be on sale from Friday the 27th in Carrick on Suir, Waterford City and Clonmel

Now with the 2009 Petro Systems National Forestry Championship underway and an exciting first round in Mitchelstown the attention now turns to round two.
With only two weeks to go until the Wm.Loughman Forestry Rally, entries are building and the closing date for entries has now been extended to the 23rd of February.

The 2009 Wm Loughman Forestry Rally will host the second round of this year’s Petro Systems Management National Forestry Championship on the first of March next. Organized by the Carrick on Suir Motor Club the event will be based in Carrick on Suir, with the headquarters in the Carraig Hotel.

Clerk of the Course Terence Kearney and his team have worked hard over the winter months in preparation for the rally and can now announce that the event will feature the longest special stage in the 2009 forestry championship. The rally will have a three stage repeated layout giving a total of six stages containing 66kms of gravel action. Terence reports that all three tests are in excellent condition and the event will hinge on the running of the Gurteen special stage at 20.5 kilometres long. Terence also reports the rally will feature centralised Scrutiny/Ferme, Service and Refuelling Area in Murphy Bros, Mount Bolton, Portlaw, Co.Waterford.

The Carrick Club Are delighted to welcome the new National Forestry Championship sponsor Petro Systems Management. Petro Systems Management Limited based in Crookstown, Co.Cork provide a large range of products to the fuel forecourt industry including fuel pumps, fuel depot installations, car/truck washes and recycle units. Petro Systems Management also provides POS systems and tank monitoring with annual maintenance available. Petro Systems also have huge associations with motorsport and rallying in Ireland. Petro Systems Managing director Colman Hegarty will be well known name to the forestry rallying fraternity. Colman has been a member of the Munster Motor Club for over thirty years and was Clerk of the Course for both Moonraker Forestry Rally and Cork 20 Rally in 2008.

The 2009 event will be counting rounds in the following
 1. (Round 2) National Forestry Championship.
 2. (Round 2) Junior Rally Championship.
 3. (Round 2) Trition Showers South East Stages Rally Championship.

With the first round of the Championship only two weeks away it is customary at the start of each season for rumour and speculation to be rife. I am thrilled to state that Carrick on Suir Club member and reigning Forestry Champion Ray Breen will be back to defend is title also coming back will be Ray’s biggest opponent in 2008 John Reid. Other names mentioned for 2009 are Denis Cronin, PJ McGrath, Andrew Purcell, Seamus O’Connell, Frank Kelly and Jason Roche.

Another big attraction for the winner of the Junior Class in 2009 is the “Gp N Prize Drive”. The winner will receive an “arrive and drive package” of the Gp N Subaru Impreza by Daragh Raferty and Enda Hallinan for the first four rounds of the 2010 Forestry Championship. The prize also includes free entry from the Clubs, Motorsport Ireland are to cover the insurance (for the first 2 rallies), “Silverstone” are providing free Tyres and “Sunoco” are sponsoring the fuel.  In addition the winner will receive one to one advice (before the first event) from 2007 “Gp N” Forest Champion and current “Billy Coleman Winner” Keith Cronin.