See Press Releases 1, 2, 3 by scrolling down this page
Update
on WCR on TV in March and April
Dates and times for the 2008 Quality Hotels West Cork Rally on TV
Day One: RPM - MOTORSPORT will show the first day’s
action from the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally on UTV on Thursday, March 27,
at 11.40pm. The programme will feature the World Rally Car, Group N and Irish
Evo Challenge action from the St. Patrick’s weekend event that attracts
the largest contingents of Welsh and English rally crews to these shores.
Andrew Bushe and Alan Tyndall report.
A second chance to see Day One of the 30th anniversary event takes place three
days later on UTV Sunday, March 30 . Time to be confirmed.
Day Two: RPM - MOTORSPORT will broadcast the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally II on UTV on Thursday April 3 at 11pm. RPM`s second programme from the popular St. Patrick’s Weekend event, covers the action from the second day of the rally with action from the World Rally Cars, Group Ns, Modifieds and the new Citroen C2R2 Irish Cup drivers. Andrew Bushe, Alan Tyndall and Gary Gillespie report.
On Sunday April 6 (time to be confirmed), UTV will give a second chance to see the action from the second day of the St. Patrick’s Weekend rally.
event that covers, the action on the second day. Andrew Bushe, Alan Tyndall and Gary Gillespie report.
Sky Sports & Motors TV will show the RPM - MOTORSPORT - Quality Hotels West Cork Rally I on Monday April 7 and will show the RPM - MOTORSPORT - Quality Hotels West Cork Rally II on Monday April 21. Time still to be confirmed.
Rally and race fans are in for a treat this year on UTV, because they will be able to get a motorsporting fix EVERY THURSDAY at 11.00pm.
From now until the end of October says RPM – MOTORSPORT: ‘In addition to our current coverage of Ireland`s major events such as the Global Group Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, Quality Hotels West Cork Rally, and features on Irish drivers at home and abroad, Tyndall Productions will be running ten `RPM CLASSICS` recalling the exploits of great drivers like Colin MacRea, Bertie Fisher and Frank Meagher, and great events like the Tour De France Auto, Dubai Rally and hightlights from past circuit racing seasons’.
So for those mighty
motorsporting moments of the present and the past, tune into UTV every Thursday
evening at 11.00pm!
The
30th running of the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally takes place on St.Patricks
weekend next, the 15th & 16th March. 151 cars will take to the start in
the Clonakilty based event at 10am next Saturday morning. They will be joined
by the Historic competitors on stage 5 while the juniors make their appearance
from stage 13 onwards.
The number one seed Melvyn Evans with co-driver Sean Mullally have unfortunately
had to withdraw as their ex Tim McNulty Impreza WRC S11 isn’t ready.
This leaves number two seed Stephen Murphy with co-driver Micky Joe Morrissey
to run first on the road in their Impreza WRC S12b. Stephen will be hoping
for a better run than on Galway when he crashed on the fourth stage. Stephen
won this event on his only previous appearance in 2000.
Donie O’Sullivan and Paul Nagle are at number 3 and will be hoping for a longer run than last year when they retired after the first stage. They will be back in an Impreza WRC S11 for this event. Liam McCarthy and Kieran Murphy are at 4 and will have one of the last Toyota Corolla WRCs ever built to play with. The car is a full tarmac spec built in Belgium so Liam should go very well.
Number 5 is leading Rallysport Cup competitor John Dalton and Gwynfor Jones in their ultra rapid Darrian T90 GTR. They have finished in the top six for the past three years and were the winners of the inaugural Bones O’Connor Modified Challenge in 2007. They will be favourites to retain that award this year, but they won’t have it easy as they are followed at 6 by Phil Collins and Derek Brannigan. Phil and his familiar red Escort were absent from West Cork last year so they make a welcome return to the rally for 2008.
The first of the Irish Mitsubishi Evo Challenge competitors is at 7 in the shape of Colm Murphy and Ger Loughrey. Colm hasn’t been in West Cork since 1999 when he thrilled the spectators in his yellow Twin Cam. The double Group N Tarmac Champion will be out to make up for not scoring points in Galway. Next up at 8 is former Billy Coleman award winner Owen Murphy with James O’Brien on the notes. They are also Evo mounted having taken second place points in Galway. Owen should go well in his home rally and will want to make up for the disappointment of having to pull out before the start of last years event with turbo problems.
Bob Fowden and Jerry Hynes were to be at number 9 but have had to withdraw from the event due to engine damage sustained in Tour of Epynt recently. At number 10 is Conor McCloskey making his first appearance on the event and driving a Focus WRC. Conor will have the vastly experienced Francis Regan on the notes.
Outside of the top ten lies J.J.Fleming in his Focus WRC at 11, Group N driver Alan Ring at 12 followed by reigning 023 Tiles Southern 4 champion Kevin O’Donoghue at 14. Kevin is followed by the hard charging Wesley Patterson and Pat Donegan both in Escorts at 15 and 16. A pair of Darrians are at 17 & 18 in the hands of James Stafford and Washington James. Long time Welsh visitor Gwyndaf Evans is at 19 in his Mk2 Escort while Ashley Field is at back after a two year absence at 20 in his Darrian T90. Top front wheel drive competitors are Guy Woodcock in his Escort Maxi at 26 while Brian O’Mahony is at 29 in his Clio.
The first and second rounds of the C2 R2 Irish Cup take place in West Cork with Martin Laverty first Citroen on the road at number 76 followed by Marty McCormack and Jason Pritchard. The competition should be fierce here as there are twelve Citroens due to start. The full entry list is published currently on the events website www.westcorkrally.com.
The first competing car will leave Parc Ferme at the Model Railway Village on the Inchydoney Road at 10am on the Saturday morning with the winner due at the finish ramp in Clonakilty at 5.10pm on the Sunday. Rally Headquarters will be at the Quality Hotel and Leisure Centre who are the main sponsors of the event.
There
will be service after every two stages with seventeen stages in all over the
weekend. The service area for the weekend is in the grounds of Darrara Agricultural
College. There will be a rally forum as usual in the Quality Hotel on Friday
14th at 9pm with Michael O’Carroll the MC for the night. Guests include
Phil Collins, Colm Murphy & Brian Patterson among others.
Press Release 2
Competitors are reminded that regulations for the Quality Hotels West Cork
Rally, organised and promoted by the Cork Motor Club, are available for download
from www.westcorkrally.com. With 17 stages over two days, the event represents
excellent value for money. Junior competitors are also reminded that if they
go marshalling on the Saturday stages then they will get a refund of €100
on their entry fee.
Accommodation may be sourced by contacting Joan White on 086 3776451, (00
353 86 3776451 from the UK) between 7pm and 9pm or by emailing joan@westcorkrally.com.
The Marshals training night will be held in the Commons Inn Cork at 8pm on
Tuesday 26th February. Further enquiries on this can be made to Mary Hogan
on 086-2692311. The club can also confirm that this will be an official motorsport
Ireland training course.
Last year's winner Michael Barrable has stated his intention to defend his
title on the 2007 event. Other drivers to have expressed an interest in competing
in Clonakilty include Stephen Murphy, Jon Ingram and Phil Collins. There is
as usual a lot of interest from Wales and England and also some enquiries
from Northern Ireland & Scotland.
Cork Motor Club
achieves a notable milestone on 15th & 16th March 2008 with the 30th
running of their flagship event, the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally. The
event has attracted some great drivers in a variety of cars since its inception
in 1977. With the Bank Holiday falling on the Monday, a great atmosphere
should prevail in the town of Clonakilty on what is one of the most social
events on the rally calendar for Irish and overseas competitors and followers
alike.
Choice Hotels through the Quality Hotels brand will once again act as title
sponsors and the rally H/Q will be based in the Quality Hotel and Leisure
Centre Clonakilty. As usual the rally is the first round of the 023 Tiles
Southern 4 Rally Championship, while this year sees the event being part
of two fledgling championships, round 2 of the Irish Mitsubishi Ralliart
Evolution Challenge and rounds 1 & 2 of the C2 R2 Irish Cup. The 2008
Rallysport Cup also has its first round in West Cork.The
Bones O’Connor Modified Challenge which was inaugurated in 2007 and
was a great success, also returns for 2008 where many crews will be bidding
to take the crown from last years winner John Dalton. This challenge incorporates
cars from classes 9-15 (details on classes to be found on www.motorsportireland.com)
so some great action is expected.
Kevin
O’Driscoll, Press & Media Officer, Tel: 00 353 86 2866 256
Email: Kevin@corkmotorclub.com or Kevin@westcorkrally.com