SS6: McGarrity Back to Winning Ways while Kennedys Take 2WD
- Updated: 7 March 2020
SS6: If Derek McGarrity thought he was going to have a straightforward run over the final stage to secure victory at the McGrady Insurance Stages, he was hugely mistaken! As he entered a hairpin during the final lap, he found another competitor’s car stalled in the middle of the road!
The former champion was forced to climb up a small grassy bank to get around the stricken car and although he lost a couple of precious seconds with the incident, he still powered to the finish to secure another victory at Bishopscourt Race Circuit, placing him at the top of the championship standings!
In the end, his winning margin stands at 10.8s from Derek and Mark McGeehan who were a consistent second overall throughout the event. Their challenge faded after a sixth-gear incident on stage three when they had an argument with some of the trackside tyres, losing around 10 seconds in the process.
Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist looked set to take third overall but they did an extra lap on the final stage. Sayers reported that he was blocked from taking the split to the finish line by another car, forcing him to do an extra lap.
Kevin Kelleher and Martin Brady also had their fair share of dramas on the last stage. They stalled their Impreza and eventually finished the stage with steam billowing from their engine as a result of a suspected burst radiator.
As a result (and deliberations are still ongoing so provisional results could change) it looks as though Kieron and Amy Graffin may have sealed third overall with Kelleher in fourth ahead of Emma McKinstry and Kenny Hull. Jason Mitchell and Kenny Bustard completed the top six in their Fiesta after a few lurid slides and two-wheeled moments.
Just behind them, James and Heather Kennedy (pictured) secured the two-wheel-drive award as well as seventh overall. A massive push over the final stage saw them emerge as the clear winners over eighth-placed Drew Stewart and David White, with Alastair Cochrane and John Adams ninth overall and third among the 2WD crews. Jonny Morrow and Adam Semple completed the top 10 in their Corolla.
Latest results are available from bit.ly/bishopscourt2020. We’ll have a full report later.
Jonathan
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