Strong Clare interest in Circuit of Munster rally

Next Sunday, the rally action moves to Adare for the annual Circuit of Munster Rally, round three of the 2011 West Coast Rally Championship.
At 8:30am the first of 130 cars will leave the Woodlands House Hotel to head west to Tournafulla to run three classic stages. The first challenge competitors will face is Knockanade, the 20km grippy, flowing stage, before heading for the rally’s shortest stage of 18km, which includes six hairpins and the scenic view of Ashford and Broadford. Stage three finishes the first loop with 18.5km running under the shadow of Glenquin Castle before heading to Abbeyfeale for centralised service. This will be repeated twice more before all remaining cars return to the Woodlands House Hotel for the final control.
Former double West Coast Rally champion, Niall Maguire (Subaru S11 WRC) takes over the lead of the overall driver standings on 39 points after round 2, the Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally. Niall, who was previously crowned champion in 1999 and 2009, finished third overall in Kerry but as rally winner Darren Gass was not registered, Niall received second-placed points in the championship. Kerry man Mike Quinn (Ford Escort MK11) is just one point behind Maguire on 38 points followed by Galway’s Richard Burke, who moves up one place on the leader board to third with 35 points.
Tipperary’s Andrew Slattery (Subaru N10) moved up three places after round two to fourth overall with 31 points followed by fellow Tipperary driver, David Percy (Ford Escort) who moved up seven places to fifth with 25 points. After leading the driver’s standings after Birr 2010 champion, Shane Maguire (Subaru N11) droped down the leader board to joint sixth with Kildare’s Kevin Barrett (Subaru S11 WRC) both on 22 points. Barrett, who had a non-finish in round one, got his championship title hopes back on track, scoring maximum point in Kerry. Limerick’s Anthony Collins (Honda Civic) and Galway’s Eamon Deveron (Ford Escort) both moved up the leader board to hold joint seventh on 21 points followed by Limerick’s Ed O’Callaghan (Ford Escort), who missed the opening round but put in a fine performance in Kerry to take third place and is in eighth place overall with 19 points. Galway’s Pat Kelly (Subaru Impreza) moved down to ninth place with 18 points after a non-finish in Kerry followed by Paul Curly (Honda Civic) on 17 points, the Galway man rounding off the top 10.
Top 10 co-driver standings
Clare’s Gráinne McEnery takes over the overall lead in the co-driver standings with 38 points, having moved up one place after round two. Galway’s John Burke is also on the move up the standings and is now in second place with 36. Tipperary’s Shaun Forde moved up three places to third with 32 points. Galway’s Keith Gardiner is another co-driver to move up the standings to fourth with 24 points followed by Kerry’s Donal Falvey, who is in fifth, just one point behind Gardiner.  Having led the co driver standing s after Birr, Charlie McEnery droped to sixth with 22 points after the Clare man had a non-finish in Kerry. Limerick’s Sean Mullally, who had a non-finish, and Monaghan’s Enda Sherry, who was a non-starter on round one, are joint seventh with 21 points. Sherry scored maximum points in Kerry, having guided Darren Gass to victory.
Junior Championship
standings
Kerry’s Darren Young (Honda Civic) and co-driver, Kenneth Quirke lead the junior championship with 40 points and now hold a 19-point advantage after round two. Limerick’s Sean Liston (Vauxhall Nova) and co-driver Katrina Walsh, who didn’t start round one, moved into second place after scoring maximum points in Kerry. Clare’s Martin Casey (Honda Civic) and Kerry co-driver Katie Quinn are just one point behind in third position.
Historic championship
Limerick’s David and Rita Dee (Mini Cooper) take over the overall lead of the 2011 Historic category after scoring maximum points in Kerry and hold an 18-point lead with 40 points. Having led the Historic championship after Birr, a non-finish in Kerry sees 2010 Historic champions Gerard McCarty (Triumph TR7) and co-driver Tommy Commane drop to second place with 22 points.
Overall two-wheel drive standings
Kerry’s Mike Quinn and Clare co-driver, Gráinne McEnery lead the two-wheel drive standings from Limerick’s Anthony Collins and Galway co-driver, Keith Gardiner.
Overall Group N standings
Tipperary crew Andrew Slattery and co-driver Shaun Forde take over the lead of the Group N award from Shane Maguire/Charlie McEnery with Kerry’s Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley in third place.
Clare Motor Club members are well represented in the Limerick entry list with four of Clare’s top navigators represented in the top 20. Ennis brother and sister, Gráinne and Charlie McEnery, are seeded at numbers five and six with drivers, Mike Quinn and Shane Maguire while Jane Cogan from Miltown Malbay has stepped up to the Escort challenge with Limerick driver, Frank Sweeney and will be fighting for a result in Class 13 with fellow club member, Jim Casey from Ennis, who navigates with Limerick driver Aidan Walsh.
Other Clare competitors who will be fighting for class positions include Martin Kelly (Mitsubishi Evo 7); John O’Sullivan (Citroen C2); Niall O’Sullivan (Toyota Corolla RWD); Keith Naughton/Robert Behan (Astra); Tom Howard/Tadgh Collins (Escort); Tony Tuttle/Al Meaney (Escort); George Whelan/Noel McMahon (Honda); Tom Ryan/Ciara O’Connell (Corsa); Declan O’Regan (Peugeot 205); Francis Kelly/Lisa McMahon (Honda); Derek Flynn/Eoin Ryan (Honda) and Martin Cassey/Sean Hegarty (Honda).