The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Ennistymon native Jane Cogan with Limerick driver Frank Sweeney (Ford Escort mk 2) secured third overall in the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship 2012.
The championship took place over six rounds during the year, starting in Birr followed by Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Galway before returning to Kerry for the final round, The Banna Mini Stages in November.
The crew of Jane and Frank had a great start to the year in Birr, where they finished 18th overall followed by ninth overall in the Circuit of Kerry. The next round was driver Frank Sweeney’s home event, the Limerick Motor Club’s Circuit of Munster but the crew had to retire with mechanical difficulties. The Galway Motor Club hosted round four, the Galway Summer Rally, where the crew took a well-deserved 10th overall.
Jane and Frank then returned to the co-driver’s home event, the Clare Motor Club’s Clare Stages Rally where, on a very wet day with difficult driving conditions, they finished 10th overall, giving them their third top-10 finish, which moved them into second overall in the championship.
The crew then began preparing for the final round in Kerry in November. They needed to finish ahead of Cork men Colm Murphy (Subaru Impreza N12) and Stephen Carey (Honda Type R) to hold on to second overall but as rallying sometimes bites back, it was not to be.
On special stage four the crew had to pull over with a sheared bolt, which caused an oil leak and forced them to retire, leaving them to claim a well-deserved and highly sought-after third overall in one of the most hotly contested championships in the country.
Jane and Frank hope to once again contest the Top Part West Coast Championship in 2013 and are looking forward to the first round in Birr on February 24.
Other Clare crews who received awards in included Niall O’Sullivan and Ciara O’Connell (Citroen C2), winners in Class 9; Anthony Breen (Subaru Impreza) won Class 8; John O’Sullivan finished second in Class 15 while Tony Tuttle finished third in Class 13. Clare navigators Carrie Moroney finished second in Class 11 while Jim Casey was third in Class 13.
The overall winners of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship 2012 were Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Ford Escort).
All prizewinners will be presented with their awards this Saturday night at the championships awards night, which takes place at the Ballyroe Heights Hotel in Tralee, hosted by the Kerry Motor Club.
