On behalf of the Carrick on Suir Motor Club it gives me great pleasure to welcome competitors, spectators, and volunteers back to Kilkenny for the 41st staging of the Ravens Rock Rally.

The event will commence again this year with a Ceremonial Start at in the heart of Kilkenny at the Tholsel, High Street on Saturday evening the 23rd June at 19.00 hrs. After introducing the ceremonial start to the event in 2010 in an attempt to raise the profile of rallying in the Marble City, it has grown in popularity and now forms an integral part of showcasing the cars and stars of the rally. The ceremonial start also gives the club the opportunity to highlight our event sponsors for whom it would not be possible to hold without. With Street entertainment before and throughout and a host of ‘Rally Stars and Cars on Show’ the ‘Tholsel’ will be a hive of motorsport activity.

We would like to thank our main sponsors Suirway Forklifts and The Kilford Arms Hotel for their help and support over the previous few years, without their help and support we would not be able to run this event. We would also like to thank our volunteers, marshals, doctors, rescue, ambulance personnel, officials and office staff to name but a few for all their help this event would not be able to run.

Equally it is important to acknowledge that there would be no Ravens Rock Rally without the support and good-will of the residents and businesses along the rally route and surrounding area. I want to thank them for their co-operation and assistance, and ask all visitors to the rally to please respect private property and bring home all your own litter with you. Thanks also to Kilkenny County Council and An Garda Siochana who once again have been very supportive of this event. This is a one-day event with three stage locations run three times on good tarmac roads. The overall length of the event is approx. 199 km of which 123.33km are stages, with centralised servicing. Service will be after every three stages, with pace note making on the Saturday. We look forward to meeting you all in Kilkenny.

John Rafter
Clerk of the Course.

Event Regulations

Event Entry Form - INDEMNITIES

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2012 TRITON SHOWERS

South East Stages Rally Championship

SEVEN ROUND CHAMPIONSHIP

THREE FORESTRY, FOUR TARMAC: PROMOTED BY: CARLOW; CARRICK-ON-SUIR; MUNSTER; TIPPERARY AND WEXFORD MOTOR CLUBS LTD.

The Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally, promoted by the Carrick-on-Suir Motor club, was the opening round of the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. The rally started with a 25 Km. stage that used most of the roads in Gurteen. It was tough and demanding, mentally, physically and mechanically. Half way through the stage some crews wondered if it would ever end, others just revelled in the test and conditions. Ireland’s current rallying star, Craig Breen and Wales Gareth Roberts were using the event to keep sharp for the forthcoming WRC Rally of Portugal, and set a time that displayed their talent and professionalism. They have registered for the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship but an exciting deal to compete on extra IRC events may prohibit them from contesting some of the remaining rounds.

Two further stages in Portlaw followed, which were new to many crews, and were a bit green and slippery, (the stages not the crews!!) demanded respect in their own right. A repeat of the stages at night led to some crews suffering from exhaustion and frustration. One competitor on the second run in Gurteen was quite pleased with his progress until he saw the lights of the next crews in the mirrors, thought he was being caught, upped his pace from competitive to exciting, not realising that the lights were on a parallel road well behind him....

The 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship was well supported on this first round with 34 crews registering for the championship. All 6 classes have registered competitors, this should bode well for the remaining events and the championship.

As the TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship is class based, class winning competitors may share the championship lead until about the third round. But the bonus points may alter this position in favour of crews who are not class winners but have doubled their points using the bonus system. As it happened, four crews were class winners with this event their declared bonus round.

Sharing the lead on 30 points in the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship are:

Class 2. Paschal O’Shea / Robbie Hennessey, Ford Escort MK2.

Class 3. Adrian McElhinnery / Shane Buckley, Peugeot.

Class 4. Ray Benskin (jnr) / Nicky Hegarty, Ford Escort MK2.

Class 5. Shay Power / John Rafter, Ford Escort MK2. (Reigning Champions )

Class 2

1. Pierce Doheny/Damian Lawlor        Opel Corsa                      24 points.
2. Dario Tempesta/Ger Brett                Nova                                20 points.

Class 3

1. Andrew Fanning/Derek Gibbs         Ford Puma                      12 points.

Class 4

1. John Murphy/Niall Fitzpatrick           Ford Escort                     12 points.

Class 5

1. Mickey McGillen/Aaron Johnson      Ford Escort                     24 points.
2. Ed Colton/Claire O’Mahony               Peugeot 306                    10 points.

Class 6

1. Garry Jennings/AN Other                Subaru Impreza               24 points.
2. Craig Breen/Garath Roberts            Ford Fiesta R2                 15 points.
3. Gemma Kerley/Lynn Martin              Subaru Impreza               14 points.
4. Vincent McAree/J. P. McAree          Mitsubishi Evo 9               10 points.
5. Niall Henry/John Rowan                  Subaru Impreza                  9 points.
6. Ger Connors/Owen O’Neill              Subaru Impreza                  8 points.

Juniors

1.  Ian Downey/Sean Barron               Opel Corsa                       15 points.
2. Dean Rafter/Mark Kirwan                Honda Civic                      12 points.

(Note) Crews scoring less than 2 points ie. Non finishers are omitted from this report)

The Munster Moonraker is the second round and is also a forestry event. It will use the fast sweeping roads situated in Co. Waterford in the hinterland of Lismore, Dungarvan and the Vee.

The remaining rounds of the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship are:

The Munster Moonraker.  Lismore. Sunday 15 April.                                    Forest rally.

The Carlow Stages Rally. Tullow, Sunday 13 May.                                       Tarmac rally. 

The Ravens Rock Stages Rally, Kilkenny, Sunday 24 June.                          Tarmac rally.

The Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally. Mitchelstown.  Sun. 08 July.     Forestry rally.

The Stonethrowers Stages Rally, Clonmel, Sunday 12 August.                    Tarmac rally.

The Dick Bailey, Wexford Stages Rally, Wexford, Sat.8, Sun 9, Sept.        Tarmac rally.

2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship Registrar:

Ann Fitzgerald, The Cross, Mooncoin, Via Waterford. ‘Phone / fax. 051 895238.

Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Press officer: Joe O’Brien, Carrick Beag, Carrick-on-Suir. 086 3154442

Round two of the Valvoline Forest Championship witnessed a professional and dominant drive by Craig Breen on the Wm Loughman rally, hosted by the Carrick-on-Suir MC. on Saturday March 3rd

Based in Carrick-on-Suir, the Loughman rally consisted of two loops of three stages, the first loop on the afternoon with the repeat visits under the cover of darkness in the evening. Stage one (and four) was a mammoth 25 km test in Gurteen near Kilsheelan.

Breen the current WRC Academy winner and leader of this year’s WRC S2000 Championship took time out of his international commitments to compete on his home rally. The Waterford man was at the wheel of his Fiesta S2000 and was partnered as usual by Gareth Roberts. The crew led from start to finish and they recorded fastest time on every stage.

Garry Jennings was runner up in his GpA Impreza which was no match for the latest technology of Breen’s Fiesta, but the Fermanagh driver takes consolation by claiming maximum Valvoline Championship points and extending his series lead. Jennings was second fastest on four stages and fifth on two, definitely best of the rest.

Third overall was claimed by Vincent McAree who was fortunate to survive a spin on the first stage and oil pressure issues on the fourth, and the  Monaghan driver was once again very quick in the dark. 

Colin Britton was very competitive on round one in Donegal and he continued in that vein of form last weekend. The Strabane driver would have finished third in Carrick but for incurring a 2 minute penalty whilst servicing a stricken clutch. Britton is now second in the Valvoline series.

Fifth overall and best 2WD was claimed by Kilkenny man Shay Power. The winner of the last years South East Stages Championship, he started off 2012 in great style with some very competitive stage times. Power had a trouble free event in his Escort Mk2.

Niall Henry was next up, just ahead of Stephen Wright who lost over 4 minutes on stage one but did recover to record some respectable stage times. The Newbliss driver slips to third in the Valvoline, albeit two points behind Britton.

Eighth was claimed by Ian Chadwick, and he was followed by Adrian Mc Elhinney who also won class three in the 206. The Donegal driver now leads the 2WD and class three section of the Valvoline.

Ian Downey had a great run in the Corsa to win class nine, the junior section. The Dubliner had an intense scrap with the Civic of Dean Raftery (for three stages) and he went on to finish tenth overall and now he leads class 9 in the championship and second in the 2WD section.

With 54 starters and 26 finishers Carrick was an attritional event. Early casualties included Ian Cochrane Enda McNulty and Ger Lucey Shane McGirr and Mark Murphy. The current Valvoline champion Owen Murphy suffered a puncture on stage 1 (losing a minute to Jennings) and the Corkman rallied back to fifth place only for the wheel nuts on his Evo9 to sheer on the last stage. The 2010 champ was no luckier, Pat O Connell was third on Stages one and two and a drive shaft issue delayed him on three. However on stage 4 the Tipp man lost his sump guard on his Evo9 which forced him onto the retirement list as well. Other drivers to succumb on stage 4 included the Escorts of  Adrian Hethrington, Seamus O’ Connell, Paul Fitzgerald and Mick Nevin.

Desi Henry finished the rally despite losing a mammoth 15 minutes in the Citroen DS3 due to spark plug problems. The Portglenone man was giving Citroen’s rally car its inaugural race in Irish forestry and if the Co.Antrim driver was  not been delayed on stage one he could have finished as high as fourth and first 2WD.Henry is in second place in the BRC as a result of his excellent second overall in the recent Sunseeker rally.

Top 15 positions of Carrick-on-Suir Rally Round 2 Valvoline Forest Championship

1 Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts Ford Fiesta S2000

2 Garry Jennings/Dave Moynihan Subaru Impreza

3 Vincent McAree/JP McAree Mitsubishi EVO9

4 Colin Britton Arthur/Kierans Mitsubishi Evo9

5 Shay Power/Johnny Rafter Ford Escort Mk11

6 Niall Henry/John Rowan Subaru Impreza

7 Stephen Wright/Susanne Wright Mitsubishi Evo 6

8 Ian Chadwick/Stephen Quinn Subaru Impreza 

9 Adrian McElhinney/Shane Buckley Peugeot 206

10 Ian Downey/Sean Brunton Opel Corsa 

11 Mickey McGillin/Aaron Johnston Ford Escort Mk11

12 Jer Connors/Owen O'Neill Subaru Impreza 

13 Matt Shinnors/ Catherine Levis Ford Escort 

14 Ray Benskin Jnr/Nicky Hegarty Ford Escort Mk11

15 Paschal O Shea/Robbie Hennessy Ford Escort

Valvoline Championship positions after round 2:

·         G.Jennings 42, C.Britton 36, S.Wright 34, N.Henry 27, A.Mc Elhinney 22.

·         2WD A.McElhinney 36, I.Downey 33, A.Fanning 23, F.Kelly21, S.Power 21.

Next round of the Valvoline Forest Rally Championship will be the Moonraker Forest Rally: Sunday April 15th.

Next Monday morning the 5th of March the Wm. Loughman Forest Rally will be featured on RTÉ Radio One's Pat Kenny Show, as intrepid reporter, Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell reports first hand on her experience at this weekend’s Wm. Loughman Forest Rally.

Senator O'Donnell enjoys a weekly slot on the Pat Kenny Show and this weekend Marie-Louise will get her first taste of Motorsport has she joins rally driver James Coleman as his navigator for the Carrick on Suir based Wm. Loughman Forest Rally. Marie-Louise will then report on her experience of the event with Pat Kenny on Monday mornings show.

Ian Chadwick/Stephen Quinn Subaru Impreza Class TBA

Adrian Malanathy/France Fee Mitsubishi EVO IX Class 8

David Candell/Ken Blanche Ford Escort MK11 Class 5

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