SEVEN ROUND DUAL SURFACE CHAMPIONSHIP

THREE FORESTRY RALLIES:

The Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally, Saturday 03 March

The Munster Moonraker, Sunday 15 April

The Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally, Sunday 08 July

FOUR TARMAC RALLIES:

The Carlow Stages Rally, Sunday 13 May

The Ravens Rock Stages Rally, Sunday 24 June

The Stonethrowers Stages Rally, Sunday 12 August

The Dick Bailey, Wexford Stages Rally,                                                 2011 Champions Shay Power/John Rafter

Saturday/Sunday 8-9 September    

PROMOTED BY:  THE CARLOW;  CARRICK-ON-SUIR;  MUNSTER;  TIPPERARY  AND  WEXFORD MOTOR CLUBS LTD.

Welcome to the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship, the recognised ‘clubman’ rally championship. We thank TRITON SHOWERS for again sponsoring the championship. Thanks also to the Carlow Motor Club for hosting the 2011 awards night in mid January.

Congratulations to the 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Champions Shay Power and John Rafter, Ford Escort MK2, Class 5, 79 points who has the narrowest of margins from Shay's brother-in-law Alan Commins and his son James, Escort MK2,class 4, 78 points. Third overall, James Coleman / Michael Haley, Escort MK2, class 5, 74 points. The Year was extra special for the Crrick on Suir Motor Club as all the top three are club members.

To recap on 2011 a little further, going into the final round, the Dick Bailey Wexford Stages Rally, any one of five crews had the potential of winning the 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. This fact alone describes how close the competition is in this well balanced class based rally championship.

The format and structure of the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship allows competitors approach their years rallying on a cost competitive basis. Being a class based championship it’s possible for a crew from any of the six classes to be the outright winner.

There are some changes to the structure of the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. The Mitchelstown bases Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally has a new date in July, away from the cold wet / snow stages of winter to hopefully the dust trails of summer. So it’s TWO FORESTRY, TWO TARMAC, ONE FORESTRY and TWO TARMAC.

We would encourage competitors to canvass the support of their fellow competitors who may not intend to compete in the championship to register for the 2012 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. On occasions in the past some crews, although wining their class, were denied maximum points due to insufficient numbers starting some events.

Once again this year, taking cognisance of the current state of the economy and to encourage competitors to register and compete in TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship, the scoring format requires that only three crew need to start in their class to score maximum points (15), two starters (12) points and one starter (10) points. 

             2nd Overall Alan and James Commins                                                              3rd Overall James Coleman and Michael Haley

Championship Contacts:

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

Click on link as required

Regulations

Entry Form 

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Press Release 1.

The 2012 Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship roars into life on this Saturdays Abbey Hotel Donegal Forest rally. Hosted by the Donegal Motor Club and based in Donegal town, the Clerk of the Course is Michael Kelly and he has planned a route of 65 competitive kilometers spread over 10 stages. The first car leaves Parc Ferme at 830am to head to the Pettigo area where two stages will be done twice. In the afternoon there are three stages repeated in the Barnesmore Gap area.

Link to full Release....

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The rally is again centralised in Carrick on Suir as the Carrick Motor Club continues its successful partnership with co-sponsors the Carraig Hotel and Suirway Forklifts. As the one-day format from last is continued the Carraig will act as rally HQ for paper scrutiny/documentation and prizegiving but the main hub of the event will be in the Mill River Business Park which contains mechanical scrutiny and the service area. The one day all inclusive rally format will see competitors arrive in the morning to get their respective cars checked, then the main event is set to begin with the first stage scheduled for 15.00hrs.

That initial special stage is very ‘special’ indeed as the rally gets underway in the Gurteen Forest Complex near Kilsheelan and it’s a monster this year as the full Gurteen Complex will be run as a complete test on the opening loop in daylight and will then be tackled again as the second loop starts at 19.00 hrs. Clerk of the course, Barry Duggan expands on his plans and stage selection for 2012, “This year’s event will be effectively broken into two locations, with stage one and four being based in Gurteen and special stages two and three on the first loop and then stages five and six on the second loop in Portlaw. First Gurteen, The huge complex has formed the backbone of our event for main years and being so large we always decided to split the forest into two separate stages. This year I wanted to try something different and after toying with the idea, I’m now delighted to announce that this year ‘Gurteen’ will be run as a complete 25 km stage, making it the longest in the National Forestry Championship. It will give the crews a baptism of fire as the rally opener and then the rerun in darkness will pose an even sterner test.”

Barry also explains his decision to move to new pastures for this year’s rally, “From both the organisers and competitor’s perspective going back repeatedly to the same areas can get very mundane. In the interest of giving the rally a fresh look we decided to move to new ground, together with the land owner, the local Forester and Coillte, the Motor Club has come to an agreement on using the region and I'm delighted to be back in Portlaw for the famous Towerhill and Bealough stages. It's always good to source new terrain and I'm sure the change will be welcomed by the crews and fans alike.”   

Taking place on the first Saturday in March the Willie Loughman again forms an integral part of the Valvoline National Forestry Championship and fits in this year as the second round. The rally also forms round two of the competitive Triton Showers South East Stages Rally Championship regional series. Carrick Motor Club members took a clean sweep in 2011 with Shay Power and John Rafter crowned champions, Shay’s Brother-in-law, Alan Commins with his son James calling the notes took second place. James Coleman, partnered by Michael Haley picking up third place on the podium with the championship going all the way to the wire on the final round in Wexford. Both championships play a vital role in attracting crews to the event.

SEVEN ROUND CHAMPIONSHIP: THREE FORESTRY, FOUR TARMAC

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The 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship is, as may be expected, about The Winner, The Championship and The Sponsors. It is also about the promoting clubs, the officials and of course all the competitors who support the events and the championship. We, the promoters know that we have an excellent product, one which has stood the test of time. It has been tweaked to add a more competitive edge. Our innovations have been incorporated into other regional championships; we like to lead the way.

Quite what you might expect. Take for example the sponsor’s product, TRITON SHOWERS. When you walk into your chosen supplier and ask about TRITON SHOWERS, the brochure is produced and your requirements discussed. The box is handed over and when you unpack it, you expect to get what it says on the box. For example the T90Z, “problem solving shower, design and performance, easy to install, quality assured, unbeatable range, guarantee, outstanding customer service” So what you see, you expect to get!

The South East Stages Rally Championship, “ Seven round championship, Three forestry, Four tarmac, Choice of surfaces, Promoted by Four Quality Clubs who run no nonsense events, Excellent range of classes Championship spread over nine months,”. Allowing for recovery and planning for a competitive championship. What you see is what you get.

The winner of the 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship, Shay Power, Escort MK2, class 5, 79 points. That too is what it says on the packaging. John Rafter navigated on most of the events, Derek Gibbs sat in for a few events, and daughter also gave dad a ‘dig out’. I was a little perplexed about the sign writing SPL in bold green writing on the white car. Until I was otherwise informed, I thought that Shay was a Celtic soccer supporter in the Scottish Premier League! :-) Shay is in the earth moving business, big brutish machinery that can, in the wrong hands, do a lot of damage. A delicate touch is required, careful manoeuvring at gentle and slow pace. How unlike in many ways the competitive driving of a powerful rear wheel drive rally car. The ‘big quiet man from the slate quarries’ has proved his worth at the wheel of the rally car. A former winner of the Foley Championship, the precursor of the South East Stages rally Championship, all of 19 years ago. So he’s now another overnight success. Shay is more than capable of planting the accelerator and with his deft touch has complete mastery of his environment. Set backs are taken with a quiet resignation, no hysterical dramas, just the acceptance that sh*t happens and I’m not a victim just a sinner!

The runner up pairing of father and son, Alan and James Commins, Class 4, Escort Mk 2 or RWD Peugeot 205 depending on the surface were just one point behind on 78 points. The results are just numerical indicative. The shortage of competitors on three rounds denied this team maximum points and potentially the 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship. Being the sportsmen that they are the championship rules were accepted.

Third overall are James Coleman and Michael Haley, Escort MK2, Class 5, 74 points. Remarkable that first and third came from class 5. Another fantastic performance from the Escort MK2.

Coincidentally, all three crews are from the Carrick-on-Suir Motor Club and all are involved in the club’s activities.

So that about sums up the 2011 TRITON SHOWERS South East Stages Rally Championship, linking our sponsor, our promoting clubs and the winning crews.

Thanks to our register Ann M. Fitzgerald for keep the operation up in the air and to the secretary/financial controller Winnie Sheil for maintaining the level in the coffers. And of course to Kevin Barrett of TRITON SHOWERS for his continued support of our ‘the clubman competitors’ championship.

To all involved in Motorsport, we wish you all a safe and competitive 2012.

2011 AWARDS PRESENTATION - Letter to Competitors

TRITON Showers  South East Stages Rally Championship - 2011 Final Results

Review of the 2011 Season

Championship Website

The Mount Wolseley Hotel