Caldwell seals title by narrow margin

THERE was no shortage of Tyrone success at last weekend’s Modern Tyres Ulster Rally.

Victoria Bridge’s Jason Mitchell and co-driver Paddy McCrudden claimed a stunning top three finish overall behind winners Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson and runners-up, Jonathan Greer and Niall Burns, while Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes clinched the Acesigns Irish Tarmac Championship for the second time after finishing fourth.

And there was an Irish title for Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell and co-driver, Grace O’Brien, who were crowned ITRC3 champions by just a solitary points from Drumquin’s Jason Dickson.

Dickson and co-driver Dylan Doonan produced a perfect performance in their Ford Fiesta Rally4 to seal a one-minute and thirteen-second class victory and Dickson’s fourth top-points finish in a row.

Joseph Kelly and Ronan Comerford finished second after battling through Ulster’s demanding roads.

Third place went to Caldwell and O’Brien who were managing mechanical issues with their Fiesta and their pace knowing that podium points were all they needed to clinch the title. In the end, Dickson finished the seven-round series just one point shy of Caldwell’s winning tally.

“It feels good [to win the title][ after a challenging weekend with the car not going right,” Caldwell said.

“We had a problem all weekend, so we nursed her through the rally and took the Championship!”

Desi Henry started the Ulster Rally the brightest in his Ford Fiesta Rally2, building an 18.5-second advantage after three stages on Friday evening. Unfortunately for Henry, who was looking for his first international win, slippery conditions on Saturday brought his rally to an early end, which allowed Evans, Greer, Mitchell and Moffett to capitalise.

Marty Toner and Ben Teggart picked up a surprise two-wheel-drive win on the Ulster Rally after Marty’s brother Damian and Ballygawley co-driver Denver Rafferty suffered a bruising crash on the final stage.

Toner and Rafferty were Ulster’s star attractions on Friday night when they set a series of giant-killing times in their Ford Escort Mk2.

Toner rounded out the opening day’s action with a second-fastest time overall on Slieve Gullion’s night-time pass, beating eventual rally winner Meirion Evans and Irish Tarmac Champion Josh Moffett on the mountain epic.

Toner was untouchable in two-wheel-drive and led the Ulster National Rally right up to the final stage when a heavy collision with a bridge on Mount Pleasant added them to the retirements list with just six kilometres to go.

Meanwhile, Newmills’ Richard Somerville and John Nicholl brought their Ford Escort home in 35th overall, while Dromore’s Fabian McAleer and Niall McCarron finished 38th in their Mk II Ford Escort RS1800 and third in Class H3.

Dunamanagh’s Niall Devine and co-driver Liam McIntyre suffered a frustrating weekend in their Ford Fiesta R5, finishing 39th overall, having been fifth until the first pass of Babylon Hill when they lost 39 places and a further nine on Mount Pleasant thanks to ‘a lot of mistakes’ including spins, stalls and a broken drive shadt. Fortunately, they recovered over the remaining three stages to climb back inside the top 40.

Cookstown’s Stephen McGurk and Mark O’Connor brought their Mk II Ford Escort home inside the top 50 in 47th overall, while Moy’s Shane Cullen and co-driver, Michael Laverty were 51st in a similar machine.

Trillick’s Joe Kelly and Tony McGovern were 55th, but Dromore’s Hugh McQuaid, Donemana duo, Paul Britton and Peter Ward, and Moy’s Aidan Donnelly all retired from the event.