Meeke's still on track for Rally Ireland bid

Saturday, September 22, 2007

By Sammy Hamill

But there is increasing optimism he will line out against them on Rally Ireland in November.

Meeke, who drove for Citroen alongside Sordo in the Junior World championship and was called on to test Loeb's WRC Xsaras and C4s, is listed at No.6 in the line-up for the Cork '20' International, final round of the Irish Tarmac championship, on which World champion Loeb, team-mate Sordo and Ford's Mikko Hirvonen will hone their final preparations for Rally Ireland.

And much as Meeke would like to be taking them on following his commanding win on the Ulster International, it seems that all efforts are now being directed into securing the funding that will allow him to take part in the first round of the World championship to be staged in Ireland.

It was on board a Pirelli-backed Subaru S11 owned by Derek McGarrity that the 27-year-old from Dungannon won his home round of the British championship for the first time. And former Tarmac McGarrity is mustard keen to see Meeke get his chance in Rally Ireland that he is happy to stand aside himself

Still recovering from the arm and shoulder injuries that have sidelined him for over a year, McGarrity is also entered in Cork next weekend but will concentrate instead on running two Subarus for the men who are battling for the Tarmac title, Eugene Donnelly and Mark Higgins.

His DMG team have been running the Pirelli S11 for British champion Higgins in the Tarmac series and having bought Donnelly's S12 Subaru from Reid Motorsport in the past few weeks - and agreed to hire it back for Cork - McGarrity finds himself in the unusual position of being responsible for the cars of both major protagonists.

"I had hope to compete but maybe me doing the rally as well as the two boys might be taking on too much," he explained. "I've missed all year so what difference will it make to miss one more rally."

Add Meeke into the mix and it would all have become very complicated, even if a suitable, competitive car could have been found. Instead McGarrity feels all efforts should be directed at finding the funding for Rally Ireland.

"If I have my way Kris will be doing Rally Ireland," he said. "He has shown everyone what he is capable of in Ireland this year and he should have the chance to show that on the World championship event."

Meeke, meanwhile, popped off quietly last weekend to the Rally du Luxembourg where he swapped the mighty Subaru for a little 1600cc, two-wheel-drive Citroen C2-R2. He was there at the invitation of local co-driver Johny Blom and as well as showing his versatility, he stunned the opposition by leading he rally at the end of the first leg.

The lack of horse power caught up with him on the faster stages of the second day and he was overhauled by the Porsche of Anton Werner and the G3 Renault Clio of Gilles Schammel and had to settle for third.

"I caught them on the hop a bit on Friday night," explained Meeke, "but on the faster stages on Saturday I couldn't match them. The Citroen was giving away 70 horse power to the Renault and 300 to the Porsche!

"The car was immaculately prepared by Johny, and ran without fault all weekend. We simply didn't have an answer to the more powerful cars on some of the hill climb tests, but I think third overall was more than I expected.

"I drove the car to its maximum, not even a 10th left anywhere, and never put a foot wrong but in the end you can't beat horse power."

It was immediately he stepped off the podium in Luxembourg that he learned of the death of his mentor and friend Colin McRae.

"Colin has been by far the biggest influence on my life in the past 10 years," he said.

In the circumstances, all thoughts of Cork were put to one side. And that, it seems, is where they will stay.

* The Ulster International Rally will have a new date in the 2008 British championship calendar.

It will move forward a week and take place on August 22/23 with Armagh still expected to be the base.

The Yorkshire Rally also moves from October to September. It is scheduled for October 6 this year and as well as being critical in Mark Higgins' battle to retain his British title, it will be the event on which Phillip Morrow hopes to seal the UK Mitsubishi Evo Challenge.

The Lisburn driver has an 18-point lead and needs only a top four finish to ensure he wins the top prize of a works drive with Mitsubishi in next year's British championship.

If it all works out, Morrow is hoping to finish this season with an appearance on the World championship Rally GB At the end of November.

2008 calendar (subject to MSA approval): April 18/19 - Pirelli International Rally, Carlisle, Cumbria; May 24/25 - Jim Clark International Rally, Duns, Scottish Borders; July 17/19 - International Rally Isle of Man, Douglas, Isle of Man; August 22/23 - Ulster International Rally, Armagh; September 27 - International Rally Yorkshire, Pickering, North Yorkshire; November 28/30 - Wales Rally GB, Cardiff.

* Michael Curran took the Irish national championship production category for a second time on last weekend's Clare Rally.

The Bangor driver in his Mitsubishi Lancer was beaten by the Subarus of Willie Fannin and Ian Barrett on the day but, with nearest rival Seamus Leonard being forced to withdraw before the start, Curran did more than enough to ensure he finished top of the Group N table.