James Mc Greal border Champ 2000

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL (MONAGHAN)

BORDER RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2000

  Issued by Jarlath Sweeney, Press Officer
Four Seasons Hotel Border Rally Championship
Tel: 087 2439239 / Fax: 094 62814
 E-mail: jarlathsweeney@eircom.net

  CLIMATIC FINISH TO BORDER CHAMPIONSHIP IN DONEGAL

  Avid rally fans are well aware that there is no such thing as a ‘dead cert’.  Anything can happen to the pre-event favourites at any event, especially at a Championship final round, and in the case of the Border Series, it did!

  In an exciting climax to the six round Championship sponsored by the Four Seasons Hotel (Monaghan), it was a complete outsider in the shape of James McGreal that emerged victorious, leaving the much fancied opposition stunned in his wake.  The Foxford, County Mayo garage owner’s Class win at the Donegal Harvest Rally in his Nissan Sunny GTi-R was enough to snatch the much coveted Derryveagh Crystal Perpetual Trophy from the grasp of leading contenders Paul Gallagher and Norman Armstrong and Mac McKenna.

  Most disappointed from that trio must undoubtedly be Letterkenny’s Paul Gallagher.  The Toyota Corolla driver was confident going into his home event of taking maximum points in Class 10 but, alas, it wasn’t to be.  A broken differential incurred over the rough terrain around West Donegal put paid to any chance of achieving the title goal especially after the non-finish at the previous round in Sligo. 

  Seasoned campaigner, Norman Armstrong (Newtownhamilton) was the next front runner to bow out early in the event.  His Escort MKII succumed to engine maladies on Special Stage 2 at Croagh to ensure that the main prize would not be travelling back with him to Armagh.

  Early season leader MacMcKenna was another challenger in with a shout but, gearbox gremlims struck in the Donegal event leaving his Peugeot 205 stuck in 3^rd gear, which resulted in scoring only 7 points from 4^th in Class 11A.  Still, the Monaghan man will be pleased with the overall class win.

  Defending champion David Armstrong (Escort Cosworth) and Tom McCreesh (Toyota Starlet) both from the Newry region, immediately knocked themselves out of the title chase with their unexpected non-appearance in Donegal.

  So, Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s James McGreal came to Donegal with an outside chance, saw the opportunity and conquered the main prize.  On hearing the good news back at rally headquarters at the Bayview Hotel, Killybegs, James expressed his delight on winning the most popular Clubman’s Championship in the country.  “Yes, I am absolutely thrilled at winning the Border Series and with a  Class win in the Dunlop National Championship, it looks like being my best ever season in rallying.  But without the assistance of my navigator, Killian Duffy, one of the youngest co-drivers in the country and my many sponsors these achievements could not be possible”.

  McGreal’s successful title attempt was complimented further in assisting his fellow Club members John Duffy (Crossmolina) and Paul Cleary (Kiltimagh) to take the overall Team Award.

With three class wins from the six rounds, Seamus Gallagher from Letterkenny (Honda Civic), finished a close third to Paul Gallagher in the overall standings.

In the seperate Navigators Championship, Karl Reid took the overall title for the second time and in doing so brought some cheer to his driver Paul Gallagher. The Letterkenny man achieved this honour previously in 1992. John Loughran (Emyvale), navigator to Mac McKenna just pipped Convoy’s Danny McBride’s co-driver Jonathan Gallagher (Suzuki Swift) for the runners-up spot.

Rounding off the main prize winners for the 2000 Championship is Gerry Smith who will be presented with the Brian McGrath Memorial Award by virtue of his overall win in Class 11.

James Mc Greal border Champ 2000