Round Five: Toddsleap.com Ulster International Rally, 21/22 August

Pirelli TEG Sport crew Mark Higgins and Bryan Thomas took a lonely victory on this weekend’s Toddsleap.com Ulster International Rally, the fifth round of the MSA British Rally Championship.

Their eventual winning margin of nearly three minutes from local youngster and MSA Rally Elite driver Alastair Fisher, partnered by Higgins’ former co-driver Rory Kennedy, certainly does not tell the whole story though, as the event was full of intrigue from the start.

Higgins’ main Championship rivals Keith Cronin and Greg Shinnors had begun well, posting times that made a repeat of the pair’s year-long battle a definite possibility on the 127 mile event. But disaster struck for the Irishman on the final stage of Friday, going off the road while 14 seconds clear of triple Champion Higgins.

The incident damaged the front of the car, but critically failing to finish the stage would have cost Cronin a ten minute penalty even if it were repaired for the Saturday re-start. This he and his team elected not to do, instead saving precious funds to take the fight to the final round in Yorkshire which counts for 1½ points.

Results

1-Mark Higgins-Bryan Thomas- Subaru Impreza- 1:53:01.6

2-Alastair Fisher-Rory Kennedy- Mitsubishi Lancer- 1:55:53.1

3-David Bogie-Kevin Rae- Mitsubishi Lancer- 2:01:19.4

4-Martin McCormack-Phil Clarke- Citroen C2- 2:01:31.3

5-Dave Weston Jnr-Gordon Noble- Subaru Impreza- 2:02:28.6

6-Craig Breen-Gareth Roberts- Ford Fiesta- 2:03:47.8

Championship

1 Mark Higgins GB 96

2 Keith Cronin IRL 76

3 Alastair Fisher GB 75

4 David Weston Jnr GB 54

5 Martin McCormack GB 53

6 David Bogie GB 49