Round 8: McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally, September 25 Martin Cairns won round eight of the Hankook MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship, the McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally. James Gillen and Donagh Kelly were quick out of the blocks but it was Cairns who returned to the Castlederg service park after the first loop of stages in the lead following seven scratch times.Kelly held second place until the halfway point of the event but was unable to fend off Gillen, who was making amends for losing an early lead. Neither, though, could quite usurp Cairns, who triumphed by just eight seconds.Results1 Martin Cairns / Andrew Purcell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 35m35.0s 2 James Gillen / Jason Harron (Subaru Impreza) 35m43.0s3 Donagh Kelly / Kevin Flanagan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Group N) 35m52.0s4 Mark Donnelly / Sean Ferris (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Group N) 36m05.0s5 Stuart Biggerstaff / Antony Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC) 36m05.0sRound 9: Rathfriland Motor Club’s Down Rally, October 23

Championship positions (provisional) after Round 81 Stuart Biggerstaff – 66 points 2 Mark Donnelly – 593 Cyril Doherty – 474 Drew Stewart – 375 Derek McGarrity – 36