Irish Junior Rallying
 

Fact file

Name william lynch
Age 23
Hometown macroom
Occupation baker
Driver or Navigator navigator
Car talbot sunbeem
Motor Club skibb d.c.c.
Hobbies cars cars cars
Sponsors aran na heireann teo/ lynchs bakery macroom. mr mister menswear michelstown

Question Time
Q1 How did you get started in rallying? 
my friend bought a rally car andf havn't looked back since

Q2 First event you competed on? 
west cork 2008

Q3 How many rallies do you compete in during a year? 
6 approx

Q4 Favourite rally car? 
205 t16

Q5 Favourite rally driver? 
ari vatanen


Q6 What sort of pace notes do you use and anything they could do to improve them? 
We use numbers and we seen to get on fine with them no complaints

Q7 One thing you would change in Irish Rallying? 
i would change the group n fuel to pump petrol like the uk, i feel that we are loosing entry's over cost differences

Q8 Most memorial moment in Rallying? 
getting our first win in our second rally best feeling ever

Q9 The moment you would most like to forget in rallying? 
rally of the lakes 09, my worst weekend navigating to date

Q10 If you had €50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do? 
buy myself a rally car and go driving

Q11 Who in your opinion is the best young Irish driver at the moment? 
craig breen. he is the up and coming star and it would be nice to see a tri colour on the podum

Q12 What would be the best tip you could give to competitors starting out in rallying? 
don't be shy, ask people if your not sure about something, everyone has to start somewhere

Q13 Your favourite stage you competed on? 
ardgroom would be my favourite, the way a stage should be feck this smooth straight stuff

Q14 Who in rallying has influenced you most to date? 
i cant give a straight answer really,just talking to loads of people over the years and following it all around the country

Q15 After 1 year with the new Hans equipment what is your opinion of the safety device? 
i have no problem with it, anything that makes it safer is a bonus

Email Address
Name

Fact file

Name Simon Duggan
Age ,24
Hometown, Macroom ,Co.Cork
Occupation, Carpenter
Driver or Navigator, Driver
Car, Talbot Sunbeam 1300 16v
Motor Club, Skibbereen & District
Hobbies, Cycling,running,music and hiking from time to time.
Sponsors Duggan Steel Milstreet,Aran na hEireann Breads of Ireland,Ui Croinins Pub Macroom,Looney Car Sales Macroom,Mr Mister Mensware Mitchelstown,Dukie Motorsports,

Question Time

Q1 How did you get started in rallying?
Answer here; I had an interest in rallying with many years before I was able to compete. Whether it was travelling the length of the country to Donegal, to attending my first local International the Cork “20” I was hooked.Marshalling was the closest I could get to the action until my first outing in 2008.It seems to be an addiction that can only be cured by poverty!

Q2 First event you competed on?
Answer here; West Cork Junior Rally 2008

Q3 How many rallies do you compete in during a year?
Answer here ; Usually around 4 junior events per year.

Q4 Favourite rally car?
Answer here; either the MG Metro 6R4,RS1800 Escort or the GRP A Impreza.

Q5 Favourite rally driver?
Answer here; Colin McRae by a long shot.


Q6 What sort of pace notes do you use and anything they could do to improve them?
Answer here; I use the number system.1 fastest but this year I hope to begin using 6 fastest.Theres nothing id really change other than that.I just try and keep it as simple as possible and note landmarks,lines for bends and changes that have to be made between the time of pace note making & recce.

Q7 One thing you would change in Irish Rallying?
Answer here; Perhaps the 30 sec departure.I think a minute interval makes more sense.Im sure everyone agrees that there is nothing worse than getting caught behind a fellow competitor and loosing time.
Also the cost of entry fees,surely something can be done to make it more competitor friendly.

Q8 Most memorial moment in Rallying?
Answer here; Probably winning the 2009 West Cork Junior Rally.

Q9 The moment you would most like to forget in rallying?
Answer here; We were coming to the end of the notoriously long and demanding Ardgroom, the penultimate stage of the 2009 Junior Rally of the Lakes when our clutch cable became ceased .I was pressing the clutch so hard trying to engage gears that the pedal box cracked leaving us on the side of the road section before the final stage,kilmackillogue.We were leading the class by 40 secs and lying in 4th o/a but due to trying to fix the pedal box we incurred a 1min30sec road penalty for late arrival to the last stage ,loosing our lead.It was a fantastic days rallying all the same though as we had a mighty battle with Ray O Sullivan & Derek O Brien.

Q10 If you had €50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?
Answer here; I would probably do a one make championship like the FST Championship or the Citroen C2 Championship.Both are very appealing with great prizes on offer.Failing that id spend it on a BDA historic spec Escort!!

Q11 Who in your opinion is the best young Irish driver at the moment?
Answer here; Without a shadow of a doubt Keith Cronin.Im also looking forward to see how Craig Breen & Owen Murphy get on in the UK this season.

Q12 What would be the best tip you could give to competitors starting out in rallying?
Answer here; Keep it simple and take every rally as it comes.Take your time on recce and it will really stand to you.Within a few events things will start to fall into place and the stage times will get better & better. Preparation is everything ,I learned the hardway!!

Q13 Your favourite stage you competed on?
Answer here; Ardgroom for sure.

Q14 Who in rallying has influenced you most to date?
Answer Here; Again Colin McRae but Kris Meeke also has been a big influence.If I could have 1/10th of his pace id be happy!! Lol!

Q15 After 1 year with the new Hans equipment what is your opinion of the safety device?
Answer here ; There was a lot of controversy over the introduction the the Hans Device but I can honestly say the I have no quarrel with it what so ever.We actually had an incident on the 2009 Kenmare Historics where we left the road at close to 100kph and ended up 30ft below the road in a bog.The hans device really restricted head movement and I had no problem getting out the car with the helmet and hans on which was a concern of many people when introduced.

Q16 What tyre manufacture do you use and why? (Driver only) Iv used Dunlop from the beginning mainly because of their reputation and have found them to be a great tyre but I may try a few different manufactures in the coming rallies to see if I can find one that might suit me better.