Motor Sport Column: Niall Maguire's spectacular exit from the Ravens Rock Rally in Waterford cost the Monaghan driver dearly in car repairs and valuable Dunlop National Rally Championship points.
Prior to round five, Maguire, on 78 points, was on a roll with four wins and a second which gave him a 26-point lead over Cathal Arthurs.
It all went horribly wrong for Maguire two weeks ago when his Subaru WRC somersaulted after it aquaplaned in the wet. Maguire and co-driver Paul McLoughlin were unhurt but afterwards he ruefully remarked: "An accident such as the one I had will take the (personal) speed away, I don't know for how long, hopefully only for a few stages. The Dunlop series is still very open and there is an awful lot of driving to be done before the final round.
"Jim Harrison has upped the pace, Kevin Lynch (Waterford winner) is on a great run and drivers like Cathal Arthurs and Patrick Elliott are also well capable. There is nothing between us and this championship is far from over."
Maguire's lead over Harrison is now down to 10 points, followed by Arthurs on 66, Elliott 50, Lynch, Barrett and Ray Breen 45 each.
The championship race moves to Sligo for Sunday's round six in which all the contenders are listed, plus George Tracey in his Peugeot 206WRC. The 4x2 stages are at Lady's Bare, Billlabridge, Lavagh and Lough Eske with service on the N17 near Colloney.
Another Irish racing success was notched up at Brands Hatch on Saturday by 18-year-old Peter Dempsey (Ashbourne). Driving a KTT Racing Swift for the only the second time Dempsey scored two race wins, won two poles and set two fastest laps.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday, Sunday: Tipperary LC and MCC, Dungarvan Hillclimbs, Co Waterford, 11 a.m.
Saturday: Cork MC, Autotest, Ballyvorney, Co Cork, 5.30 p.m.
Sunday: Connacht MC, Sligo Rally, starts Sligo, 10.15 a.m.; Skibbereen and District AC, Autotest, Skibbereen, Co Cork, 12 p.m.
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