TOPAZ Donegal International Rally 2008 Entry List and Stages

An intriguing entry has been assembled for the 2008 event on the 13-15th of June. Some interesting combinations appear on the list, such as David Bogie in an Oakbank Services Keith Bird run 6R4 and the possibility of Niall McShea in a RGRS Polo S2000, although Niall still has to make up some of the budget. Rene Georges though is interested to run the car in Ireland for testing purposes. James Cullen has recently purchased an ex-Possum Bourne/Damien Cole Subaru WRC, according to rallynews.net, and hopes to compete if his recent shoulder operation permits him and if he can find the budget.

The MMSP Mitsubishi's won't be there, so Nesbitt has withdrawn, but Mark Higgins is trying to secure a Subaru WRC, though isn't hopeful. The other ITC regulars will be in attendance including dark horse Kevin Lynch in his S12B, though he hasn't had much mileage in the car, due to mechanical woes and an accident in Killarney, but this is his favourite event and he is usually at the sharp end in Donegal. Kris Meeke will be back in the Excel Renault Clio and another giant killing performance is expected after Killarney, just how far up the leaderboard he can get remains to be seen but without a puncture on the Lakes second was on the cards. Aaron MacHale is missing as will be on honeymoon.

There is such great depth to the entry that there will be battles right through the field. Phil Collins heads up the modified entry and Seamus Leonard is back in his favoured Group N in Donegal.

The Historic entry is rather impressive boasting the likes of Richard Hall, Derek Boyd, Dessie McCartney and Adrian Kermode.

Latest news is that Paul Harris will be in an Evo9 and will surely be a Group N favourite, HMD has withdrawn as well as Willie Fannin.

Eugene Donnelly will take part in Craig Bennett's Digiprintz Fabia which will add some gloss while James Cullen has withdrawn due to the shoulder injury. Donnelly will run at no.7 in place of Cullen. Higgins will be a non-starter as a very late bid to secure a MMSP Mitsu faltered and Lynch probably won't have S12b ready in time as still at Prodrive so will use his Focus 05, which he still has, instead. McShea will be in an Evo 9. JJ Fleming and Mike Bird have withdrawn as has Sean Devine and Sean Gallagher in their Subarus.

Tony Jardine and Maurice Hamilton will compete in Richard Hogg's Octavia WRC. Jardine commented that he was "scared" at the prospect, as being more used to a production Fiesta in recent years. The Octavia will be run by ProSpeed and VSM jointly.

Niall McShea just fell short of budget for the Polo (car was ready) so instead will use Howard Clarke's Evo9 sponsored by Topaz. Niall may use the Polo later in the year and may be in Ypres driving a Syms Subaru N4 to gauge the S2000 pace. Stuart Darcy meanwhile has bought a Group A Impreza and will use that.

The Entry

1 Gareth MacHale I Ford Focus
3 Eamon Boland Damien Morrissey I Subaru Impreza
4 Tim McNulty Eugene O'Donnell I Subaru Impreza
6 Derek McGarrity Diarmuid Falvey I Subaru Impreza
7 Eugene Donnelly Skoda Fabia
8 Kevin Lynch Francis Regan I Subaru IprezaWRCS12B
9 Paul Harris I Mitsubishi Evo9
10 Kris Meeke I Renault Clio
11 Niall McShea Gordon Noble I Evo9
12 Niall Maguire Enda Sherry I Subaru Impreza WRC
14 Patrick Joseph McDermott Sean Harris I Subaru ImprezaS11WRC
15 Patrick Elliott Paul Goodman I Suburu S12B
17 Glenn Allen Damien Connolly I Toyota Corolla WRC
18 Seamus Leonard Gerry McVeigh I Mitsubishi Evo9
19 Gary Jennings Damien Connolly I Mitsubishi Evo9
21 Daniel Doherty Michael Doherty I Subaru Impreza WRC
23 John McGlaughlin Crawford Henderson I Mitsubishi Evo 9
24 Kevin Kelleher Martin Kelleher I Mitsubishi Evo9
25 Denis Biggerstaff I Subaru Impreza
27 Roy White Stephen McAuley I MG S2000
29 Danny McBride Rory McBride I Mitsubishi Evo8
30 Stuart Darcy Stephan Furey I Subaru Impreza
31 Cathal Rogers Eoighan Rogers I Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9
32 Collins Phil Derek Branigan N Ford EscortMII
33 Camillus Bradley Danny O'Neill N Ford EscortMII
34 Martin McGee Damian Crawford N Ford Escort
35 Wesley Patterson Martin McGarrity N Ford Escort RS
36 Damien Gallagher Mac Walsh N Ford Escort
37 Paul Gallagher Karl Reid N Toyota Corolla
38 Brian Brogan Damien McGettigan N Ford Escort
39 Rodney Wilton Conor Mc Mahon N Ford Escort
40 Manus Kelly Donal Barrett N Ford Escort
41 Gary McPhillips Mark Tierney N Ford Escort MkII
42 Robbie Peoples Keith Stewart N Ford Escort
43 David Bogie Kevin Rae N MG Metro 6R4
44 Brendan Cumiskey Conor Foley I Mitsubishi Lancer
45 Damien Tourish Domhnall McAlaney I Mitsubishi Evo 9
46 Mark Nangle Michael Clyne I Subaru Impreza N12
47 Frank Wray Joe McNulty I Mitsibushi Evo
49 Gavin Harris Shaun Lafferty I Subaru Impreza
50 Jardine Tony Maurice Hamilton Skoda Octavia WRC
51 Eugene Ferry Derek Heena N Ford Escort
52 Conor Curley Nigel Frazer N Ford Escort
53 Calum Duffy Iain Duffy N Ford Escort MKII
54 Adrian Hetherington Gary Nolan N Ford EscortMII
55 Mark Alcorn Kevin McCafferty N Toyota Corolla
56 Tom Holton Francis Kenny N Toyota Celica
57 Ivan Stewart N BMW M3
58 Seamus O'Connell N Ford EscortMKII
59 Kevin O'Donoghue Joe O'Leary N Ford Escort
60 John Gallagher Thomas McGuire I Mitsubishi Evo6
61 Seamus Devine Liam McLaughlin I Subaru Impreza WRC S9
62 Paul Barrett Dermot Colgan N Ford Focus RWD
63 Declan McNaughton Sean Hayde N Ford Escort
64 Ronan Curley John McKinley N Ford Escort RS
65 Pat Bonar Derek Montgomery N Ford Escort
66 Daniel Conaghan James Gallagher N Ford Escort
67 Seamus Hegarty Paul Garry N Ford Escort
68 Geoffrey Dolan Adrian Brolly N Talbot Sunbeam
69 John O'Donnell Garath Doherty N Ford Escort
70 Mick McQuaid N Ford EscortMII
72 Thomas Keys Jonathan Baird N Ford EscortMII
73 Gary McElhinney Glenn Alcorn N Ford EscortMII
74 Shaun Murphy Ross Wasson N Ford Escort
75 Michael McColgan Paul Gallagher N Subaru Impreza N11
76 Stanley Ballantine Richard Highland I Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9
77 Trevor Bustard Kenny Bustard I Mitsubishi Evo 7
78 Columba Heena Barry Mc Gill N Toyota Corolla
79 Raymond Conlon James O'Reilly N Toyota Corolla
81 Bernard McGinley N Toyota Starlet
82 Kevin Bradley Siobhan Cassidy N Ford Escort MII
83 Michael Conlon Hugh McKenna N Ford EscortMKII
84 Liam Doherty Johnny Gallagher N Toyota Corolla
85 James Browne Oliver Harvey N Ford Escort MKII
86 Victor Hunter Michael Doherty N Ford Escort
87 Paul Hughes Declan Campbell N Ford Escort MII
88 Raymond Drury Sean Brunton N Ford Escort
89 Casimir McGill Brian Boyle N Ford Escort MII
90 Guy Wood**** Alun Cook I Ford Escort Maxi
91 Tommy Doyle Tony McDaid I Renault Clio R3
92 Seamus Gallagher I Citroen Saxo
93 Adrian McElhinney Paddy Gorman I Citroen C2R2
94 Toni Kelly Joe Hunter I Honda Civic R
95 Ian Roche Paul Roche I Peugeot 206 SI600
96 Brian Pat Doherty Keith Bovaird I Ford Escort Maxi
97 Martin Howley Fabian McShane I Toyota Corrola WRC
98 Pat Kirk Noreen McShea I Mitsubishi Evo 9
99 Andy Connor I Mitsubishi Evo9
100 Ciaran Brogan Dermott McGettigan N Mitsubishi Evo
102 Gary Cairns Justin Coyle N Mitsubishi Evo9
103 Jeff McNeill N Subaru Impreza
104 Colin Britton Arthur Kierans I Mitsubishi Evo9
105 P J Gillespie Mary O'Kane I Mitsubishi Evo
106 Gary Cooney I Mitsubishi Evo
107 Paul Callaghan Barry Callaghan I Subaru Impreza
108 Peter McCullagh David Doherty I Mitsubishi Evo9
109 JP Logue Patrick Durning N Honda Civic
110 Kevin Gallagher Gavin Gallagher N Vauxhall Corsa
112 Martin O'Donnell Leona O'Donnell I Honda Civic
113 Connor Harvey TBA I Honda Civic
114 Joseph McGonagle I Honda CivicVTI
115 Paul Doherty Hugh Coll N Toyota Corolla
116 Alaistair Hetherington John Coll N Ford Escort
117 Danny Gillespie Eamon Gillespie I Honda Civic
118 Paddy Walker James Logue I Peugeot 206XSI
119 Timothy Dougan I Seat Ibiza
120 Aidan Caldwell James Sharkey N Ford EscortGIII
121 Samuel Kelso Keith Alexander N Ford Escort
122 William Mc Fadden Clive Aiken N Chrysler Sunbeam
123 Michael Peoples Hugh Curran N Ford Escort
124 Kevin Kelly Paul Hegarty N Ford Escort
125 John Crumlish Gerard Mullan I Subaru Impreza
126 Kevin Connor Barry McBride N Mitsubishi Evo
127 Paul Blackburn Alexis Harper N Vauxhall Corsa
128 John Paul Quigley Darren Doherty I Honda Civic
129 Garrett McMonagle Mark Maguire I Honda Integra
130 Billy Hayes Pierce Doheny I Honda Civic R
131 Tom Gormally Paul Horan I Honda Civic
132 Ian Hynes Des Sherlock I Honda Civic
133 Gerard Sharkey Neil Foulks I Honda Civic
135 John Dolan Joe Dolan N Ford Escort
136 William Woods Ruth Sheradon N Ford Escort
137 Eamon Gallagher Paul Brogan N Ford EscortMII
138 Declan Gallagher Eoin Gallagher N Toyota Starlet RWD
139 Roger Donnan Leon Jordan I Ford Pums S1600
140 Martin Devine Francis Devine I Honda Civic
141 Michael Carron Trevor Graham N Honda Civic
142 Gerard Callaghan Michael Pearson N Vauxhall Corsa
143 Andy Gamble Mark Vaughan I Nissan Micra
144 John Mulholland Eamoon Gorman I Skoda Fabia VRSTDI
145 Andrew Stewart Tony Gallagher I MG ZR
146 William Vance Thomas Vance N Mitsubishi Evo8
147 Johnny Hegarty Kevin McFadden N Toyota Corolla
148 John Keow Michael Ward I Honda Civic
149 Colin McMonagle Conor McMonagle I Honda Entegra
150 Terence McGonagle Mark Curran N Honda Civic
151 Hugh Martin Toye Breeeda Toye N Honda Civic
152 Paddy McElwee Raymond McGettigan N Toyota Corolla

153 James McNulty Brendan McElhinney N Mitsubishi Evo
154 Donald McGettigan N Honda Civic
155 Conor Watters John Watters N Ford Escort
156 William Carey Jimmy Graham N Ford Escort MKII
157 Gavin Toland Ciaran Henry N Ford Escort

158 Vivian Hamill Paul Hamill N Ford Escort
159 Gavin McMenamin Ciaran McElleney N Honda Civic SiR
160 Dermot Cannon John McLoone N Toyota CorollaTC

161 Joseph McBride Danny Ferry N Ford ExcortMI
162 Paul Gallagher James Gallagher N Ford EscortMI
163 Alistair Glenn Martin Sharkey I Peugeot 206
164 Colm McFall Malachy McAuley N Ford Escort

165 Damien McVeigh Barry McBride Vauxhall Nova

Stages Times 2008 Donegal Rally

Friday
Service Letterkenny after SS3

SS1/4 Breenagh 11.55am + 15.00pm

SS2/5 Cark 12.22pm + 15.27pm

SS3/6 Mongorry 13.16pm + 16.21pm

Saturday
Service Milford after SS8, SS10 and SS12

SS7/9 Knockalla 09.31am + 11.34 am

SS8/10 Garrygort 10.10am + 12.33pm

SS11/13 Carnhill 14.02pm + 16.45pm

SS12/14 Fanad 14.53pm + 17.36pm

Sunday
Service Downings after SS17 and SS19

SS15/18 Glen 11.00am + 14.09pm

SS16/19 Port Lake 11.42am + 14.51pm

SS17/20 Atlantic Drive 12.47pm + 16.34pm

The World Champion on last year's rally

Previous Winners

1972 Cahal Curley / Peter Scott Porsche Carrera

1973 Cahal Curley / Terry Harryman Porsche Carrera

1974 Cahal Curley / Terry Harryman Porsche Carrera

1975 Achim Warmbold / John Davenport BMW 2002

1976 Brian Nelson / Malcolm Neill Porsche Carrera

1977 Billy Coleman / Austin Frazer Lancia Stratos

1978 Ari Vatenen / Peter Bryant Ford Escort RS 1800

1979 Brian Nelson / Rodney Cole Ford Escort RS 1800

1980 Jimmy McRae / Frank Maine Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR

1981 John Lyons / Bill Moffitt Ford Escort RS 1800

1982 John Lyons / Bill Moffitt Ford Escort RS 1800

1983 Vincent Bonner / Seamus McGettigan Ford Escort RS 1800

1984 Billy Coleman / Ronan Morgan Opel Manta 400

1985 Billy Coleman / Ronan Morgan Porsche 911 SC RS

1986 Billy Coleman / Ronan Morgan Austin Metro 6R4

1987 Bertie Fisher / Austin Frazer Opel Manta 400

1988 Mark Lovell / Terry Harryman Ford Sierra Cosworth

1989 David Llewellin / Phil Short Toyota Celica GT4

1990 Austin McHale / Dermott O Gorman BMW M3

1991 James Cullen / Ellen Morgan Ford Sierra Cosworth

1992 Bertie Fisher / Rory Kennedy Subaru Legacy RS

1993 Bertie Fisher / Rory Kennedy Subaru Legacy RS

1994 Stephen Finlay / Campbell Roy Ford Escort Cosworth

1995 Bertie Fisher / Rory Kennedy Subaru Legacy RS

1996 Andrew Nesbitt / George Millar Toyota Celica

1997 Austin McHale / Brian Murphy Toyota Celica

1998 Andrew Nesbitt / James O Brien Toyota Celica

1999 James Cullen / Ellen Morgan Subaru Impreza

2000 Andrew Nesbitt / Brian Murphy Subaru WRC

2001 Event not run due to Foot & Mouth

2002 Event cancelled

2003 Andrew Nesbitt / James O'Brien Subaru WRC

2004 Eugene Donnelly / Paul Kiely Toyota Corolla

2005 Eugene Donnelly / Paul Kiely Toyota Corolla

2006 Andrew Nesbitt / James O'Brien Mitsubishi Lancer WRC

2007 Sebastian Loeb / Daniel Elena Citroen C4

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