Organised and promoted by the Munster Car Club, the Moonraker rally is based in Lismore. The Lismore House Hotel is the main sponsor and rally HQ. Brian O'Leary is theClerk of the Course and he has announced that the event contains a mix of some new stages and old favourites. The stages are based in the Tallow/West Waterford area and are reported to be in good order. The total stage distance is 65km, with the first stage commencing at 09:30, with the winner on the finish ramp at 16:30. A total of fifty six cars have entered the event.
The series got off to the best possible start for Owen Murphy with a brace of victories on the Mitchelstown (Sean Conlon Memorial Forest) and Carrick-on-Suir (Willie Loughman Memorial Forest) rallies.
Murphy, who hails from Ballincollig, drives the Hankook Evo 9. He is a former Billy Coleman award winner and he has a useful seven points lead in the Valvoline Championship.
In the second round hosted by the Carrick club, it was the Impreza WRC of Jeremy Drislane who won the first stage at Kilsheelin. A spin on the second relegated him to fourth as Murphy went fastest to move into a lead that he would never surrender. Liam Ryan was the chaser and with good times in Gurteen and Anner, he was second overall at first service, 46 behind Murphy and 17 ahead of McAree. With the second half of the rally held in the dark, the crews headed back to Kilsheelin, Gorteen and Anner. McAree was the main mover, putting his night nav experience to good use by winning the three stages and this was enough to claim second place fromRyan by 4 seconds. John Reid withdrew after stage one with flu infection and Andrew Purcell crashed out on stage two.
TOP SEEDS MOONRAKER RALLY
1. John Reid/Enda Sheils, Corolla WRC
2. Owen Murphy/James O'Brien, Evo9
3. Ian Cocrane/Ray Fitzpatrick, Evo9
4. Jeremy Drislane/Paul Goodman, Impreza WRC
5. Martin Cairns / Andrew Purcell, Impreza WRC
6. Vincent McAree / JP McAree, Evo9
7. LiamRyan / AidanBourke, Evo9
8. Craig Breen / Gareth Roberts, Fiesta R2
9. Stephen Wright / Suzanne Wright, Evo6
10. Shane McGirr/TBA, Toyota Starlet RWD
