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Ford Ka Championship - TWO FROM TWO - KEYES TAKES SECOND VICTORY

Posted: May 13, 2002 4:43 PM - 17159 Hits


Carlow Stages Rally - Round 2 2002 Ford Ka Championship
by Tom Collins

Gerry Keyes from Crecora, Co. Limerick took a narrow victory on the second round of the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship, the Carlow Stages Rally based in Carlow town.

Posted: May 13, 2002 4:43 PM

With eleven starters, the competition between the Ford rockets was as intense as ever. Gerry in the O’Dwyer Steel/P. J. Matthews/ Lyons of Limerick Ford KA started the event as favourite having won the opening round of the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship. Gerry stamped his authority on Special Stage 1 & 2 setting fastest KA time, to take an early twenty one-second lead. Mark Kane (Tullamore) in the Colton Motors Ford KA fought back magnificently setting fastest KA stage time on stages three, four, six and seven to reduce the margin to six seconds. The battle went down to the wire with Gerry and Mark, entering into the eight and final stage of the day with ten miles of tight twisty tarmac. Mark set fastest KA stage time but only Gerry produced a controlled and mature drive loosing only one second and thus securing his second victory of the season by a winning margin of only five seconds.

"I always knew that I would have a great battle on my hands with Mark, he proved it today. I am delighted to win but there is still a long way to go in the Championship. The next round of the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship will be based in Adare, which will be my home event, hopefully it will prove to be lucky for me" said Gerry.

Fellow Limerick crew of David Lyons and Trevor Payne in the Roberts and Ryan Crane Hire Ford KA secured a fine third place after an eventful day when the crew slipped off the road on Stage 1 loosing approx. 30 seconds. David fought back to secure the third and final podium position.

The next round of the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship sees the Ford KA army head to the Circuit of Munster based in Adare, Co. Limerick, on the 2nd of June.

1 Gerry Keyes/Christina Shanahan 81m 32s
2 Mark Kane/D Falvey             81m 43s
3 David Lyons/Trevor Payne       83m 07s
4 James Eivers/Fergal O'Carroll  83m 42s
5 John Folan/Paul Ollernshaw     83m 53s


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