UP to 2000 rally enthusiasts were treated to a feast of racing at St Angelo airport on Bank Holiday Monday. The event which is run by the Enniskillen Motor Club and sponsored by Jennings Fuels and Lubricants and the Mayfly Inn in Kesh attracted 120 competitors.
The event comprised of six stages and the overall winner was Monaghan driver Stephen Wright in his Ford Fiesta R5 finishing with a time of 28.57.7. In second place was Derek McGarrity from Glengormley and the third podium place went to Martin Toner from Magherafelt.
Local brothers Jonny Leonard and his co-driver, Ryan Leonard just missed out on a podium place, finishing fourth overall in a time of 30.4.2.
The Ballinamallard brothers were debuting their Ford Fiesta R5 and it was Jonny Leonard’s first time competing in four years and his first time behind the wheel in a R5.
“It was a wee bit of a baptism of fire but we managed to take to it okay” said Jonny, on reflection. “It was a bit of guess work for the first couple of stages but we seemed to get onto it alright,” said the FAL Hire company director.
Indeed, the pair would’ve been pushing for the podium but for a fifth stage mishap when they broke the drive shaft, costing them a lot of time and dispelling their hopes of a place in the top three.
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