For Alastair Fisher, Saturday’s Fisher Engineering Lakeland Stages Rally heralded a superb victory on this Northern Ireland Championship round. The Team UK driver was once again using his McGarrity Motorsport prepared Group N Mitsubishi Evo 9 and finished the Fermanagh event just ahead of his friend and rival Jonny Greer in an similar machine, with the S8 WRC Subaru of Kenny McKinstry in third place.
The eight stage event run by the Enniskillen Motor Club started outside the Fisher Engineering works in Ballinamallard and headed into the fabulous Lakeland forests, which included an 11 mile forestry stage which is a rare treat in Ireland. For Alastair it was his first run out on gravel since April and a valuable chance to get gravel miles before he makes his debut at the wheel of an Evo 10 Mitsubishi thanks to an offer from the JRM team to contest the final British Championship round the Trackrod Rally. “The JRM team approached us just after the Ulster Rally to drive the Evo 10 as they wish to make a bid for the team prize on the BRC. We had no intention of contesting the Trackrod, but we have to take this great opportunity! It will be a big task to try and drive the car as fast as my own Evo 9, but I will get a test in the car on the Wednesday before the event with Gwyndaf Evans and I’m really very excited about it.”
The excitement on Saturday however was provided by a superb race with the BRC leader Jonny Greer, as the two young drivers set a storming pace over the opening loop of stages. Getting the best view of the excitement was Alastair’s co-driver Gordon Noble, standing in for Rory Kennedy and it was a partnership that worked well from the outset. “Gordon is very experienced and a very good co-driver and we both really enjoyed the rally, I knew Jonny would go well as he went well on this event last year but it was a nice surprise to be ahead of Kenny.” At the mid event service in the little village of Garrison after four stages, Alastair’s lead over Jonny Greer was just three seconds with a full 26 seconds to third placed Kenny McKinstry, illustrating the commitment of the two young drivers. Indeed on the fast 11 miler the Group N Evo had been touching top speed down the narrow gravel tracks! “The car was working well and it had too as it was very fast and quite bumpy. The DMS suspension was really coming into its own and we just stiffened up the rear slightly for the second loop.”
The race was on however on the final four stages, as Jonny Greer took 4 seconds back from Alastair on the opening two stages of the loop to move into a one second lead as they headed for the second running of the long stage. “We had a really good run through that stage, a smooth run and we seemed to be able to get on the power nice and early through the test. We were nine seconds faster than Jonny but we had beaten the bogey time by eight seconds so that meant we were entering the last stage, dead level!” It was a final stage shoot-out and Alastair was a little worried about a notchy third gear but with Gordon Noble alongside they did just enough to take victory by one second from Jonny Greer with Kenny McKinstry a full 54 seconds behind in third and very complimentary towards the two drivers in front. “We had a good run on the final test but there was so little in it, Jonny was driving very well. For both of us it’s a good warm up for the Trackrod as the Yorkshire forests demands a lot of commitment with fast straights into square corners and then after that I have to concentrate on the Cork 20 International and the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship race.”
At the Killyhevlin Hotel finish however it was a proud Fisher family that greeted Alastair and Gordon to celebrate his first big outright victory and what better place to celebrate it on than his home event the Fisher Engineering Lakeland Stages Rally. “It was simply a fantastic day and indeed it really felt very special to win this event, especially because of the support from everyone close to home.” Redacteur: PB Alistair Fisher | Foto's Roydempster.com
