Carlow MK2 challenge

Bridlinton, East Yorkshire

John Dier

Monday 12th June

Gary has given us more insight to Carlow stages rally, this time from the escort Mk2 challenge which ran as well as the main event.

Whitty pushes Gwyndaf to the max


The Escort challenge has been established as one of the most coveted titles in Irish motorsport since it’s inception in Carlow on 2004. Some of the finest mk2 pilots all over the land have attended the event in search of glory and this year was no exception. There really was a world class feel to the event as in 2006, the Escort challenge was headed by former works driver, Alister McRae, who was piloting his very own mk2 example. Alister, a former Subaru, Mitsubishi and Hyundai works driver, was on his first visit to Carlow and on his first tarmac event aboard his mk2 Escort. Behind Alister and Gordon Noble was one of the most famous Escort pilots of all time, Gwyndaf Evans, who had fellow Welshman David Jones on the notes. Of course Gwyndaf was all set for victory in 2005 until he left the road on the final stage. Derry man Seamus O’ Connell, partnered by Kerry’s Brian Duggan were at three in there 2.4 example.

The first of the Wexford competitors, Willie and Johnny Whitty were next on the road and had high hopes aboard their Silver Bullet mk2. Other south-east crews in the top ten included John Nolan and John Smithwick in their yellow Escort started at six, James Coleman and Owen O’ Neill were at seven while the other Silver Escort of Enda O’ Brien and John Butler were at nine. Other Wexford crews included Johnny Murphy and Martin Nolan, David Whitty and Frank Dwyer, Brian Warren and Michael Brennan and finally Willie and Maria Kehoe aboard their ever-sideways Escort!

It was Evans who took the early lead, the Welshman fastest out of the block and determined to take the title that had eluded his the previous year. Young McRae however, was not holding back to the delight of the crowd’s the black Escort being thrown around in fine style to lie second at first service. Willie and Johnny Whitty were third, the Wexford pair well on the pace and pushing the top two very hard. Johnny Murphy was enjoying the power of his new SBD engine and throwing the car around in his usual spectacular style, while David Whitty and Frank Dwyer had quite literally thrown their jocks on the dash in an all out attempt to break into the top ten. Willie and Maria Kehoe were in the thick of the class 19 action while entertaining the crowds as much as possible.

McRae moved into a 15 lead after four stages, however his Nissan engined Escort was not to go much further, a burst oil pipe leaving their engine decidedly short of the essential black stuff! Evans had a good lead therefore over the Whitty’s, but could not afford to relax as the brothers pushed on for the king of the mk2 title. In the end, the pair had to settle for second but very happy to finish second to the Welsh wizard. It was a very popular Evans who took the 2006 title and he was a very happy man indeed. David Whitty and Frank Dwyer ended up twelfth, the Black Magic mk2 finishing well up against some very stiff opposition. Johnny Murphy and Martin Nolan returned to Parc Ferme fifteenth over and as usual their Escort was suffering from a lack of taillights and a dented rear quarter panel! Willie and Maria Kehoe finished nineteenth overall and third in class while Brian Warren and Michael Brennan finished thirty-first overall.

JD