Keyes takes second victory in Ka championships

14 May 2002: 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.

With 11 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," Gerry said afterwards. “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

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 losing 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.


KA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - RESULTS ROUND 2

POS - NAME - ADDRESS - TIME
1 Gerry Keyes Crecora, Co. Limerick 0
2 Mark Kane Tullamore, Co. Offaly 0.00.05
3 David Lyons Limerick 0.01.29
4 James Eivers Blarney, Co. Cork 0.01.58
5 John Folan Galway 0.02.15
6 Vivian Noone Cashel, Co. Tipperary 0.02.26
7 Martin Laverty Magherafelt, Co. Derry 0.02.39
8 Trevor Harding Cashel, Co. Tipperary DNF
9 Kenneth Mulvaney Coolaney, Co. Sligo DNF
10 Trevor Hutton Carlow DNF
11 Allard Johnston Dublin DNS
12 Emily O’Mahony Cork DNS
13 Keith Colton Tullamore, Co. Offaly DNS
14 Niall O’Sullivan Hospital, Co. Limerick DNS


CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS AFTER ROUND 2

POS - NAME - ADDRESS - POINTS
1 Gerry Keyes Crecora, Co. Limerick 60
2 Mark Kane Tullamore, Co. Offaly 45
3 James Eivers Blarney, Cork 44
4 John Folan Galway 36
- David Lyons Limerick 36
6 Vivian Noone Cashel, Co. Tipperary 32
7 Kenneth Mulvaney Coolaney, Sligo 26
- Martin Laverty Magherafelt, Co. Derry 26
9 Trevor Harding Cashel, Co. Tipperary 21
10 Trevor Hutton Carlow 12
11 Allard Johnston Sandymount, Dublin 4. 0
12 Emily O’Mahony Carrigaline, Cork 0
13 Keith Colton Tullamore, Co. Offaly 0
14 Niall O’Sullivan Hospital, Co. Limerick 0

May 2002