For Derek Mackarel, the Omagh based Bushwhacker Rally will one that will live long in the memory, as he managed to secure the 2024 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship title on the penultimate round of the series, and did in style as he raced to secure maximum points over the highest speed challenge in the Irish Gravel Rallying season.
Heading into the 66km event, Mackarel knew that finishing in the top 6 amongst the Championship registered crews would be enough.
Over the afternoon loop, Mackarel & Creedon upped the pace and none of their rivals could live with them. By the finish, the title was wrapped up in style for Derek as he returned with 33.5 seconds to spare, with the attention turning quickly to a similar strong result in Clare to see Eamonn claim the Navigator title.
The leading Fiesta’s were joined by Ian Dickson & John McCafferty on the podium, the pair delighted to achieve their first Sligo Forest Rally Championship top three result and making it a Ford 1-2-3.
The 2WD title race it was delight for Shane McGirr and Denver Rafferty as they clinched the title when their nearest rivals Mickey Conlon & James McEneaney and Hugh McQuaid & Declan Casey both retired their Ford Escorts on an attractional day in the Tyrone countryside.
Throughout the field, many of the class battles were intense watches, as leads jumped nearly from stage-to-stage at times. In Class 2 in particular, the season finale in Clare in two weeks’ time is now looking to be a two way duel between Craig Rahill & Killian McArdle and Cian Caldwell & Shane Byrne, but in Omagh it was Rahill & McArdle who claim the bragging rights.
In Class 2A, the title race was blown wide open when John Ward & Brian Martyn when their Ford Fiesta R2 ground to a halt on Stage 3, allowing Jack Harris & Ben Thompson to grab a huge haul of points.
The result means that John & Jack will be battling it out for the Drivers title in Clare, while Brian Martyn has done enough to claim the Navigators crown.
