[Middle East Driver]

Anyone got a list of all the N.I.Rally Champions ( Driver & Co-driver) to-date ..or know who I could contact for details ?

I know Mc Kinstry won a few times .. and Swervy Mervy but who else and in what years ?:dunno:

 

[McS]

John Mc Keown , Sean Haveron, Stevie Emerson , Stephen Mawhiney, KPL, George Robinson ... All champions too.. to name a few ... try contacting the ANICC rallies co-ordinator ... he should have a list of them.

ps: try "Pacenotes" or " Carsport" editors ..or Sammy Hamill (Belfast Tele)

 

[wrcireland]

robin phillips, eugene donnelly both won it...and not sure but possibly trevor moore..

 

[McS]

so currently we have:

1971 Sydney Meeke

1988 Kenny McKinstry
1989 Kenny McKinstry
1990 Mervyn Hill
1991 Mervyn Hill
1992 Mervyn Hill
1993 Stephen Emerson
1994 Stephen Mawhinney
1995 George Robinson
1996 Stephen Harron
1997 Sean Haveron
1998 John McKeown
1999 Denis Biggerstaff
2000 Robin Phillips
2001 Denis Biggerstaff
2002 Derek McGarrity
2003 Eugene Donnelly
2004 Kevin Lynch
2005 Kevin Lynch
2006 ????????? TBC

:laugh: see that was easy!

 

[Middle East Driver]

Thanks McS.... you sure know N.I. Rallying !

ps: Were you the Championship Coordinator 2000-2003 ?????

 

[McS]

not a chance im only a young cub when it comes to rallying. but i do have a good strong knowledge of the sport. Co-Ordinator back then was Jim McSherry. He did a good job. Anytime i spoke to him about it he was always thinking into the future.... and as for me i clearly have more knowledge than some of the space cadets on this site! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[rallyretro]

Was chattin to Sammy Hamill today. He said that the original championship did run from the early 70's for around a decade. It then came back again in in the 80's at some time, I assume 1988? I looked through a few mags and one of Sammy's books from the mid 80's and no sign of any NI championship as such so I assume 87/88 must've beenwhen it started up again.

Belfast Telegraph sponsored the NI championship for some years in the 70's.

 

[tommi]

I think Gerry McGarrity won it won year in the civic.

 

[road]

CHAMPIONS

Gerry McGarrity won the road rally championship in a 1300 civic I believe, but not the stage rally championship.

The stage championship was run in the 70's, and won a few times by Ronnie McCartney.

Robert McBurney won in 1968 in a Porsche engined Beetle with Esler Crawford Navigating

Robin Lyons was a front runner along with Bertie Law, Dessie McCartney, Hugh O'Brien etc.

The Belfast Telegraph sponsored the Championship for many years before it stopped, having dropped to only 4 rallies in the final year I think. That last year was 1971 when Ronnie McCartney won and the winning navigator was Robbie McGurk !

In 1988 the championship was re-launched, when rallying had a resurgence, with Gavin Campbell as the Co-ordinator and Gordon Noble as promotions / PR. The championship title Adair / Singleton, came from the joint sponsors Bill Adair and Willie Singleton
The road rally championship was always closely fought with the likes of Ronnie McCartney, Kenny McKinstry, Kevin O'Kane Fred Crawford, John Allen, Sydney Meeke etc

Don’t know all the details, but mighty rallying, ex works cars etc.

 

[samyh]

Since the NI Championship was revived the list reads:

1987 Kenny McKinstry
1988 Kenny McKinstry
1989 Kenny McKinstry
1990 Mervyn Hill
1991 Mervyn Hill
1992 Mervyn Hill
1993 Stephen Emerson
1994 Stephen Mawhinney
1995 George Robinson
1996 Stephen Harron
1997 Sean Haveron
1998 John McKeown
1999 Denis Biggerstaff and Guy Carlisle
2000 Robin Phillips and Michael Gibson
2001 Denis Biggerstaff and Damien McCann
2002 Derek McGarrity and James McKee
2003 Eugene Donnelly and Paddy Toner
2004 Kevin Lynch and Francis Regan
2005 Kevin Lynch and Francus Regan

 

[Eugene O'Kane]

Originally posted by samyh
Since the NI Championship was revived the list reads:

1987 Kenny McKinstry
1988 Kenny McKinstry
1989 Kenny McKinstry
1990 Mervyn Hill
1991 Mervyn Hill
1992 Mervyn Hill
1993 Stephen Emerson
1994 Stephen Mawhinney
1995 George Robinson
1996 Stephen Harron
1997 Sean Haveron
1998 John McKeown
1999 Denis Biggerstaff and Guy Carlisle
2000 Robin Phillips and Michael Gibson
2001 Denis Biggerstaff and Damien McCann
2002 Derek McGarrity and James McKee
2003 Eugene Donnelly and Paddy Toner
2004 Kevin Lynch and Francis Regan
2005 Kevin Lynch and Francus Regan

Sorry to correct you but I think Crawford Henderson was the winning co-driver in 2004 .

 

[samyh]

Don't remember Crawford every sitting with Kevin Lynch. Gordon Noble yes, Rory Kennedy even - but Crawford Henderson?

 

[All okay here]

No it was Crawford because Lynch used different navigators through that year.

 

[sat-nav]

You`r right there sheriffsdep, Kevin used Martin mc Nicholl at Kirkistown in 2004 Francie sat from Bishopscourt on where they had a dnf , thats how Crawford got the co-drivers in 2004

 

[McS]

no the list of names i think is showing who sat with the driver.... not who won the co-drivers championship....

 

[rallyretro]

just to update this a little bit

1977 Ronnie McCartney

1978 Robin Lyons

1979 Ernest Kidney

1980 Ronnie McCartney

1981 Robin Lyons

1982 }

1983 }

1984 } NO

1985 } Championship.

1986 }

1987 - my source here says no championship, and "Road" above says it was revived in 1988 but "Samyh" says kenny won it...anyone confirm?

[Edited on 29-3-2006 by rallyretro]

 

[andy t]

i see Stephen Mawhinney has a couple of Lotus Sunbeam's at his garage, a road car and ex Brookes EVC 666T Andrews heat for hire car.

 

[L.A.D.]

is he selling any!!!

 

[gn]

1988

I saw the origional ress release for the revival of the championship, and it was 1988...sorry sammy!

 

[Kit Car]

Just wondering is Robin Lyons the Robin Lyons that owns a Peugeot garage in Castlederg?? Rallied Peugeot's most of the time?