05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Garry Jennings celebrates victory at May Day Rally
Jennings was fastest on all but one of the event's five stages aboard his Ford Fiesta Rally2, his streak interrupted by the Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 of eventual runner-up, Aaron McLaughlin.
Based entirely within the confines of a sun-drenched Saint Angelo Airport on the outskirts of Enniskillen, Jennings' cushion at the end of 24.4 competitive miles was 9.6 seconds.
The charge of eight-time Northern Ireland Rally Champion Derek McGarrity in another Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 was halted on stages four and six when he found his path blocked by back markers.
He conceded the unfortunate – and time consuming – incidents had 'just ruined the job for us' and he had to settle for third with Derrick Jobb.
In the two-wheel-drive battle, Cootehill duo Andrew McIntyre and Andrew Wedlock were clear winners in their Toyota Starlet from the Ford Escort Mk2 of John and David Bonner.
Meanwhile, Callum Devine has moved to within one victory of drawing level with the five-in-a-row the late Bertie Fisher recorded at the Rally of the Lakes between 1990 and 1994.
Devine made a slow-start to the third round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship on Saturday, but set-up tweaks allowed him to find the sweet spot with his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and he shot to the top of the leaderboard on the first two stages of the Sunday leg.
He hammered home his advantage alongside Noel O'Sullivan on the afternoon loop and went on to finish it 14 seconds clear of Meirion Evans and Ger Conway's Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, and a further 4.3 seconds to the good over the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 being campaigned this season by triple British Rally champion, Matt Edwards.
'To go and do this four times in a row is not something I had really thought of beforehand but yeah, it is pretty special. I owe a big thanks to Noel – he was absolutely fantastic over the two days and, with him being a Killarney man, this is extra special,' reflected Devine.
'It was a tough weekend, we started off a bit slow but all the guys I work with helped to get me back on track and up to speed with the other boys, so yeah, I am really pleased
