Johnston title hopes hanging by a thread

Editorial Department • Published 22 Oct 2009 11:29 0 Comments

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Raymond Johnston's hopes of claiming his first Group N Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship title are hanging by a thread following his retirement on last weekend's Down Rally.

The Ballinamallard driver has been in contention for the top spot in the series throughout the year, but a fraught event on Saturday in which he failed to finish has virtually extinguished any hopes of claiming the crown. He now has to rely on both the results of others and also a favourable decision from the rule makers to have any chance of topping the table.

Going into the penultimate rally of the championship Raymond was battling with both Donagh Kelly and Neil McCance for a chance to win the title, but although McCance retired on the opening stage, Raymond had problems of his own. "On the first stage it was very jumpy and bumpy and less than half a mile into it there was a massive jump that everyone was talking about," he explained. "We hit it a gear less than we had planned to, but when we landed the car went onto three cylinders, and sometimes two. It also nipped the back tyre and gave us a slow puncture. We did almost three miles like that and dropped a lot of time to Donagh Kelly."

Despite being half a minute behind Kelly after just one stage, Raymond knew a solid performance after the early exit of McCance and also Damian Tourish would keep him in the hunt for the title, but those hopes were dashed on stage two. "About half a mile into it I slid a bit wide on a slowish corner and clipped a rock with the back wheel," he explained. "It spun me around into a tree stump and burst the radiator and intercooler, and that was that. It was a short rally. I should have gone to the trailer after the first stage!"

Donagh Kelly went on to claim maximum points, which appeared to end Raymond's championship hopes. Since the event, however, debate has raged about the award of points for drivers who have participated in marshalling during the season and the outcome could still decide the outcome of the championship. "I have already got the points, but apparently the marshalling was to be done before the Down Rally and Donagh Kelly hasn't done his yet," revealed Raymond. "It would still be a long shot but if he doesn't get those points then I would need to win Group N on the last round, and Donagh Kelly not finish. If he gets his marshalling points then it is all over. You wouldn't really want to win by default either, but I suppose rules are rules. I just don't know what way it will work it out."

The battle for overall victory in the series is also embroiled in the same controversy with Derek McGarrity's lack of marshalling activity apparently leaving Kenny McKinstry still in with a chance of the title. Whatever the outcome of the official's deliberations, Raymond intends to compete on the final round of the series, the Glens of Antrim Rally on November 6.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 22 Oct 09

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