Sam Moffett dominated the Tuffmac Lakeland Stages Rally at the weekend, winning the Enniskillen Motor Club organised event by 21 seconds from his brother Josh in a family 1-2.

The Fermanagh forests provided several local drivers with class wins with Shane McGirr winning class six, Jon Armstrong dominating his class and Raymond Johnston emerging victorious in the historic section. There was also a top ten finish for Jonny Leonard in his Mitsubishi.

The rally attracted a large entry of over 100 drivers, the biggest for almost a decade, and the competitors were united in their praise for the event which was based in the west of the county. “They were brilliant stages,” said local driver Jon Armstrong. “It is really fast with committed corners. It was a good day as well which helps. The stages were dry and in really good order with a good surface on them. I think the 12 mile stage is maybe the best gravel stage in Ireland!” Sam Moffett set the early pace in his Ford Fiesta WRC, posting a time four seconds clear of his nearest challenger. Andrew Purcell and local navigator Barry McNulty posed the biggest threat to Moffett on stage one, but they hit trouble on stage three and retired from the event. Josh briefly led the rally after a fastest time on stage two but on the long Ballintempo test it was Sam who hit the front again, and he was never headed as he romped ahead, eventually finishing the eight stages 21 seconds clear.

Jon Armstrong was battling for championship points in the Carryduff Forklift Road to Wales competition, and he posted his second consecutive victory to close within four points of series leader Rob Duggan after the Killarney man crashed out. The Kesh driver was quicker by three seconds on the first stage but once he passed the ditched car of Duggan on stage two, he knew victory in the class was his for the taking. “After we went past him I drove it very cautiously until the end,” he said. “For the rest of the day it was about trying to keep my nerve and get through the rest of the event without any problems. There was no big pressure and it was a matter of keeping our nerve. We managed to get a good lead and then we had to get round without making any mistakes. I’m not happy unless I’m taking everything at full speed but sometimes you have to be smart and make sure you get the points.” The winner of the series will earn himself a fully funded drive in an R3 Citroen DS3 on Wales Rally GB, and although Duggan remains favourite for the title with just the Bushwacker Rally remaining, Jon now has a great chance to take the top spot. Second place would be enough for Duggan regardless of Jon’s performance, but he is hoping to be in a position to take advantage if any misfortune should befall his rival. “If he comes second and we win he will win by a point so he still has pole position,” admitted Jon. “He doesn’t have to win but it was the same story on Saturday and he still seemed to be trying to push on and he made a mistake. It’s the biggest prize in Irish rallying for probably a decade so it would be very nice to get it.” Shane McGirr once again defied the odds to produce another giant killing performance in his Toyota Starlet. With Jackie Elliott on the pace notes the pair finished fifth overall and second two wheel drive car home.

Johnny Leonard and Niall Burns finished four seconds behind Armstrong in eighth overall in their Mitsubishi Evo, with any hopes of a higher finished damaged by a burst turbo pipe on the second loop of stages. Raymond Johnston took class success in his historic Escort, but there was no such luck for Marc Johnston who held the lead of group N early in the rally before his retirement on the penultimate stage. There were class battles throughout the field with drivers swapping seconds over the eight stages. Class one was won comfortably by Ian Dickson ahead of Ashley Rutledge. In class two Cathan McCourt emerged victorious with an eight second winning margin over Paul Britton. The Corsa of Ruairi Maguire won class three ahead of Mervyn Wilson with Scott Thompson in third. Paul Barrett topped class five ahead of Hugh McQuaid and John Gordon, while in class seven Frank Kelly finished well clear of his old foe Adrian Hetherington.