| Cronin/Shinnors romp to victory in Tipperary |
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The starters list of the Carrick-on-Suir based event, the fifth round of the 2009 National Rally Championship, included the top 5 in this year’s championship. They set out on Sunday morning at 10am to do battle over 9 stages, totalling 135kms, comprising a loop of three stages repeated three times with a service between each loop. The stages of Slievenamon, The Gap and Ballyneale were to provide the perfect platform for young Cronin to showcase his driving prowess. On the first stage Cronin set out a marker to the opposition by completing the 18km route 15 seconds faster than his closest rival, reigning National Champion Patrick Elliot. Current Championship leader Niall Maguire was a further 8 seconds in arrears followed by Kevin Barrett a further 3 seconds down. The next Group N car, that of Gary Jennings was a full 34 seconds down on Cronin. Elliot reacted and went quicker than the young Ballylickey man on stage 2, albeit by just 2 seconds. Then on the final stage of the first loop, Elliot and Cronin were joint fastest as Cronin returned to service with a 13sec lead over Elliot and 36 seconds ahead of Maguire. Rain had started to fall as the competitors returned to service. This was the perfect opportunity for the rally leaders to capitalise, as the more powerful WRC cars would have difficulty utilising their advantage on the slippery roads. On each of the six remaining stages Cronin/Shinnors extended their lead and by the end of the final stage they had won the event by 1m21 sec from second placed Niall Maguire. Patrick Eliott was a further 47 seconds in arrears. The closest Gp N car was some 3m40s behind. The first stage of the loop, Slievenamon, was dedicated to that legend of Irish rallying, Frank Meagher, as he had proved so devastingly quick on the stage down through the years. Keith Cronin showed why he is the next legend in the sport by making this stage very much his own. The three runs on this stage alone, accounted for 59 seconds of his eventual winning margin! The result reinforces the massive talent that the unassuming young Ballylickey man possesses. It also explains why, in the last week, he was chosen once again, as Ireland’s representative in this year’s Pirelli Shootout, which will take place in Finland on 29th & 30th July. Ravens Rock Results 1st (4) Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.11.35 |
