Moffett Takes Magnificent Monaghan Victory in Citroen Racing Trophy Nail-biter!
The third round of the 2009 Citroen Racing Trophy Ireland proved to be an absolute classic tussle, for the Citroen Sport C2 R2’s, on the Monaghan Stages Rally. Local youngster Sam Moffett, clinched his first C2 R2 Irish victory by the narrowest of margins, on an event that had four different leaders within the nine special stages, such was the close competition between these equally matched 185 horse power front wheel drive machines.
It was Sam Moffett who set the bench-mark time of 9 minutes 18 seconds, on the opening Smithborough stages, but just behind him, his Clones rival Martin Tynan, stopped the clocks on exactly the same time, whilst Monaghan’s Barry Evans was just one second adrift in third. Championship leader Adrian McElhinney was relieved just to have made the start, as he was at one point, twenty-fifth on the rallies reserve list! Indeed he was only sure of a run half way through his recce, and that was partly due to his fiancé kindly pulling her entry for the event. Adrian was three seconds off the leaders on stage one, but dropped a critical twenty seconds to the new leader on special stage two. That new leader was an inspired Barry Evans with David Lyons co driving. He took the lead, but it was to be short lived, Barry slipping into a ditch and retirement on stage three, Dunraymond. As the cars headed into service after three stages, it was Sam Moffett leading by eighteen seconds after two excellent times on stages two and three. In second was now Martin Tynan and a surprise third was relative C2 newcomer Mark Kane. But even more surprising, was young Stephen Baxter. The Enniskillen lad, was only on his second ever rally, and had been seeded nearly last, but when his times filtered through he was fastest C2 on stage one with a 9 minutes 12, and lay fourth service, three seconds ahead of championship leader Adrian McElhinney. Conditions were beginning to dry for the second loop of three stages, and Adrian changed his Carbon Lorraine brake pad compound at service, hoping to gain an extra advantage. Armagh driver Sean Agnew was making a return to the series, and admitted it was taking time to re-adapt, but poor Paul Manton was in early trouble. The Cashel driver dropped over five minutes in stage two as an oil pipe blew off, temporary repairs being made at the end of the stage. It was worthwhile however as Paul continued on the event, and would eventually pick up fifth placed points.
Onto stage four for the leaders, a re run of the Smithborough stage, and Adrian McElhinney was fired up taking fastest time, a time that was to later be equaled by the flying Stephen Baxter. However Stephen’s rally ended sadly on stage five with an off- road excursion. Indeed fastest times on stages five and six brought Adrian McElhinney to within four seconds of the leader, and he was now tying with Martin Tynan for second place! The pressure was on 19 year old Sam Moffett with just four seconds in hand and same three stages for the last time remaining. Added to this Mark Kane in fourth was still only nineteen seconds back, and as the rain started to fall at service, everyone was leaving their choice of BF Goodrich rubber to the last minute.
A last minute retirement on the last loop was Sean Agnew, allowing Paul Manton, who had more trouble with his oil pipe on the second loop into fifth at the finish. Also to hit a little trouble on the final stage was Mark Kane, who had engine mount woes. However this didn’t stop him taking a well deserved fourth in his second rally in a C2 R2. The battle at the front however had turned into a war! On stage 7 Adrian McElhinney was fastest, taking one second from Tynan, and more crucially five seconds off Moffett, so Adrian was now leading by one second from a tying Moffett and Tynan. At the end of the penultimate stage, Moffett crossed the finish line with mud hanging from his front left wheel, a testament to a close shave. However he was still fastest taking three seconds off Martin Tynan, and critically fifteen off McElhinney who had been up a bank. It was the deciding blow for Adrian, as although the Donegal driver put in a storming time on the final stage, nine seconds faster than anyone, it was now good enough only for third place. It was between the two young drivers Moffett and Tynan, on a final stage shootout. It was Tynan who was faster, but only by one second, leaving victory to Sam Moffett by just two scant seconds! After nine tough stages of rallying it was an amazingly close finish and it really sets up the championship race before the next round in Cavan.
It’s Sam Moffett’s first Citroen Racing Trophy victory and he was understandably delighted at the Hillgrove Hotel finish. “It was so close all day, and it was tricky in places too with the weather. We had no real problems however, and to win the C2’s on my home event is just magic.”
Photo: Roy Dempster
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