Video: Local competitors at the Lurgan Park Rally

Press play to watch a slideshow of pictures, taken by Gary Gardiner, from the Lurgan Park Rally.

Garry Jennings paid his first visit to the Orchard Motorsport Lurgan Park Rally and duly won at the wheel of his Subaru World Rally Car.

The Fermanagh driver was very much the class act in the County Armagh Park and in front of a large crowd he won by a healthy margin of 12 seconds over the most successful driver in the history of the event, Kenny McKinstry.

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With 11 wins under his belt McKinstry came to the event with the aim of making it win number twelve and despite a strong challenge from the Banbridge ace he had to give way to a very on form Jennings.

Earlier in the week at the pre-event press briefing in the nearby Craigavon Civic Centre, Jennings aired on caution ever mindful that after the event his car had to be on a boat bound for the mainland and a rebuild.

As he gets ready for the next round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship the Ulster Rally which takes place in lees than two weeks.

Kevin Kelleher completed the top three making it an all Subaru WRC podium and Jonny Leonard brought his Mitsubishi EVO into fourth place.

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Rounding off the top six, Emma McKinstry in one of her father’s Subarus and Derek McGeehan in a Mini WRC.

Best of the Ford Escorts and no great surprise the talented Wesley Patterson who also finished seventh overall.

Meanwhile the rally action continued yesterday with Declan and Brian Boyle (Subaru WRC) clinching the Dunlop National Rally Championship with a resounding victory in the Clonmel based Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

On what was their fifth win of the Dunlop season, they finished the nine stage rally a minute and 57 seconds ahead of Roy White/James O’Brien (MG S2000).

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The Welsh crew of James Belton/Mark Glennerster (Subaru WRC) were 29 seconds further behind in third.

In Group N, Monaghan’s, Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly finished 10.1 seconds ahead of fellow Monaghan crew, Josh Moffett/John Rowan, both in Mitsubishi Evo IX’s.

The top Modified crew was that of Donegal’s, Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Toyota Starlet).

Conor Moore, co-driven by Ella Ryan (Honda Civic) won the Junior category and the Historic section was won by Ellis Belton/Gwynfor Jones (Ford Escort).

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