New Years Stages 2012

I attended my first event of the year on Saturday, the New Years Stages at Kirkistown racetrack. The New Years Stages is the traditional shake down for the start of the year and this year was no exception with a great turn out of top cars. It has been a few years since we have seen any interesting new cars so the fact that both Dereck McGeehan and Dereck McGarrity were debuting their new machines, which are the first of each model in the country, was a bit too special to miss.

I was most interested to see McGeehans MINI WRC as it's the car Eugene Donnelly will be driving in this years ITC. I've been a big fan of Eugenes since his giant killing performances in the Corolla WRC and I'd put money on him winning the championship again this year. The MINI looked great sitting still but it was very clear from watching it on the stages that it was only out for a test, it just wasn't a totally committed drive.

In contrast McGarrity's S14 Impreza looked brilliant on the stages. I didn't get a good look round it as it was parked in the garage everytime I sent up to service but what I did see I was impressed with.

Galway International Rally is only 1 day this year but after seeing the MINI and the S14 at Kirkistown I could be very easily be talking in to making the drive down.