Watch the 1985 Cork 20 International Rally from 7pm on Thurs 24th Sept

​This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is coverage of the 1985 Cork 20 International Rally with commentary from Michael Lyster.

The mid 80s saw a number of classic battles between Billy Coleman and Austin McHale and the 1985 Cork 20 was no exception. Coleman, who had pipped McHale by a single second to win in Donegal earlier in the year, powered into an early lead on the Cork 20 in the famous Rothmans Porsche 911. McHale decided to employ some gamesmanship on day 2 and on the Lough Allua stage, instead of starting 30 seconds behind Coleman, McHale waited for a minute and proceeded to take 29 seconds off the rally leader. Coleman, not realising McHale had waited at the start of the stage for an extra 30 seconds assumed he had been one second faster and throttled back to maintain the comfortable lead he thought he had. By the time he realised what had happened it was too late, and McHale emerged as the winner of the rally by 22 seconds as he secured his second Irish Tarmac Championship title of the decade. Future tarmac champions Kenny McKinstry and Frank Meagher also played a starring role in their then ageing, Ford Escort RS1800s.

This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on Thursday, September 24th.
 
Next week’s upload is coverage from the year 2000 of the Formula Europa series at Mondello Park.
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Next week’s upload is coverage from the year 2000 of the Formula Europa series at Mondello Park.

Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads.