JOHN KEATLEY, with Maurice Beckett, powered his Porsche 911 to a 13 second victory over another Porsche crew of Dessie Nutt and Elkin Robinson in the inaugural Killarney Historic Stages Rally yesterday.
A third Ulster crew, Drew Wylie and Graeme Jennings in a Lotus Elan, finished third, with Dubliners Frank Fennell and Frank Hussey fourth in a Porsche 911 - the first four finished exactly as seeded.
There was a dramatic finale with just a handful of seconds separating Kealey and Nutt at the start of the final stage over Moll's Gap on the run into Killarney from Kenmare.
Null had a handy 13 second lead after four stages, but Keatley was stunningly quick over stage five while Fennell put in a great finish to close to within 10 seconds of third placed Wylie. It was Fennell's first rally in a Porsche 911. Mervyn Johnston did his usual giant killing act finishing fifth in his Mini Cooper S despite a blown cylinder head gasket.
In the Post Hisoric section Ed Gibbons, the early leader, retired with a damaged radiator and Brian Powley took the honours. American Paul Kane in a Porsche and Hugh Wylie in a Ford Cortina diced for third.
