ARMAGH driver Gabriel Snow, driving a Ford Escort Cosworth, was the surprise winner of the weekend's International Cork Rally. Snow came from fifth on Saturday to inherit the lead when Kanturk's Liam O'Callaghan retired his Toyota Celica on stage 15 yesterday.
At the time he held a massive three minute lead, with Just three stages to run. Liam McCarthy and Derek Smith also retired and Dennis Cronin, in a BMW finished second one minute 16 seconds down on Snow. Frank O'Mahony was third in a Subaru Legacy, despite two punctures.
Briton Carl Fogarty suffered from rear tyre trouble as he could finish only fifth and seventh behind double winner Troy Corser, of Australia, in the 11th round of the World Superbike Championship at Albacete, Spain, over the weekend.
The track temperature dropped from 38C in last week's tests to 20C for race day and Fogarty, fourth in the overall standings after 22 of 24 races, said: "I did all I could but at the end of the day my results were determined by the tyres.
"I'm going to Phillip Island to win and we'll see where that leaves me in the championship."
Ducati rider Corser's two victories give him a 26 point lead to take into the 12th and final round at Phillip Island, Australia, on October 27th. Corser led both races from start to finish and now needs just fourth and fifth places from the final two races of the year.
"I've still got two races to go and I'm taking nothing for granted," said Corser. "I had to win today and I have. It's made life easier for me in Australia but we'll wait and see what happens there."
Castrol Honda's Aaron Slith led the championship before yesterday but qualified in 11th place after suffering with a flu virus throughout the weekend.
New Zealander Slight, who finished ninth and sixth, said: "There's not a lot I could have done today. In the end it didn't matter whether I'd qualified in 11th or first - I'd have probably, still finished in the same places.
