Bruckless native Shane Byrne secured his inaugural rally victory at the Eakin Bros Maiden City Stages Rally over the weekend, partnering with Derry-based driver Desi Henry.
The Derry-Donegal pairing dominated the event from start to finish, clinching three stage wins out of a challenging six-stage competition.
The rally proved to be a fierce battle, with competitors vying for crucial championship points in the Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Despite the intense competition, Byrne and Henry maintained their lead throughout the event.
As they entered the first service, Henry and Byrne had established a narrow lead of 8.7 seconds over last year’s championship winner, Johnny Greer, and navigator Niall Burns. Despite minor adjustments needed to their Citroen C3 Rally 2 car’s suspension, the team encountered little drama in the initial stages.
Desi Henry and co-driver Shane Byrne have won the Maiden City Stages Rally
However, the afternoon loop presented new challenges as their car developed a mechanical misfire. With Irish Tarmac Champion Callum Devine closing in, Byrne and Henry remained resolute, pushing through to secure victory with a margin of 14.8 seconds.
Reflecting on their triumph, Shane Byrne expressed his elation, stating, “It’s an incredible feeling to clinch my first rally win. Desi put in a stellar drive even with last stage drama where our misfire worsened. It really was a race to the finish line. I’d like to thank the team and the Motorsport Ireland Rally academy for their help and guidance over the past numerous weeks to help set me up on the winning path “
