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Kumho helps raftery to strong international Galway rally

‘Billy Coleman Young Driver Of The Year 2014' Dean Raftery had never driven a WRC car before achieving a memorable 6th place overall on last weekend's (February 6-8) Colm Quinn BMW Galway Rally at the wheel of a Kumho-shod BMW Mini. The result was all the more remarkable for the fact that he and co-driver Mark Kane had dropped as low as 18th on the opening day, following time lost to a loose water pipe.

Undeterred, the 23-year-old put in a remarkably mature drive, setting a string of top five stage times to finish just four places behind the sister Mini of his illustrious team-mate, five-times Irish rally champion Eugene Donnelly. Raftery's Colm Quinn-sponsored car was prepared by McGeehan Motorsport and ran on Kumho CO3 and TW02 rally tyres supplied by local motorsport dealer, Ears Motorsport Ireland.

Other classes

The vast majority of competitors in the National class also opted for Kumho rally tyres, not least the top three finishers - Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet), Michael Conlon (Ford Escort) and John Lynch (Ford Escort). Likewise the Historic category, which was won by Ernie Graham driving yet another Kumho-equipped Ford Escort.

Said Kumho's European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson: "This was a sensational result by young Dean. The Mini generally takes a bit of getting used to, yet who knows where he could have finished if he had hadn't encountered mechanical problems early on.

"We were obviously delighted to have featured so strongly in all classes of this ever-important rally - a result that bodes very well for the rest of the season."

For further detail of Kumho's tyres for rally stage, race circuit and road, refer to www.kumhotyre.co.uk.