Rally Ireland First WRC Victory for Kumho

November 15 to 18’s Rally Ireland gave Kumho its first ever win in a World Rally Championship event when Niall McShea drove his Kumho-shod Subaru Impreza WRX STi to outright victory in the rally’s Production Car Class. The 31-year-old driver, who originally hails from County Fermanagh, capped off what Kumho has called a ‘landmark year of motorsport’ – the manufacturer also relished another significant victory in 2007, winning the LMP2 class at Le Mans after only three visits to the Circuit de la Sarthe.

The choice of tyres during this year’s WRC was possibly never more critical than at Rally Ireland, a round that drivers such as reigning World Champion Sebastian Loeb admitted was perhaps the most difficult they had ever competed in. The notoriously slippery roads were constantly covered in mud and it rained throughout the event. The resulting treacherous conditions put paid to many hopes, including those of Works Ford driver and former World Champion Marcus Gronholm.

Kumho supplied McShea and co-driver Marshall Clarke with a mix of its proven C03 and new TW02 tyres. In second place prior to the final leg, McShea’s challenge on class leader Armindo Araujo was so strong that the Portuguese lost control of his Mitsubishi in the tricky conditions and rolled out of the rally, leaving McShea to complete one of the most memorable wins of his decade-long career.

“Kumho very kindly supported me in this rally and did an excellent job,” commented McShea. “I think I had an advantage with their tyres because they work so very well here in Ireland.”

Steve Thompson, Kumho’s European Motorsport manager commented, “This rally was a major test for drivers, their cars and especially their tyres. We knew our C03 to be an excellent performer in such wet, slippery conditions, but were very pleased to find our new TW02 is capable of beating the best driver/tyre