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The Tuthill Porsche 911 R-GT rally car finished the 2015 Circuit of Ireland Rally well down the field, but it was first in the hearts of rally fans, after recovering from a dramatic end to day one.
Sitting on the start line for the Newtownards special stage, the car lost drive and could not take to the course of the old Ards TT motorcycle race, to the great disappointment of several thousand spectators. Tuthill mechanics found a defect in the clutch pack and worked into the early hours, preparing the car to restart on day two. The second day’s rallying left a much better taste for the driver pair of Robert Woodside and Allan Harryman.
“Newtownards was a huge disappointment, but the team did an excellent job to get us back out on day two,” said Robert Woodside. “After some changes to the setup overnight, the car felt much better and got quicker with every mile covered. This whole week has been a memorable experience: many thanks to all of the fans who came out to support us and to Richard and his team for bringing the car and working so hard. Hopefully this will not be the last time we see it in Ireland: watch this space!”
“I spent just spent a day rallying at home with my best friend in a proper rally-prepared Porsche, and the sun was shining. You can’t get any better than that,” said a delighted Allan Harryman. “We also get to keep the car for a few more days, on display with our sponsors at Rushmere Shopping Centre. I’m hoping the team will forget it’s still here!”
Tuthill Porsche on 2015 Circuit of Ireland
“Our Porsche 911 is in a class of its own on the Circuit, so finish is to win,” noted Richard. “The real victory lies in overwhelming support for Robert, Allan and our R-GT Porsche.
“The feedback from the entire rally community in person and via social media channels has been exceptional. I was still getting emails from fans after midnight: one said he had not seen such excitement since Colin McRae brought his Metro 6R4 to the Donegal Rally. So many people put everything into this rally and that is what makes it so special: huge thanks to all of them.”
The next scheduled outing for the Tuthill R-GT car is Ypres Rally in June for the WRC R-GT Cup. The team will continue its preparations for this year’s Safari Rally, as well as building many historic road, race and rally Porsche 911s through 2015.
